EschscholziaCalifornica01

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Eschscholzia californica is the most widespread poppy species, extending from the Columbia River Valley in southwestern Washington south into the Baja California peninsula and sporadically on to the Cape Region, west to the Pacific Ocean, and east to western Texas. The species is highly variable, including long-lived prostrate perennials along the coast, erect perennials of inland valleys, and annuals in the interior. Two subspecies are recognized, ssp. californica of California, Baja California, west central Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, and ssp. mexicana (E.L. Greene) C. Clark (the Mexican goldpoppy) of extreme eastern California, southern Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Sonora, Chihuahua, New Mexico, and Texas. Plants which key to E. californica have also been collected from the western Vizcaíno Desert and the Cape Region of Baja California Sur. The subspecies interbreed freely in cultivation.
One interesting variant of E. californica is listed as E. procera (Kernville poppy) by the California Native Plant Society Rare and Endangered Plant Inventory. These plants seem to be restricted to the immediate vicinity of Kernville in the southern Sierra Nevada (Twisselmann, 1967). They are larger than most other inland poppies, with large flowers and stout stems. In cultivation, they interbreed with other E. californica.

This famous flower, the state flower of California, carpets whole coastal hillsides up and down the Pacific coast, creating one of the most famous natural wildflower displays in the world, usually in April. Viewing this spectacle from their ships, Spanish explorers thought the “golden display” meant that there was in fact, gold to be found in the flowery hills. California poppy performs well almost everywhere with its dusty dark green ferny foliage and brilliant golden orange cupshaped flowers. A blooming plant is somewhat frost-resistant, and often reblooms nicely in fall meadows. Flowers close in cloudy weather. The name “Eschscholzia” is after the Russian botanist, J. F. Eschscholtz, who visited the California coast in the early 1800’s.

The active compounds are alkaloids similar to Opium Poppy; flavone glycosides and are found in all above ground parts of the plant. Local Indians used the plant as a painkiller, especially for toothache, and as a poultice for sores and ulcers. Indian women used it to charm unresponsive lovers. Today some cook the plant in olive oil to make a hair tonic that is said to make the hair grow thick and shiny.

Californian Poppy has the reputation of being a non-addictive alternative to the Opium Poppy, though it is less powerful. It has been used as a sedative and hypnotic for children, where there is over-excitability and sleeplessness. It can be used wherever an anti-spasmodic remedy is required. The Native Americans used it for colic pains and it may be useful in the treatment of gall-bladder colic.

Phyto-chemicals Protopine, cryptopine, sanguinarine, californidine, chelidonine, eschscholtzine