DESCRIPTION

The poppy plant is an annual native to the Middle East, grown for culinary and medicinal purposes since ancient times. It was used by the early Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans (it was mentioned by Homer), and it has been cultivated in India and China for thousands of years. Major producers today include Holland, France, Canada, India, China, Turkey, and Iran; the plants are also grown in
Australia, particularly on the island of Tasmania, and in Southeast Asia.