Uses
The flowers of most poppy species are attractive and are widely cultivated as annual or perennial ornamental plants. This has resulted in a number of commercially important cultivars, such as the Shirley poppy, a cultivar of Papaver rhoeas and semi-double or double (flore plena) forms of the opium poppy Papaver somniferum and oriental poppy (Papaver orientale). Poppies of several other genera are also cultivated in gardens. A few species have other uses, principally as sources of drugs and foods. The opium poppy is so widely cultivated that its worldwide production is monitored by international agencies. It is used for production of the dried latex, opium, the principal source of the opiate drugs morphine, and codeine. Its highly nutritious poppy seed is used in cooking and baking and is pressed to produce poppyseed oil for culinary and other uses.
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