Eschscholzia californica
California poppy
Eschscholzia californica, commonly known as California poppy, is a vibrant perennial native to western North America. Renowned for its striking orange blooms, this plant is highly valued in herbal medicine. It is traditionally utilized for its sedative and anxiolytic properties, helping to promote relaxation and support healthy sleep patterns.
- Scientific name: Eschscholzia californica
- Family: Papaveraceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, known scientifically as Eschscholzia californica, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Ranunculales and the family Papaveraceae. It is further categorized under the genus Eschscholzia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Ranunculales | WCVP |
| Family | Papaveraceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Eschscholzia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, scientifically known as Eschscholzia californica, is recognized by various common names across different linguistic regions. In Chinese, it is known as 花菱草, a name used consistently across several dialects and regions including Simplified Chinese (zh-hans: 花菱草, zh-cn: 花菱草), Traditional Chinese (zh-hant: 花菱草), Hong Kong (zh-hk: 花菱草), and Singapore (zh-sg: 花菱草).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 花菱草 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 花菱草 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 花菱草 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 花菱草 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 花菱草 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 花菱草 | Wikidata |
| pl | Pozłotka kalifornijska | Wikidata |
| yi | קאליפארניער מאנרענדל | Wikidata |
| he | פרג קליפורניה | Wikidata |
| fr | Pavot de Californie | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant, known as the California poppy, exhibits a specific distribution across several regions in Northern Europe. It can be found growing within the borders of Denmark. Additionally, its presence extends to the northern territories of Finland. The species is also documented in the landscapes of Great Britain and Ireland. Finally, it maintains a geographical foothold in Norway.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Denmark | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Finland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Norway | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Sweden | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Belgium | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as the California poppy, is a versatile medicinal herb where various components may be utilized for therapeutic purposes. While the whole plant can be processed for certain applications, medicinal preparations often focus specifically on the aerial parts, which include the leaves, stems, and flowers. These above-ground structures are rich in alkaloids and are frequently harvested to create tinctures or teas intended to promote relaxation and sleep.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| whole plant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aerial parts | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Eschscholzia californica has 16 reported phytochemicals identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include adrenaline, benzophenanthridine alkaloid, californidine, carotenoid, carotenoids.
- Total chemicals
- 16
- Scientific sources
- 16
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| adrenaline | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| benzophenanthridine alkaloid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| californidine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| carotenoid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| carotenoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| catecholamine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| catecholamines | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| chelerythrine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hunnemanine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| macarpine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Eschscholzia californica has 6 reported activities identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Anxiolytic, Sedative, Antidepressant, Antihistaminic.
- Total activities
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 9
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Analgesic | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anxiolytic | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Sedative | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidepressant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antihistaminic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Neuroleptic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Eschscholzia californica has 8 reported medicinal uses identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include anxiety, analgesic, anxiolytic, anxiolytic effects, depression.
- Total uses
- 8
- Scientific sources
- 10
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| anxiety | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| analgesic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| anxiolytic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| anxiolytic effects | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| depression | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| restlessness | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| sedative | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| sedative effects | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |