Nothing better than a herbal tea based on escolzia to promote sleep and relax if you are anxious; this plant is also known for its analgesic and antispasmodic properties.
Escolzia (scientific name eschscholtzia californica), also known as California poppy, is a perennial herbaceous plant native to North American states such as Arizona, California and Oregon where it grows spontaneously near deserts and in areas characterized by arid climates.
Promotes relaxation and calms states of mild anxiety, psychosomatic disorders and promotes sleep without becoming addictive.
Where does escolzia come from
This plant owes its name to JF Eschscholtz, Russian botanist and entomologist to whom this scientific discovery was dedicated and who first introduced it to Europe in the early 1800s as an ornamental plant, given the beauty of its flowers.
The American Indians and the first American settlers used the leaves of this plant as food, after having boiled them, and for therapeutic purposes both for the internal treatment in case of intestinal colic, biliary and toothache and externally for ulcerations.
The cultivation of the escolzia
Belonging to the papaveraceae family, with delicate yellow flowers, escolzia is a perennial herbaceous plant with a large root development. This is why it prefers rather light and deep soils with a good content of organic matter.
To have beautiful flowers it is important to water it in the flowering phase and fertilize the soil well before direct sowing, which will take place between the end of April-beginning of May, because it is a plant that cannot stand transplanting. Being an annual with a cycle of up to 3 months, it is advisable to rotate it with legumes.
It is not subject to particular parasites and diseases. The harvest must be done at the moment of full flowering, in June-July.
Escolzia properties and uses
The flower and the roots contain an orange latex rich in active ingredients, alkaloid substances, phytosterols, carotenoids and flavonoids which give this plant its sedative properties; for this reason it is recommended to promote muscle relaxation and to combat insomnia.
Thanks to the presence of chelidonia, moreover, it has remarkable antispasmodic and analgesic properties that make it advisable for dealing with gastrointestinal disorders, such as night cramps, but also headaches and coughs.
It is also suitable for oral hygiene (oral rinses and tinctures) thanks to the presence of the sanguinarine alkaloid. Due to its sedative effects, it is suitable for those who find it hard to fall asleep because it limits the duration of falling asleep without inducing drowsiness during the day, it can also be used in children for nocturnal enuresis, for nightmares and as a cough reliever.
It can also help reduce hot flashes during menopause.
It can be taken in the form of infusion (50-100 g in boiling water), dry extract (50-100 g in capsules) and mother tincture (30- 40 drops in the evening).
Escolzia tablets and mother tincture
The plant exists in the form of tablets exists in different forms and preparations: infusions, mother tincture, dry extract tablets, fluid extract.
For the dosages it is better to follow the advice of the phytotherapist or doctor, but it is also suitable for children in case they suffer from enuresis.
Recipe for escolzia herbal tea
Together with lemon balm, hawthorn, valerian, linden and passionflower, escolzia forms the group of relaxing herbs that promote relaxation, fight anxiety and help sleep.
For a herbal tea that induces sleep:
- 1 level spoonful of the tops of escolzia
- 1 cup of water
Preparation. Pour the tops into boiling water and leave to infuse for about ten minutes. Then, filter the infusion to be able to consume it, sweetening to taste. Drink just before bedtime.
Beauty recipe with escolzia
It can also be used as a tonic for inflamed skin, it helps to naturally reduce the inflammation state.
- 5 gr of dried stems, leaves and flowers of escolzia
- 100 ml of water
Preparation. Infuse the plant in boiling water for 15 minutes, then filter and let it cool. Apply twice a day to the face with a cotton pad. You can rub your scalp before shampooing.
Escolzia price and products
Also available online, as well as in herbalists, it is found in various preparations both alone and together with other plants with relaxing virtues such as valerian and passion flower. A jar of 30 tablets costs between € 10 and € 20 depending on the brand.
The mother tincture, on the other hand, is offered at around 10 USD per 50 ml. You can also buy the seeds to grow it for a few USD and it is also found in the form of dried tops and as hydroalcoholic macerate for 10 USD in a 50 ml pack to be taken in drops instead of herbal tea.
Escolzia contraindications
It is contraindicated in children and pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Even those suffering from cardiovascular disorders or taking psychotropic drugs (such as tranquilizers or sedatives) or synthetic antihistamines should avoid this plant.
