ETYMOLOGY
Eschscholzia californica was the first named member of the genus Eschscholzia, given by the German botanist Adelbert von Chamisso in honor of another botanist, Johann Friedrich von Eschscholtz, his friend and colleague. The source of the English poppy (Old English popæg) is from the genus name Papaver, Classical Latin for the poppy plant.

BOTANICAL INFORMATION

Family: Papaveracea

Description: California Poppy or Cup of Gold, as it is locally called, is an upright, compact annual native to California and the southwestern states.

Habitat: The California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) is native to grassy and open areas from sea level to 2,000m (6,500 feet) altitude in the western United States throughout California, extending to Oregon, southern Washington, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and in Mexico in Sonora and northwest Baja California.

Cultivation: It is perennial in mild parts of its native range, and annual in colder climates; grows best in full sun and sandy, well-drained soil. California poppy is often seen recolonizing after wildfires. It is drought-tolerant, self-seeding, and easy to grow in gardens.

Method of Harvest: The medicinal parts Escholtzia californica is the aerial portion of the plant, which is collected and dried during the flowering season.


Parts Utilized: Seeds.

ACTIVE CONSTITUENTS: Like the Opium Poppy, California Poppy contains a variety of isoquinoline alkaloids. The plant’s medicinal properties are likely due to the large variety of isoquinolines it contains which it does not share with the opium poppy, including californidine, californine, chelerythrine, chelilutine, chelirubine, coptisine, cryptocavine, cryptopine, escholidine, escholine, escholinine, eschscholtzidine, protopine and sanguinarine. California Poppy is also noted for its rutin content and as well as other flavone glycosides quercetin and isorhamnetin.

MODE OF ACTION

Actions: Acts as a sedative and anodyne, as well showing anti-anxiety, and anti-depressant effects.

Precautions: Contraindicated in fever, pregnancy, use of prescription drugs and psychiatric medications.

COMMON INDICATIONS

As a medicinal herb: The Commission E of the German BGA monographs list California poppy as an antispasmodic and relaxing plant useful for difficulty in sleeping.

Traditional use: The leaves of California poppy were used medicinally by Native Americans, and the pollen was also used cosmetically. The seeds are still commonly used in cooking. Extractives from the California poppy can act as a mild sedative when smoked. The effect is far milder than that of opium, which contains an entirely different class of alkaloids.

PREPARATION AND USE

Internal Use: California poppy is available in several different forms, such as liquid extracts, capsules, or dried form. It is taken by mouth, used in tea, and smoked. Traditionally, a tea can be made by steeping 2 grams of California poppy in 150 mL of water.

HISTORY AND LEGENDS

The California poppy is the California state flower and was selected as such in December 1890. April 6 of each year is designated "California Poppy Day.

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