Californian Poppy

Californian poppy ( Eschscholzia californica) belongs to the poppy family and is cousin to the infamous opium poppy, but far less powerful. It’s mildly sedative, analgesic (relieves pain) and anxiolytic (reduces anxiety), and is chiefly used for anxiety, insomnia and neuropathy problems. It is suitable for adults and children, helping to reduce anxiety during the day and promote sleep at night.

Both the leaves and flowers of the plant are used in teas and tinctures. Grow it: The bright orange flowers look magnificent when planted en masse. They flower from late spring all through summer, growing well even in poor soils, so long as drainage is good.

In fact, you don’t really need to prepare your soil at all for planting. Just sow seeds directly and they should come away easily enough. Plants self-sow freely in ideal conditions. The best time to harvest the herb for making teas and tinctures is when in flower.