Eschscholzia californica
Eschscholzia californica
Native to the United States and the state flower of California, the California Poppy is now widely introduced throughout the world. This showy perennial cup-shaped flower comes in brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow and is also referred to as Golden Poppy, California Sunlight or Cup of Gold.
The California Poppy is a member of the Papaveraceae family, cousin to the infamous opium poppy, but far less potent.
The botanical name Eschscholzia, commemorates Johann Friedrich Eschscholt, where it was first discovered by his friend Adelbert von Chamisso, a naturalist on a scientific expedition to California in 1810. On seeing hillsides apparently on fire with the covering of poppies, Adelbert named the genus in honour of his close friend Johann Friedrich Eschscholtz, a botanist as well as the expedition’s physician.
Traditionally used in Western Herbal Medicine as:
- An analgesic to relieve pain
- Helps mind relaxation
- Relieve excess nervous energy
- Reduce symptoms of stress
- Calm nerves
- Induces sleep
- Relieve sleeplessness and restless sleep
- To maintain general health and wellbeing
Traditionally:
California Poppy was first introduced to Europe as an ornamental. It began to be used as a medicine in the last century.
Eschscholzia californica
Native to the United States and the state flower of California, the California Poppy is now widely introduced throughout the world. This showy perennial cup-shaped flower comes in brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow and is also referred to as Golden Poppy, California Sunlight or Cup of Gold.
The California Poppy is a member of the Papaveraceae family, cousin to the infamous opium poppy, but far less potent.
The botanical name Eschscholzia, commemorates Johann Friedrich Eschscholt, where it was first discovered by his friend Adelbert von Chamisso, a naturalist on a scientific expedition to California in 1810. On seeing hillsides apparently on fire with the covering of poppies, Adelbert named the genus in honour of his close friend Johann Friedrich Eschscholtz, a botanist as well as the expedition’s physician.
Traditionally used in Western Herbal Medicine as:
- An analgesic to relieve pain
- Helps mind relaxation
- Relieve excess nervous energy
- Reduce symptoms of stress
- Calm nerves
- Induces sleep
- Relieve sleeplessness and restless sleep
- To maintain general health and wellbeing
Traditionally:
California Poppy was first introduced to Europe as an ornamental. It began to be used as a medicine in the last century.