Papaver somniferum was cultivated in the ancient civilizations of Persia, Egypt and Mesopotamia. Archaeological evidence and fossilized Papaver somniferum seeds suggest that Neanderthal man may have used the opium poppy over thirty thousand years ago. The first known written reference to Papaver somniferum Opium poppies appears in a Sumerian text dated around 4,000 BC. The flower was known as hul gil, plant of joy. It has also been variously called the Sacred Anchor Of Life, Milk Of Paradise, the Hand Of God, and Destroyer Of Grief.

From the Opium Poppy's mid-Eastern origins, its use had spread throughout Europe by 2000 B.C. and by the 8th century AD Papaver somniferum was widely cultivated in India and China, and throughout mid-Asia.

Opium poppy flower pods grow from a lettuce-like base, atop a single stalk, sometimes over 4 feet tall. The flowers are beautiful and grace gardens world-wide. The pods are very popular in dried flower arrangements, and the seeds are commonly used in baking.