noun
opium poppy
Refers specifically to the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), the plant from which opium is derived.
ケシの栽培は法律で禁止されている。
Cultivation of opium poppies is prohibited by law.
ケシの花は美しいが、実からアヘンが取れる。
The opium poppy flower is beautiful, but opium can be obtained from its seed pod.
Rarely used kanji form.
ポピー is a general term for poppies, including ornamental varieties, while ケシ specifically refers to the opium poppy.
The word ケシ is of native Japanese origin, but its exact derivation is uncertain. The kanji forms 芥子 and 罌粟 are Chinese borrowings used for this plant.