Eschscholtzia mexicana (Eschscholtzia aliena, E. arizonica, E. jonesii, E. paupercula)
Mexican poppy, Gold poppy
Papaveraceae – Poppy family
Description
Eschscholtzia californica is a small, clump-forming annual or short-lived perennial. Its bluish-green 5-20 inch long stems weaken and droop with age. They are smooth and covered with a fine, white-waxy coating that is easily rubbed off. The leaves are finely dissected. Most are basal but some are attached alternately along the stems. The showy 4-petaled flowers are generally orange but are occasionally yellow and even white. The seed capsules are 1-celled, narrow, ribbed, and slender; contained within are numerous small, dark seeds. Although some botanists do not consider E. mexicana a separate species, there are some general differences: mainly the plant is smaller and the flowers tend to be predictably yellow-gold in color.
Distribution
Eschscholtzia californica is found throughout California, usually below 5,000 feet, and in parts of Oregon and Washington. The densest populations occur west and south of the Sierra Nevadas to the Mojave Desert. E. mexicana has a sporadic occurrence across Arizona, Nevada, Utah, southern New Mexico, and southwestern Texas. Both species are dependent upon winter-spring rains and if given sufficient moisture will carpet hillsides and rocky slopes in color.
Chemistry
Pavine alkaloids: eschscholtzine and californidine; benzophenantridine alkaloids: sanguinarine and chelerythrine; protopine alkaloids: protopine and allocryptopine; berberine and other compounds
Medicinal Uses
Consider California poppy a sub-opiate, meaning its effect is broadly opiate-like, although much weaker than popularly used isolated substances. California poppy is distinctly sedative and spasmolytic. Use the plant when sleep is difficult from anxiousness and particularly from acute pain. It is lessening to both nerve centered and muscular pain. California poppy is useful in diminishing a spasmodic cough when the face and chest are flushed, there is a strong, bounding pulse, and even fever. It is a rather chemically complex plant with diverging effects on adrenergic neurotransmitters. However California poppy is explained to work, it does work in unchanging ways. Topically, the plant is antimicrobial and can be used on a wide array of bacterial conditions that also respond well to Berberis-Mahonia plants.
The plant can be useful to highly motivated individuals in diminishing or eliminating stronger opiate habits or other similar non-opiate pharmaceutical habits used for pain sedation and relief. California poppy is particularly useful combined with Golden smoke. To some sensitive individuals the plant can exhibit very subtle euphoric properties. Consider the plant child-safe.
Indications
Pain, from acute injury
Insomnia/anxiety
Spasmodic cough
Cuts/scrapes (external)
Collection
When California poppy is fully mature having both flowers and seed capsules, pull the whole plant from the ground, tap root and all.
Preparations and Dosage
FPT/DPT (50% alcohol): 60-90 drops 3 times daily
Whole plant infusion: 4-8 ounces 3 times daily
Topical preparations: as needed
Cautions
California poppy may overly potentate analgesic-sedative pharmaceuticals. Do not use during pregnancy. Long-term use is acceptable, as the plant is generally not considered habit forming.
Other uses
Eschscholtzia mexicana has a peculiar ability of growing in copper rich soils and has been used as an adjunct indicator of the mineral.