California poppy

California poppy can ease nervous tension. It is beneficial to helps bring about sleep if taken before bedtime. When one is feeling tired and wired, it can help calm and bring about a state of relaxation.  

As a herb that is gifted with antispasmodic nervine actions, California poppy may also   be used to ease spasm in the digestive system and in the urinary tract. This may be applied in conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and enuresis. 

It is also useful to relax the tension of muscular aches. This may be best achieved by a combined approach using a tea made from the fresh flowers and perhaps an accompanying salve to be taken after a hard day’s physical labour. Those with spasmodic conditions associated with the nervous system such as neuralgia and neuropathy will also likely find benefit from using this herb regularly.

California poppy has a relaxing effect on the nervous system which also makes it useful to use during acute bouts of anxiety or to assist during panic attacks. With its gentle nervine relaxant effect, it may also be used for insomnia, restlessness and migraines.

It is non-addictive and safe for all ages, in fact it is especially indicated for children for its gently sedative effects and additionally for colic.

California poppy has a long tradition of use in Western herbal medicine for calming the nervous system and has been used for states of unrest such as insomnia, nervous agitation and mild to moderate pain. It can be used for any such presentations in children too including over-excitability.

California poppy is an excellent nervine that is energetically both cooling and relaxing. This combination of properties offers a perfect antidote to a hot and wired system. This herb may be indicted where there is a hyperactive or agitated state in the nervous system. The positive potential of this plant is to enable calmness and centring one through times of acute stress.

This herb is often used to support in anxiety. It is popular for use in plant medicine for grounding the nervous system where repetitive thoughts or worries plague the mind. 

California poppy may be used for pain that interferes with sleep or for pain in the nerves such as is experienced in sciatica and shingles. This can be applied both topically and internally.

California poppy is thought to have an affinity to the emotional heart. This is due to its dynamic combination of hypotensive, antispasmodic and nervine actions. It is indicated where stresses and strains link to the nervous system causing symptoms in the heart and vascular system. These may be symptoms such as increased heart rate, mild chest pain and palpitations. 

It can be used to gently relax these tensions, harmonising the mind to bring a sense of calm and serenity to the heart.

California poppy has a long tradition of use in Western herbal medicine for calming the nervous system, being used for states of unrest such as insomnia, nervous agitation and mild to moderate pain. It can be used for any such presentations in children too, including over-excitability.

It was used by Native Americans as a food, (the whole plant was cooked and eaten as a vegetable) and as a medicine in various preparations for both children and adults. Tribes from different parts of California used the plant in various ways and for a variety of conditions. The Mendocino used a root preparation applied to a painful tooth, taken for stomach aches or applied as a wash for headaches.

The Costanoan tribes used a decoction of the flowers to promote healthy sleep and as a preparation to be rubbed into hair to kill lice.  The Chumash made a poultice of the seed pods to halt lactation in breast-feeding.

Nervous system

California poppy is primarily used these days for its effects on this system. It is dose-dependent, so at lower doses it has anxiolytic effects and at larger doses becomes more sedating and analgesic.

Children’s remedy

It is often prescribed in children as a sleep aid when there is anxiety, pain, over-excitability. Some of the literature suggests it can be helpful for bedwetting.

Pain

It is a favoured remedy of many herbalists for the use in minor aches and pains, especially if this is associated with nervous tension. It has a tradition of use headaches and for colicky pains, so can help to ease cramps, spasms and is well-indicated for irritable bowel syndrome.  For overworked muscles it can be taken in the form of a strong tea, perhaps whilst relaxing in an Epsom salts bath; both remedies helping to ease the soreness.

Insomnia

It is used to a good effect for quietening an overactive mind that keeps one wakeful with inner monologue and also to help with the initiation and maintenance of sleep if disturbed by mild pain.

In combination

It is often mixed in with other nervous system relaxants where there can be a synergistic effect. It combines well with passionflower for hyperactivity and sleep disturbances but other combinations work well too, such as a blend with hops and valerian.

There are combinations that have been studied which are covered in the Evidence section, including in with another member of the poppy family Corydalis cava, where the analgesic effects were looked at and studies in combination with valerian (in insomnia) and hawthorn (in anxiety).

Extracts have been shown to inhibit adrenalin synthesis and enzymatic breakdown of catecholamines in vitro, contributing to the herb’s calming properties.

In an in vitro study, a 70% ethanol extract of California poppy was able to bind to serotonin receptors 5-HT(1A) – these are responsible for neuromodulation, decreasing blood pressure & heart rate by blood vessel dilation and stimulation of the vagus nerve.  The activity on the 5-HT(1A) receptor was at least partly due to the presence of the aporphine alkaloidN-methyllaurotetatanine. An extract combination of Californian poppy and Corydalis bound to opioid receptors in vitro which shows promise to explain in part the tradition of use as a pain reliever.

In a double-blind randomised controlled trial a combination of California poppy, Hawthorn (Crataegus oxycantha) and Magnesium was compared to placebo to evaluate safety and efficacy of the combination on mild to moderate anxiety disorders. The Hamilton anxiety scale, somatic scores and change in patient self-assessment showed that anxiety fell during treatment. The combination proved safe and more effective than placebo.

A more recent prospective 4 week observational study on a combination of Californian poppy and Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) was carried out on adults with insomnia within a GP practice. Sleep efficiency increased with the duration and frequency of night awakenings decreasing and there was a decrease in anxiety.

Of course, the above combinations don’t distinguish between the herbs within and more studies are needed on Eschscholzia alone. From other research the findings are that the relatively low levels of alkaloids in the aerial parts of the plant mean higher doses are needed for a sedative effect than an anxiolytic effect.

The opium poppy – Papaver somniferum is renowned for possessing excellent sedative properties. The opioids, (alkaloids within the plant) are utilised by the medical profession in the production of codeine and morphine.  As well as the strong sedative quality, morphine is an extremely powerful analgesic which herbalist doctors in Germany are allowed to prescribe. California poppy is a far safer distant cousin. As it contains no morphine it is a non-addictive, safe option and is actually used within programmes of opiate withdrawal.

This graceful hardy annual, or perennial in warmer climates,  is native to western North America and is the state flower of California. It has adapted to grow well in Mediterranean countries and grows well in the UK too, often cultivated for ornamental gardens. It is often found on grasslands and arid land, but is also found in coastal dunes, chaparral and coastal scrub, dry plains and coastal prairies, and the open slopes of pine or redwood forests.

This plant is classed as ‘apparently secure’ by Plant Serve following an assessment of its distribution in its native areas of the US. However, they state that the bigger threat to this plant is the genetic contamination of wild populations. This, coupled with the encroachment of human activities on the historic native habitat of this species is resulting in a large scale, human induced transformation in the distribution and genetic composition of this species.

Plant Serve also mention that focusing on identifying and delineating good quality, native populations of this plant in its native habitats are some of the efforts needed to conserve the genetic strength of this species. They also state the ‘a conservation strategy should be developed to maintain some such high-quality occurrences in which the gene pool appears to be relatively undiluted by introduced stock, and in which the species is occupying its historic habitat’ (11).

Habitat loss and over harvesting from the wild are two of the biggest threats faced by medicinal plant species. There are an increasing number of well-known herbal medicines at risk of extinction. We must therefore ensure that we source our medicines with sustainability in mind. 

The herb supplement industry is growing at a rapid rate and until recent years a vast majority of medicinal plant produce in global trade was of unknown origin. There are some very real and urgent issues surrounding sustainability in the herb industry. These include environmental factors that affect the medicinal viability of herbs, the safety of the habitats that they are taken from, as well as the welfare of workers in the trade.

The botanical supply chain efforts for improved visibility (transparency and traceability) into verifiably sustainable production sites around the world is now certificated through the emergence of credible international voluntary sustainability standards (VSS). Read our article on sustainable sourcing of herbs to learn more about what to look for and questions to ask suppliers about sustainability.

It is said that California poppy is best used fresh as opposed to dried herb form. It may also be tinctured from fresh herb. 

Herbal Medicines are often extremely safe to take, however it is important to buy herbal medicines from a reputed supplier. Sometimes herbs bought from unreputable sources are contaminated, adulterated or substituted with incorrect plant matter.

Some important markers for quality to look for would be to look for certified organic labelling, ensuring that the correct scientific/botanical name is used and that suppliers can provide information about the source of ingredients used in the product.

A supplier should be able to tell you where the herbs have come from. There is more space for contamination and adulteration when the supply chain is unknown.

California poppy is easy to grow. They prefer poor, well-drained soil in full sun. They do best in poor, well-drained soil and can be grown in exposed or coastal gardens, or in a mixed flower meadow.

• Sow in a drill springing seeds in thinly along the row. Use a trowel or your fingers to cover seeds very lightly with soil and water with a fine rose watering can.
• Sow seeds direct in situ where they are to flower between spring and autumn. These plants suffer if moved. 
• Thin seedlings out once they’re about 4cm tall and again at 8cm, so that they’re spaced about 15cm apart.
• Deadhead regularly to ensure a long flowering period.

California poppy tincture (using the whole fresh plant)

If you are lucky enough to live where these grow wild, leave them be and use only those you’ve sown & grown. Try to harvest when there are a combination of flowers and seed heads on the plant.

Method:

• Gently shake the aerial parts free of bugs and dust, and if you are including the roots rinse those well.
• Cut into smallish chunks and put into a clean, wide-necked jar gently packing down and cover with vodka.
• Leave for a month or so upturning once or twice daily.
• Strain through a double layer of muslin and squeeze the plant material well to get as much liquid out as you can.
• Try drop doses of between 40- 80 (2-4ml) either straight onto the tongue or diluted in a little water. Maximum daily dose: 6ml.

1. Chestnut, V. K., 1902, Plants Used by the Indians of Mendocino County, California, Contributions from the U.S. National Herbarium 7:295-408., page 351.
2. Bocek, Barbara R, 1984 Ethnobotany of Costanoan Indians, California, Based on Collections by John P Harrington.
3. Chumash ref: (Garcia C, Adams J (2009) Healing with medicinal plants from the west. ISBN-13 978-0976309130
4. Kleber E, Schneider W etc al. (1995): Modulation of key reactions of the catecholamine metabolism by extracts from Eschscholtzia californica and Corydalis cava .Arzneim Forsch Feb;45(2):127-31.
5. Gafner, S.Dietz, B. M., McPhail et al. (2006). Alkaloids from Eschscholzia californica and their capacity to inhibit binding of [3H]8-Hydroxy-2-(di- N-propylamino) tetralin to 5-HT1A receptors in Vitro. J Nat Prod.69(3):432-435: 16562853
6. Reimeier C etc al. (1995): Effects of ethanolic extracts from Eschscholtzia californica and Corydalis cava on dimerization and oxidation of enkephalins. Arzneimittelforschung.45(2): 132-6
7. HL Schafer et al. (1995) Sedative action of extract combinations of Eschscholtzia californica and Corydalis cava. Arzneimittelforschung. Feb;45(2):124-6.
8. Hanus M, Lafon J and Mathieu M. (2004). Doubleblind, randomised, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a fixed combination containing two plant extracts (Crataegus oxyacantha and Eschscholtzia californica) and magnesium in mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders. Current Medical Research and Opinion. 20(1): 63–71.
9. Abdellah Saminra Ait, Berlin A etc al. (2020) A combination of Eschscholtzia californica Cham. And Valeriana officinalis L. extracts for adjustment insomnia: A prospective observational study. Journal of Trad & Comp Med. 10(2): 116-123.
10. Zampieron ER(2008). Successful application of Eschscholzia californica to combat opioid addiction. Int J Complement Alt Med. 2018;11(4):228- 229. DOI: 10.15406/ijcam.2018.11.00403
11. explorer.natureserve.org. (n.d.). NatureServe Explorer 2.0. [online] Available at: https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.160245/Eschscholzia_californica [Accessed 25 Nov. 2022].