California Poppy and Skullcap Teas: What Is Known and Cautions
California poppy and skullcap as teas: what European regulators and trials found (mostly not tea), the germander mix-up that has caused liver injury, and the safety points.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Supplements can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read mushroom safety and interactions before you use any mushroom product.
Liver safety first (skullcap): skullcap products have occasionally been adulterated with germander (Teucrium species), which contains potentially hepatotoxic (liver-harming) compounds. [1] Case reports describe acute hepatitis after drinking germander infusions. [2] A reader cannot check a tea bag for this. Buy only from sellers who state the full scientific name and testing, and see Liver Safety and Supplements for the warning signs to act on.
Evidence note: for both herbs, proper evidence not found for the tea itself. We searched PubMed and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) herbal documents; the human studies we read used capsules, powders or combined extracts.
California poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
Identity. Eschscholzia californica Cham. is a poppy-family (Papaveraceae) plant. [3] The EMA monograph covers the dried herb (herba). [4] The plant profile is in California Poppy.Traditional use. The EMA assessment records combinations containing California poppy used traditionally "as a sleep-inductor and sedative tea" in European handbooks. [5] In 2015 the EMA herbal committee (HMPC) adopted a monograph for the herb as a traditional product for mild symptoms of mental stress and to aid sleep, based on long-standing use only. [4] The listed form is powdered herb in solid dosage forms, not a tea. [4] The monograph does not provide an infusion description.
What research shows.
| Question | What the source found | Strength of evidence | Form and people studied |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anxiety | In a 264-person trial of a fixed mix with hawthorn and magnesium, anxiety scores fell more than with placebo [5] | Promising but limited; cannot be assigned to poppy | Tablets of combined extracts; adults with mild-to-moderate anxiety |
| Sleep | An open study of 60 people reported mostly excellent or good results; open means not blinded [5] | Insufficient evidence | A marketed capsule product, 1984 |
| Tea | Proper evidence not found | None | Searched: EMA assessment report; PubMed |
The EMA says the data do not meet the standard for "well established" use. [5]
Safety. The monograph says safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been established and use is not recommended, and that use under age 18 is not recommended. [4] It says the herb may impair driving and use of machines. [4] Interactions are listed as "None reported", and tests on reproductive toxicity, genotoxicity and carcinogenicity have not been performed. [4] The assessment notes that nearly 85% of the plant's alkaloids are pavine alkaloids with unknown toxicity. [5] Liver, kidney, surgery and allergy details beyond hypersensitivity are not described in the sources we read.
Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora)
Identity. Scutellaria lateriflora L. (American skullcap) is a mint-family (Lamiaceae) plant. [6] Names are a trap. A liver case report we read involved "Chinese skullcap" inside a multi-ingredient joint supplement, not a tea. [7] We did not read a source that settles whether that is the same species, so we do not transfer it to American skullcap. Always match the scientific name on the label.Traditional use. Skullcap has a long history of use for insomnia and anxiety, as described in a quality-control paper. [8] That is tradition, not proof.
What research shows.
| Question | What the source found | Strength of evidence | Form and people studied |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mood and anxiety | No significant difference from placebo on the anxiety score; mood scores fell with skullcap [9] | Mixed; promising but limited | 350 mg three times daily for 2 weeks; 43 healthy volunteers, mostly not anxious |
| Tea | Proper evidence not found | None | Searched PubMed "skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora anxiety randomized"; no EMA monograph found under the names we tried |
The authors note a carryover effect, low baseline anxiety and group differences that may have limited the result. [9]
Safety. Beyond the liver box above, laboratory methods can tell skullcap from germander, and mixing as low as about 5% can be detected, so testing is possible in principle. [1] Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, medicine interactions, kidney and surgery points are not described in the sources we read, so ask a pharmacist, and see Herbal Tea Quality and Labels and How Interactions Work. A broader overview is in Skullcap.
Related: Herbal Tea for Anxiety and Stress.
Frequently asked questions
Does California poppy tea help with anxiety or sleep?
Proper evidence not found for the tea. Trials used tablets or capsules, and the EMA accepts the herb as traditional only. [5] [4]
Is California poppy the opium poppy?
No source we read says so. It is Eschscholzia californica Cham. [3] The EMA assessment says most of its alkaloids are pavine types with unknown toxicity. [5]
Why can skullcap tea be risky?
Skullcap products have occasionally been adulterated with germander, which contains potentially liver-harming compounds. [1]
Does skullcap tea reduce anxiety?
Proper evidence not found for the tea. A capsule trial in mostly non-anxious volunteers found no significant anxiety difference from placebo. [9]
Are these teas safe in pregnancy?
For California poppy the EMA does not recommend use in pregnancy or breastfeeding. [4] For skullcap it is not described in the sources we read.
References
- Comparison of the phenolic component profiles of skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) and germander (Teucrium canadense and T. chamaedrys), a potentially hepatotoxic adulterant. Phytochem Anal 2009 (abstract). Read 2026-10-22.
- Acute hepatitis due to ingestion of Teucrium chamaedrys infusions. Gastroenterol Hepatol 2001 (abstract, in English). Read 2026-10-22.
- GBIF Secretariat. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Eschscholzia californica Cham.. Read 2026-10-22.
- European Medicines Agency, HMPC. European Union herbal monograph on Eschscholzia californica Cham., herba. EMA/HMPC/680372/2013, 28 January 2015. Read 2026-10-22.
- European Medicines Agency, HMPC. Assessment report on Eschscholzia californica Cham., herba. EMA/HMPC/680375/2013. Read 2026-10-22.
- GBIF Secretariat. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Scutellaria lateriflora L.. Read 2026-10-22.
- Herbal hepatoxicity from Chinese skullcap: a case report. World J Hepatol 2012 (abstract). Read 2026-10-22.
- Skullcap and germander: preventing potential toxicity through the application of hyperspectral imaging and multivariate image analysis as a novel quality control method. Planta Med 2014 (abstract). Read 2026-10-22.
- American Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora): a randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study of its effects on mood in healthy volunteers. Phytother Res 2014 (abstract). Read 2026-10-22.