Page "Papaver somniferum" Paragraph 35

It has been suggested that, since " opium poppy and poppy straw " are listed in Schedule II of the United States ' Controlled Substances Act, a DEA license may be required to grow poppies in ornamental or display gardens.

In fact the legal status of strictly ornamental poppy gardens is more nuanced, and destruction of ornamental poppy installations or prosecution of gardeners ( except those caught extracting opium via capsule scarification or tea extraction ) are virtually unheard of.

During the early spring, opium poppies can be seen flowering in gardens throughout North America and Europe, and beautiful displays are found in many private planters, as well as in public botanical and museum gardens ( e. g. United States Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden, North Carolina Botanical Garden, residential garden, Seattle, WA, and residential garden, Hartford, CT ).