California Poppy Herb

California Poppy Herb (Eschscholzia californica)

California poppy is a tender perennial native to the western United States and Mexico and a member of the Papaveraceae family. Recognized as the state flower of California, it is admired for its brilliant orange blossoms, which open in bright sunlight and close at night or on overcast days. Native American communities traditionally valued the plant as a food source and for the oil extracted from its seeds. Today, the dried aerial parts are commonly prepared as a tea or tincture and are frequently incorporated into botanical formulas alongside herbs such as lavender, passionflower, kava, valerian, and St. John's wort.