California Poppy

Other Common Names:
California Poppy, Yellow Poppy, Gold Poppy

California Poppy
California poppy - annual or perennial growing to 2 ft (60 cm). California poppy has finely cut leaves and bright orange, yellow, pink, or red flowers.

Like a golden blanket, orange and yellow poppy blossoms once covered the mountains of coastal California, so impressing Spanish explorers that they named the region the Land of Fire. Indeed, before development dimmed their luster, the flowered hills shone so brightly that sailors far out at sea used them as beacons to shape their course. Today this poppy is California's state flower.

Like many other members of the poppy family, the California poppy contains sedative alkaloids in its sap. The local Indians used the plant as a painkiller, especially for toothache; as a remedy for insomnia and headache; and as a poultice for sores and ulcers. Indian women employed California poppy to charm unresponsive lovers, though this was considered a crime and, if detected, would result in the woman's expulsion from the tribe. Today some Californians of Spanish heritage cook the plant in olive oil to make a hair tonic that, they say, makes the hair grow thick and shiny. Dormidera, "the drowsy one," is the name they give this flower that, like any true Californian, worships the sun, closing up tightly at dark.

Eschscholzia Californica (California Poppy), the state flower of California. California Poppy is mildly narcotic. Alkaloids similar in effect to Papaver somniferum (Opium Poppy). Native Americans used California Poppy as a pain reliever. The foliage of California Poppy is brewed as a tasty and relaxing tea.

California Poppy has the reputation of being non-addictive (compared to the Opium poppy), though it is less powerful. California Poppy has been used effectively as a sedative, and also as a hypnotic for those cases when a spasmodic remedy is required.

Parts Used
Dried aerial parts.

Uses
Although California poppy is closely related to the opium poppy, it has a markedly different effect on the central nervous system. California poppy is not a narcotic. In fact, rather than disorientating the user, it tends to normalize psychological function. California poppy's gently antispasmodic, sedative, and analgesic effects make it a valuable herbal medicine for treating physical and psychological problems in children. California poppy may also prove beneficial in attempts to overcome bedwetting, difficulty in sleeping, and nervous tension and anxiety.


Contact Us Shipping & Return Policy	Shopping Basket Shop by Store Shop by Brand	About Us Privacy Policy Resources

© Copyright 2005 - 2012 PillPod.com
Statements made, or products sold through this web site, have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. You should carefully read all product packaging and labels. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your medical professional. We are not responsible for incorrect or outdated product descriptions and/or images.