Nymph and Woodsman Wellness--California Poppy: herbal support for sleep, anxiety, stress, and pain

California Poppy on the East Applegate Ridge Trail

You may know California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) as the bright sunshiny flower that bedazzles Western highways and roadsides, or the one growing on the dry hills above your town. Long before I knew it as an herbal ally, California Poppy flowers inspired excited shouts from me every time they appeared in the spring. They still do.

Historic Uses of California Poppy

California Poppy is beloved by many as a mild nervous system sedative and effective sleep aid suitable and safe for children and strong enough for adults. It has historically been used to support the nervous system by calming agitation and relaxing the nervous heart. Taken in larger quantities, California Poppy may bring relief from pain.

I take it during the day when I’m extra agitated and larger quantities at night when I need extra sleep support. It makes my body feel like it’s melting into the bed and my mind becomes less distracting. It can also be taken in the middle of the night without causing drowsiness in the morning.

Make your own California Poppy Tincture

Getting ready to make tincture.

If California Poppy grows near you, you can make your own tincture or herbal vinegar! It’s not particularly tasty so we don’t promote making tea out of it, but you can try it for yourself and see.

To make your own California Poppy tincture, clip a fistful of poppies, including the stem, leaves, and flowers. If they are growing on your land, feel free to harvest the roots, too. If you choose to harvest the roots from the wilds, you will be eliminating the whole plant, so please only do so if there is an abundance of them and leave the most robust plants in place so they can spread their seed. When harvesting wild plants (even just the above-ground parts), please follow ethical wildcrafting guidelines, which encourage us to only harvest one-in-ten stalks from a plant or plants from an area.

Take your poppies home right away, discard any brown leaves, shake off dirt and bugs and, if you harvested roots, rinse them as thoroughly as possible.

Next, chops your poppies into small bits, as you would with any culinary herb, and fill a clean glass jar with them. You can pack the jar pretty tight.

Once your jar is full of poppy bits, fill it all the way up vodka or any other alcohol that is at least 80-proof, then seal it up. Give it a good shake, maybe do a dance with it, and infuse it with your best intentions for peace, calm, sleep, and physical ease. You can use vinegar in place of alcohol. It will not be as potent a brew, but it is a good option for folks who want to avoid alcohol.

Label the jar with the date and the herb and put it into a dark, cool place (cupboards with doors are perfect). Leave it in there for 2-4 weeks, shaking daily (or as often as you remember to).

When it’s ready, strain it through cheesecloth or a nut milk bag, pour into tincture bottles, label, and store in a cool dark place. Take 20-60 drops up to four times a day to calm your nervous system, ease pain, and support sleep.

If you’d rather purchase California Poppy tincture than make it, lucky you! We’ve got some and it’s on sale through Sunday, August 6th. Get some here.

May you feel calm and peaceful,

xo Becca

Disclaimer

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.