Today's Ramble was led by Melissa Ray.
Here's the link to Don's Facebook album for today's Ramble. (All the photos in
this post are compliments of Don.)
Today's post was written by Don Hunter.
Twenty five Ramblers met today.
Announcement:
Beginning next week Rambles meet at 8:30 AM (to avoid the summer heat).
Rambles should end at approximately 10 AM.
Today's reading: Bob
Ambrose, our poet laureate, read an original composition inspired by the
evolution of plant life on earth. You can read it in the Rambler email with the
link to this blog post.
Today's route:
From the Arbor we followed the curving cement sidewalk through the Shade Garden
to the Dunson Garden; then through the Dunson Garden to the Yucca planting; return
via the Access Rd. and the cement sidewalk.
Our focus today was on native medicinal plants.
Our guest leader, Melissa Ray, provided us with a list of
resources for herbs and books that she recommends.
Resources for Herbs
Traditional Medicinals Tea:
found in many grocery stores (use 2+ tea bags/cup for medicinal effect)
Earthfare: Frontier
Coop herbs sold from bulk jars in health dept. near checkout (scoop, bag,
and weigh your own!)
Book
Recommendations
Medicinal Plants of the Southern
Appalachians – Patricia Kyritsi Howell
Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal
Plant and Herbs: of Eastern and Central North America. – Stephen Foster & James A. Duke
The Complete Illustrated Guide to
Holistic Herbal – David Hoffmann
Rosemary Gladstar's Family Herbal – Rosemary
Gladstar
She also says, "If anyone has any additional
questions, please feel free to pass on my contact
information."
Shade Garden
Arbor:
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| Blue gray gnat catcher nest |
|
Avis discovered an amazing nest under a tree at the
parking lot. The builder: a blue gray gnat catcher. The nest was empty and must
have been knocked down by the recent thunderstorms. It would have been hard to
spot, decorated as it was with bits of lichen interwoven with the pine needles.
A hawk flew over during Bob's recitation but we don't
know what kind of hawk it was.
Before heading down to the lower Shade Garden, our guest
leader Melissa introduced herself and indicated that she would be showing us
various native medicinal plants, talking about the research she has been doing
and discussing her personal experiences with using medicinal plants in her
daily life. She makes her own salves, infusions and tinctures, as well as using
the plants in other ways.
Lower Shade
Garden:
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| Solomon's Seal (variegated horticultural variety) |
|
Our first stop was at the planting of variegated Solomon's seal. The native, non-variegated Solomon's seal has
been used by many different cultures for many years. Native Americans used it, as well as some
Asian cultures, to get over prolonged illnesses, “getting over the hump”, so to
speak. It's the roots, predominantly,
that are used. Solomon's seal get's it's
name, as the story goes, because King Solomon put his seal on the roots to lend
legitimacy to the use of the roots, signifying the value of the plants. The rhizomes have circular scars which look
somewhat like the Hebrew seal used by King Solomon. The leaves also have the same active
compounds as the roots so the entire plant could potentially be used. Native Americans would also burn the plant,
much like sage is burned, to cleanse the sleeping area to ward off spirits and
bring good fortune. Melissa pointed out
the remaining stems of the two flowers that develop at each leaf axil along the
plant stem, distinguishing it from false Solomon's seal or Solomon's
plume. The early shoots are edible, but
he primary way of preparing it for medicinal use is by making a decoction with
the roots. A decoction is a water-based
infusion, made by simmering the muddled roots in water for about 20 minutes. Tender leaves and stems can be used by simply
making an herbal tea by pouring water over the leaves and letting them
steep. Native Americans would also grind
the dried roots to make a flour for food use, providing some basic nourishment.
Note: Medicinal
plants can be characterized as either activators and tonics. Activators are more drug like and are used
short term to cure a specific ailment.
Tonics are more restorative or food like, and are used long term to
provide benefits of general wellness.
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| Melissa with Black Cohosh |
|
 |
Closeup of Black Cohosh flowers
the flowers lack petals - the white structures are stamens. |
|
Black cohosh
was the next stop. It is one of the most heavily researched medicinal plants
that is native to North America. Most of
the research, however, is done in Germany, where most of the leaders in the
field of phyto-medicine are found. In
fact, German physicians are tested on their final exams on herbal
medicines. One of it's main uses is as a
treatment for menopausal symptoms. It is
also known as a crone's herb. (A crone
is a withered, witch-like old woman). It
is used by making a decoction with the roots or by making a tincture with alcohol. It's also an effective anti-inflammatory for
arthritic or rheumatic pain. It
sometimes has a companion plant, blue cohosh, which is used for the transition
from girlhood to womanhood, to balance hormones. The roots are used.
There is no AMA or FDA certification for herbal medicines
or practitioners of herbal medicine. All herbs sold commercially for “medical”
use are sold as supplements.
Practitioners, though not AMA certified, are certified as herbal practitioners
by a panel of known respected practitioners after serving basically a
documented apprenticeship of several years, with upwards of a hundred or so
cases of treatments. If anyone is using
herbal medicines for long term use, they should do it under the guidance of a
certified herbal practitioner or physician. The plant kingdom is where we get
25% or our medicines....the plant derived active ingredients are chemicals
after all.
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| Southern Maidenhair fern |
|
Maidenhair fern
was also used in herbal medicine by the Native Americans. They would make an infusion with the aerial
parts of the plants to brew a tea that provided stamina before their ritual
dances and activities. The roots are
used to bring on early menstruation, effectively acting as a form of birth
control.
Dunson Native
Flora Garden:
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| Partridge berry | |
Partridge berry
(squaw vine) was used by Native
Americans to treat any kind of deficiency in the reproductive system and to
regulate menstrual cycles. It is administered as a tonic. Today, drugs containing the active
ingredients are used during the third trimester of pregnancy to help prevent
recurrent miscarriage.
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| Goldenseal; plant in center has developing fruit |
Goldenseal is
similar to ginseng and is considered a “cure all” or panacea type herb to
promote general wellness. It is an
anti-inflammatory, an astringent and a anti-spasmodic used for anything that
might be ailing you. It is threatened
due to over harvesting. The root is what
is used. Berberine is the active
compound in the root. It's bright yellow
and provides protection for the liver and is an anti-bacterial compound. The
compound may prove to be a cure of one of the more drug resistant strains of
tuberculosis. It also helps with
infections of mucous membranes and sinus infections.
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| Spicebush | |
Spicebush is
not used much in modern herbalism but was used by Native Americans and early
settlers. It was used to make a spring
tonic to cleanse the body after winter and was seen as a blood "fortifier."
Being a highly aromatic plant, it also found a use as a substitute for
all-spice in cooking. In the mid to late
1800s, a judge got the recipe for the spring tonic from a Native American tribe
and introduced SSS (or Three “S”) tonic.
The original ingredients included spicebush, sassafras and sweet birch,
the three “S”s in the name of the tonic.
The entire plant, with the exception of the roots, was used to make the
tonic. [The current tonic being sold under
the same name contains three vitamins and iron - no herbal ingredients. (dh)]
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| Mayapple with developing fruit |
|
The fruit is the only part of the Mayapple plant that is not toxic.
In herbalism, mayapples are not used but the plant has significant use
as a modern medical plant. It's the
source of two semi-synthetic derivative compounds used to treat leukemia,
testicular cancer and small cell lung cancer.
 |
| Witch hazel leaf with two "witches hat" galls |
Witch hazel
can be easily identified by the conical "witches hat" galls that are commonly found on the leaves. The plant has been used for many centuries and is one of the only products approved by
both the FDA and endorsed by real witches!
The FDA has approved witch hazel for use as an astringent. You can make your own liniment by collecting
the new growth, grinding it and putting it in a jar with rubbing alcohol for
about two weeks, shaking daily. It was
used by Native Americans both externally and internally. Taken internally, it may provide relief from
diarrhea. On the skin it's great for
abrasions or bruising and spider veins.
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| Bloodroot leaves |
|
Bloodroot was
used by Native Americans as a remedy for warts.
It's named for a compound, sanguinarine, in the roots. It's a bright red, caustic substance and is
used to remove warts and skin cancers by practitioners. It was also used as a plaque remover in toothpastes
for several years, until the mid '90s,.
It was found to form pre-cancerous mouth lesions and was banned.
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| Horsetails (Equisetum) |
|
Horsetails....Current
day horsetails are descendants of huge, 30 meter tall plants in the
Paleozoic. They were used by early
settlers to scour pans but several health issues have been identified with
current day medicinal use of he plant, including possible liver damage. It has an extremely high silica content and
was ground into a powder to be taken internally to help promote healthy hair,
skin and bones and any connective tissues. [This
seems odd because hair and nails aren't made of silicon – they're made of a
protein called keratin. (dh)] Just
the aerial parts of the plant are used.
Used fresh, it could be ground and used as an infusion or tea, or
possibly a tincture.
This clarification added by Melissa: "While supplements are sold with claims of improving hair, skin, and nail health, those claims are less substantiated/rooted in Native American or Appalachian history. The Cherokee used leaf tea to treat kidney and bladder ailments, as well as constipation. Scientifically, horsetail has confirmed antiviral and antioxidant activity."
Tinctures are
herbal extracts made using alcohol.
Menstruum, a ratio of water and alcohol, is typically used to make
tinctures. The ratio used depends on
what is being tinctured. Generally, the
tougher the herb, such as a root, the higher the alcohol to water ratio is
needed.
A lichen, Old Man's Beard (Usnea strigosa)
, is used for
respiratory ailments. Use a decoction
for any type of respiratory ailment, such as a cough.
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| Pipsissewa | |
Spotted pipsissewa
has many active antiviral and antibacterial compounds, effective in treating
urinary tract diseases. It also can be
used as an astringent. Tonics are made
using the leaves although the entire plant can be used. It also has aspirin-like qualities and was
used by Native Americans and early settlers to provide relief from pain and
discomfort.
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| Melissa with Jewelweed leaves |
|
Orange jewelweed
has water repellent leaves which makes standing water form jewel-like
spheres. It was used by Native Americans
and is an Appalachian folk remedy for poison ivy. It can be crushed and rubbed on blisters and
can also be used to help prevent getting affected by contact with poison
ivy. It has anti-histamine
properties. You can use fresh leaves or
you can crush it and blend it and steep in water, then freeze in ice cube trays
for use any time.
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| Wild Geranium leaves |
|
Wild geranium
is a powerful astringent, used by the Cherokee and early settlers and can
staunch discharges and stop bleeding.
Always use fresh leaves for poultices. It can also be used internally to
reduce excessive mucous and diarrhea.
The whole plant can be used, harvested in late summer.
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| Coneflower | |
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| Is this Silvery checkerspot self-medicating? |
|
Smooth
coneflower/purple coneflower (Echinacea sp.) is useful for immune boosting properties, with
scientifically backed claims. The
Midwest Plains tribes used it for coughs and sore throats.
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| Horsemint (Spotted beebalm) |
|
Horse mint or spotted beebalm is an effective
digestive aid. It contains thymol, also
found in thyme, a powerful antiseptic/antibacterial. It is found in mouthwashes. Native Americans would chew it up and swish
with water to cure infections or sores in the mouth.
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| Beebalm | |
Beebalm is
used as a digestive aid for cramps, bloat, stomach ache. It also contains thymol.
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| Elderberry | |
Elderberry has
a long history in Appalachian folk medicine.
Elderberry syrup was used as an immune booster and antiviral. It would
help fight colds and flu. The flowers
and berries have the antiviral properties and are used to make the syrup. The bark was used by Native Americans to
induce vomiting.
 |
| Passionflower | |
Purple Passionflower vine is used to make tinctures and teas to promote relaxation. It's a nervine, as well as a antispasmotic
and mild sedative. It is used for
troubled sleeping and insomnia, and is a quick remedy anti-anxiety aid.
[On the way back to the Arbor we encountered many newly
metamorphosed American toads , Bufo
(Anaxyrus) americanus, prompting many Ramblers to wonder where they came
from. Various low-lying areas on the flood plain retain water for several
months after heavy rains. This is enough time for the early breeding American
toad tadpoles to metamorphose into the tiny toadlets we saw today. Being so
small, they can only be active on the surface under conditions of high
humidity, otherwise they would lose too much body water by evaporation. So they
hop around on cool, damp mornings, looking for small insects to eat. The wetter
the forest floor the longer and further they can forage. Their problem arises
when the sun comes out again. The leaf litter on the forest floor will begin to
dry out and the toadlets will have to find shelter to avoid fatal dessication.
Many that have wandered too far from the flood plain pools will die from water
loss before they can find a suitably moist hiding place. The mortality rate of
newly metamorphosed toads is enormous, but that leaves a lot of food for the
survivors to eat.(dh)]
DUNSON GARDEN NATIVE MEDICINAL PLANT
LIST:
Solomon's Seal
|
Polygonatum biflorum
|
Black Cohosh
|
Acteaea racemosa
= Cimicifuga racemosa
|
Maidenhair Fern
|
Adiantum pedatum
|
Partridgeberry
|
Mitchella repens
|
Wild Geranium
|
Geranium maculatum
|
Bloodroot
|
Sanguinaria canadensis
|
Spicebush
|
Lindera benzoin
|
Goldenseal
|
Hydrastis canadensis
|
Am. Witch Hazel
|
Hamamelis virginiana
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Mayapple
|
Podophyllum peltatum
|
Pipsissewa
|
Chimaphila maculata
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Jewelweed
|
Impatiens capensis
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Greater Horsetail
|
Equisetum hyemale
|
Yellowroot
|
Xanthorhiza simplicissima
|
Echinacea
|
Echinacea purpurea
|
Beebalm
|
Monarda didyama
|
Horsemint
Spotted Beebalm
|
Monarda punctata
|
Elderberry
American Elder
|
Sambucus canadensis
|
Mountain Mint
|
Pycanthemum virginianum
also P. incanum, etc.
(P. muticum is toxic)
|
Passionflower
|
Passiflora incarnata
|
