Poppy Tea (Yes, Poppy!) for Insomnia, Anxiety, and Nervousness!

Springtime comes once again and we begin the wonderful new season of foraging. We might as well start with nature’s most beautiful wildflower – the California poppy. Did you realize that it actually has medicinal qualities? It is beautiful and useful!

All parts of the plant are useful in combating insomnia, anxiety, and nervousness. Of course, if you have insomnia that is worsened by anxiety, this may be an especially choice remedy to try. In the book Handbook of Medicinal Herbs by James Duke, he warns against using the California poppy if you are pregnant or if you are taking an antidepressant medication. However, the rest of us can give it a shot!

The biggest issue may be that if you were in California, it is illegal to harvest this plant on public lands. You need to either grow it yourself or find a friend with a large crop that you can harvest.

Harvest the flowers, leaves, stems, and even the roots. All of them will help fight your anxiety and insomnia. All you were going to do is cover a small grasp of poppy parts with a couple of cups of boiling water, cover it, and let it sit for about 20 minutes. Sweeten to taste and enjoy it when you need it.

As for the flavor, well… Have you smelled a California poppy? The fragrance is slightly sour. That is what the tea tastes like. A bit of honey will cover the flavor pretty well and make it more drinkable. Since you are not drinking it for its flavor, it won’t be too hard to get past it to try it and see if it works for what ails you.

California Poppy Tea Ingredients

• A small bundle of poppy parts
• 2 cups of water

California Poppy Tea Steps

1. Bring water to a boil.
2. Place poppies in a cup and cover with boiling water.
3. Let the tea steep covered for about 20 minutes.
4. Strain out the liquid, sweeten to taste, and enjoy.

Best of luck!