 Eschscholzia
californicaCalifornia poppy This plant is difficult to place in terms of planetary rulership, but a good argument can be made for Mercury's influence, since its active alkaloids affect the mind and since its leaves are finely divided. This magick herb is in the poppy family, and like its siblings, it is sedating and has been used for dye or for food coloring. The orange flowers are familiar to people in the western US, but this plant's blooms can also be purple, yellow, or cream. Women of the Cahuilla Indians used the pollen for a cosmetic and the whole plant as a sedative for babies. The Luiseno Indians chew the flowers with chewing gum, and several Native American tribes traditionally ate the leaves as greens, yet pregnant women of one tribe avoided even the scent of this poppy as poisonous. |
Eschscholzia
californica Uses in Witchcraft & Magic: Honoring Hermes ©
2005-2024 Alchemy Works; No reproduction without permission |
How to grow California
poppies. A very handsome plant that
is easy to grow. Plant this annual in the fall if you have mild winters
(Deep South or Pacific Northwest) and in the spring, at the same time
as radishes, if you have cold winters. Direct sow (plant in the soil
where they are to grow rather than in pots) because they have a long
taproot. Mix with sand and broadcast (throw) the seed/sand on the
cultivated bed you're going to use. Cover with 1/4" of soil (or simply
water with a medium spray--mud will cover most of seeds). Germinates in
2-3 weeks at 60-65 F. After the first true leaves appear (the second
set of leaves appear. You can also start these in pots, though, and in
that case start them 2-3 weeks before the last frost in your area. Sow
in peat pots, cover lightly, and bottom water (pour water in the tray
rather than in the pot). Transplant outside to sunny place with poor
soil to 6" apart. Deadhead (pick off dead flowers) and don't water too
much or give much fertilizer--this plant likes dry, cool weather and
poor soil. If summer nights are hot where you are, it will not get as
many flowers. Alchemy Works products are offered for use in spiritual, ritual, meditative, and magical practices, not for medicinal or cosmetic purposes. The information on this website is provided for its folkloric, historic, and magical value. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.