Now that Spring is finally here if you are in the western regions of North America you may see a beautiful orange-yellow wildflower begin to appear all over the hills and mountainsides, this is California Poppy, Eschscholzia californica. Even if you don't live in these areas, this is still an important plant to know about as it is common to see it in many herbal formulas due to its great medicinal value, and it's definitely a friend you’ll want in your medicine cabinet!

Growing & Harvesting

There may be a few hints to this, but the California Poppy is California’s state flower! However, you will find California poppy in abundance from southern Washington to Mexico. I would say this is one of the easiest plants to grow and can beautify any area. California Poppy is an annual that loves sandy, well-drained soil, and lots of sun. It can be planted by seed and should grow with no problem in zones 6-10. Because it's a ground cover plant It can be grown underneath or beside other plants with no issues. Besides all the lovely medicinal properties we are going to talk about, California Poppy is also a great plant to grow for pollinators like butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds! When harvesting California Poppy you can harvest all the aerial parts which include the feathery leaves, the stems, and those orange/yellow flowers. The best time to harvest is in the morning once the dew has dried. You will have a big window of time to harvest as they can be seen blooming from spring all the way to early fall! I will discuss some great ways to process California Poppy for medicine at the end.

Medicinal Benefits 

You may be wondering by now, is California poppy similar to Opium Poppy? The answer is yes and no. While they are in the same family- the Papaveraceae- California Poppy does not contain opium. They have different alkaloids and California poppy is going to produce a much milder effect than opium poppy with no narcotic or addictive effects. However, when it comes to my antispasmodic and sedative go-tos California poppy is at the top of my list. 

California poppy is a cooling and bitter plant which tells us it acts on the digestive system, specifically when there is pain and spasms. For example gallbladder pain or intestinal spasms. This antispasmodic and pain-relieving action extends way beyond the digestive system to menstrual cramps, coughs, and musculoskeletal spasms and pain. I love combining it with valerian root and skullcap for this. It's also a great remedy for children with colic and restlessness. For colic, you can combine it with catnip and fennel seeds, and for restlessness and sleeplessness in children, you can combine it with chamomile. 

As a nervine and sedative it is great nervous system tonic. It can be helpful for anxiety, nervous agitation, insomnia ( especially with pain), and probably one of its most popular uses is for ADD and ADHD. 

How to Prepare & Dosage

When it comes to the best way to prepare California poppy, fresh is best. The easiest way to preserve this freshness is as a fresh tincture or vinegar. You can simply do it the folk method by adding the California poppy to a jar to fill it halfway, pour your alcohol or vinegar over it so it rises at least 1 inch above the herbs, let it sit for at least two weeks or longer, and strain, or you could prepare it the weight to volume method as a 1:1 or 1:2 (Plant: solvent). Note that a tincture will preserve a lot longer than vinegar. Although fresh is best you will still get benefits using it dried and can enjoy it as a tea. Be sure to store it in an airtight container and keep it in a cool dark area for maximum freshness. 

For a tea use 1 Tbsp of the dried aerial parts or 2 Tbsp of the fresh aerial part per cup of water.

For a tincture take 20-60 drops for an adult and 5-20 for children 1-4 times a day or really as needed.

Contraindications

Contraindicated in pregnancy due to uterine stimulating effects.

Conclusion

In conclusion, California poppy is a wonderful herb to consider for the nervous system and spasmodic pain and can safely be taken by children. With it being in abundance it almost feels as though it's calling to us to be used! Of course, always talk to a qualified healthcare practitioner to see if this herb is right for you as this information is for educational purposes only.