California Poppy
This herb is an annual and requires sun or partial shade and needs low to moderate water. It grows to about 12 inches and has vibrant bright orange flowers that bloom from late spring until a frost.
California Poppy prefers to grow in wide open grassy areas where they intermix with grasses and other wildflowers.
Stratify seeds for 1 week or so then sow directly into garden soil. Germination is about 70 percent in 7-10 days.
The entire plant is harvested when the poppies are in bloom. At this stage you will have both poppy flowers and seedpods present. Simply pull up the entire plant or use a garden fork. They have a large taproot that is usually easy enough to pull out by hand. The whole plant is used fresh or dried.
California Poppy is a wonderful nervine that is excellent for stress and anxiety relief and also offers pain relief and is a helpful sleep aid. It is great for a headache. They cannot help you get high nor are they addictive as they are not the same species as Papaver Somniferum.
**However, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding consult your practitioner first