| Breadseed Poppy | |
| Papaver somniferum | |
| a.k.a. Opium Poppy |
Common ornamental and medicinal poppy having flowers in many colors, from white to yellow, red, and purple, with various shades and combinations.
Description: Plants usually grow to 2-3ft. Some strains have high alkaloid content and can be processed into various drugs, many other strains, including most ornamental horticulture strains contain only trace amounts of alkaloids. This species also yields the poppy seed that is used in baking.
Hardiness: The Breadseed Poppy is a hardy annual, surviving cool and frosty temperatures, but also growing well in warm humid areas. Plants are sensitive to freezes and blooming flowers sensitive to frost.
Growing Environment: Grow as an annual, although plants will overwinter in warmer areas and bloom during the following spring and summer. Grow in full sun.
Propagation: By seeds.
Uses: Grown as an ornamental.
Native Range: Native to Southeastern Europe and Western Asia.