Do all poppy plants contain opium?

The earliest reference to opium growth and use is in 3,400 B.C. when the opium poppy was cultivated in lower Mesopotamia (Southwest Asia). .... Although the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) has the highest concentration of narcotics, all poppies in the Papaver genus do contain some amount of narcotic. read more

No, not all poppies contain opium; only one does. Among those flowers we call poppies, there are 11 genera in the subfamily Papaveraceae, and the most commonly considered poppy flowers belong to one of those genera which is the genus Papaver. In that genus, only one species contains opium, the breadseed or opium poppy (Papaver somniferum). read more

Opium poppies are annual plants that grow between 20 and 60 inches in height. They have large erect leaves and flowers with four to eight petals in color varieties of pink, violet, blue and red. The fruits are capsule-like with an expanded top that have small holes for the seeds. read more

Because of their high oil content, all poppy seeds are prone to rancidity. They should therefore be stored, airtight, in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. The flavor of poppy seed is augmented by toasting. seeds don't contain opium and are widely used in cooking and baking. read more