California Poppy
Eschscholzia Californica
This golden lady is native to the United States and Mexico and is in the Papaveraceae family. She loves to show off her joy with bright orange, yellow and red, cup-shaped, 4 petaled blooms. Her leaves are fern-like and tend to resemble a carrot top. She is the State Flower of California, and can be found growing wild along roadsides and in fields all over the state. It is illegal to harvest from anywhere but your own property (please look up local guidelines). She is edible and medicinal.
strong Medicine
California Poppy is excellent at helping us relax and calm down nervous tension. She is Soporific, so promotes healthy sleep, especially in relation to insomnia. Relieves agitation and is used as a Nervine. This tough lady also helps our entire body by promoting nutrition uptake at a cellular level as a Trophorestorative. Traditionally it has also been used to treat pain, anxiety, stress, neuralgia, migraines and depression. All above ground parts can be used in medicine making.
*Although she is a Poppy, she is not the same as the Opium Poppy (Papaver Somniferum-a distant cousin) and is not addictive. Her naturally occurring alkaloids effect the same pain receptors in the brain, however, and produce mild sedative, anti-anxiety and pain-blocking properties.