Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/05/31
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]In a message dated 5/31/03 1:57:51 PM, jerryleh@pacbell.net writes: << Jim They are indeed California Poppies and are the most common wildflower in Southern California. It is, in fact, the State Flower of California. The cops must have been bullshitting you! Jerry Jim Hemenway wrote: > Years and years ago, some plants like those came up every year in the > back yard of my rented house in Berserkely, California. > > During the People's Park riots, a group of Alameda County deputies > charged through the yard in an attempt to catch one of the demonstrators > but failed when he scaled the fence... they couldn't, too much gear on > them I guess. Anyway, they noticed the flowers, inspected them and then > left. > > About a week later we were visited by the local police who said that > they were California Poppies and although probably planted legally > several years earlier, weren't legal anymore and had to be removed, > bulbs and all, and given to them. > > Your plants look just like em. > >> They were probably just into harassing folks and didn't know the difference between poppies. California Poppies botanical name is eschscholzia californica, they aren't even in the same genera as opium poppies (papaver somniferum). Though lacking the narcotic qualities of opiates, tincture of california poppy is being investigated and used to help relieve anxiety in children and help you get a restful nights sleep. Picking wildflowers isn't allowed on certain lands but California poppy seeds and plants are sold throughout nurseries in California, so I pretty much doubt they're illegal. Kim Paw index: http://www.vonseidl.net/patchouli/KMVSPAW.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html