Poisonous
Effect:
diuretic, antispasmodic, pain relieving, diaphoretic, calming
Areas of application:
nervous tension, anxiety, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), depression, toothache, sedatives
The plant is mainly used homeopathically.
Plant parts used:
Roots, flowers, leaves
Collection time:
June to September
To find:
Found in coastal, foothill, valley and desert regions, at elevations below 2133 m.
Ingredients:
Alkaloids, allocryptopine, californidine, protopine, chelerythrine, flavonoids
Miscellaneous:
☕ Tea: Pour 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried plant or root with 1 cup of boiling water. Then let it steep for 10 minutes and strain. Drink a cup in the evening before going to bed. It leads to sleepiness.
The California poppy is a flowering annual or perennial plant. It has deep roots and grows to a height of 15 to 60 cm. The leaves are composed of three finely divided lobes; they are almost smooth and hairless. The plant produces upright flowers on branched stems with four bright orange to yellow petals. The flowers often have a distinct, dark orange center. The seed capsules are cylindrical in shape and burst open from the base when ripe. These capsules open explosively to allow seed dispersal, ejecting the small seeds up to six feet away from the parent plant. The tiny round seeds are usually gray to gray-brown when ripe. In contrast to the other poppy plants, the plant does not contain milky sap, but rather a colorless watery liquid.
🛑 All parts of the plant are poisonous, especially the roots. Please check with your doctor beforehand!
California poppy seeds are non-addictive and can even help with opiate withdrawal.
The plant appears to normalize the thought patterns of people with mental health problems. It does not have a narcotic effect, but calms the mind and helps people regain normal function.