The hardy California poppy

From late summer and into autumn, California poppy, Eschscholzia californica, is happily flowering away, a bright spot of colour on the landscape in dry riverbeds and waste areas, the essence of a 'weedy' plant. It is in my garden and I just found it there one day. It takes little care and self sows readily. My kind of hardy plant. Please note it is very different to other types of poppy so you need to ID it correctly. It has distinctive bright orange flowers and feathery grey leaves.

I have it in my herbal dispensary for putting in mixes for people who are having difficulty sleeping or have anxiety. It has actions of anxiololytic, mild sedative, analgesic and hypnotic. It may also be indicated for headaches, toothache and other nerve related pain.

For safety in the home, when using, it would be best to use this as a herbal tea in the evening. Due to the lack of research on this herb, consult your medical herbalist or naturopath to see if this is right for you to take.

California poppy, Eschscholzia californica.