Where do poppies come from?

Poppies originally come from western Asia and southeastern Europe. They are now cultivated in many parts of the world both for their seeds and for the beauty of their silky flowers and foliage.

Poppies can be perennial, biannual or annual. They come in a wide variety of colors, including red, blue, orange, pink, white, yellow and mauve. The flowers bloom in the spring and summer and prefer well-drained, loamy soil. Poppies also do well in full sun to partial shade.

The opium poppy is also grown for the latex collected from its fruit capsule. This latex is used in the production of opiates. Opium poppy cultivation is largely centered in Afghanistan and southeast Asia.