It's not only the orange or yellow (or both) of the petals, and the pink disk at the flower base, but the blue-green gray of the foliage as its foil, that captivates me. This is one of the plants comprising "medicine chest" gardens currently being promoted by herbalists here in Willits, as another component of localizing an array of resources for self/community sufficiency. While related to the opium poppy, the California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) does not alter awareness or have similar narcotic effects, according to herbal references. But it is reputed to be a mild sedative and topical painkiller.
ClosedPoppyBunch Jigsaw Puzzle
11 comments:
very interesting and they look very pretty too
I love that you can now buy the seeds commercially. So beautiful and so easy to get started.
Pretty pic. And I can eat all I want.
I like those colors together - the green is so soft, but the orange is so brilliant. Great photo!
Like the texture and the color combination in this a lot.
Thank you for all the comments!
Petrea - If you need something for stress, you could steep the leaves for a tea to drink before bed. Eating, not so much.
Just looking at them makes me feel better.
What you write about the gardening is new to me and extremely interesting.
Hope the police know the difference between the various poppies. hehe
Dina, you laugh, but I remember as a teenager being told that eating things with poppy seeds in them put the same chemical marker in our blood that opiate drugs did. So if, for any reason, we had a blood test, the "authorities" might think we were on heroin! If it were true, I suppose California poppy tea might do the same thing. Use your seatbelts, and drive safely.
I also meant to add that the Medicine Chest Garden project doesn't seem to have its own web link, but I've visited their little demonstration garden and gotten their print material. If I can find it, I'll post more about the other plants. They are all supposed to be fairly safe to use, and easy to grow in our climate.
I enjoy your photo's and comments about the fun place you live.
Have a great week
Judy
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