What does the opium poppy look like?
The two most common opium-producing poppies are the “Persian White,” which has the largest seedpods, and the “Hungarian Blue.” The former has white petals, while the latter has purple petals, with white centers. The unripened seedpods, which are green and onion shaped, contain the milky latex sap from which opium is derived. In fact, if you’ve ever had a poppy seed bagel, you were most likely eating the seeds of this plant (although the seeds have no narcotic effect).
