Herb Garden Plants

Archive for the ‘medicinal’ Category

Polygala species (Polygalaceae)

Description
Diminutive but gorgeous little herb garden plants, milkworts are well worth the trouble involved in sourcing them, as they make a fine addition to the border of any garden; both for their size (400 to 500mm) and their impact. Milkwort forms its own little family groupings and gives a very fine showing when these are established. The purple/blue flowers (British plants) pirouette above their supporting ground level foliage, for all the world like blue bees busily at work and are at their best from latish Spring until midsummer. Roots are small and convoluted.

History
The genus is named after its supposed virtue of visibly increasing milk yield in cows when they graze on milkwort. Numerous species are extant, preferring well drained banks, grasslands, hillsides and heathland. P. vulgaris is the variety most commonly seen in British herb gardens; other varieties are grown but are rare. The variety indigenous to The United States has white flowers and is called P. senega after the Seneca Indians; these plants favour a drier, more rocky environment than their British cousins.

The Seneca Indians were observed to use the stored milkwort roots to treat rattlesnake bites. A medical doctor in Pennsylvania further observed that the symptoms of snakebite appeared similar to those experienced by people suffering from severe respiratory ailments such as bronchitis and pneumonia. Subsequent experiments led to the American plants being introduced to Britain in the mid 18th century and being recognised as a unique member of the milkwort clan as healing herbs in their own right. Other family members were discovered to have similar virtues and their roots were successfully used in the same way as P. senega.

Usage
The roots are used in various healing potions, although their popularity is now waning. Extracts and teas are still used for a tonic, as a mild laxative and as a remedy for bronchial congestion. Note that their is some doubt regarding their reputation for increasing milk flow in nursing mothers.

Cultivation
Propagate by root division of an existing plant is the practical method, as seeds are scarce. Generally speaking a well drained alkaline soil will suit most milkworts.

Pulmonaria officinalis (Boraginaceae)

Appearance
The legacy of countless healers to posterity, the flowers of these herb garden plants change colour according to their stage of development. Originally showing itself in a pink shade, the flowers turn blue after pollination takes place. Depending on the development stage of the flower, it may be pink, lilac or blue, making an interesting and attractive showing as the flowers proceed in their journey of life. These are early flowering herb garden plants which are also used in pots for culinary convenience. The hair-covered bearing stems are crowned with speckled broad leaves and grow to about 300mm. (12in.)

History
Popular as both a healing herb and for its attractive showing, these herb garden plants have been cultivated all over Europe since the dark ages. Although the upsurge of modern transport has spread these far more widely – they were certainly used by pioneers headed for the New World – the plants prefer conditions close to those of the original wild plants. Denizens of shaded woodlands, they enjoy shade and slight damp. Several mentions are made in various tomes of a family link to the American cowslip of the Midwest. No definitive relationship is obvious and I would be glad to hear from someone who can suggest a reference resource or tell me more about this and whether it is true. Perhaps I am looking in the wrong place.

Usage
With a name like lungwort, one can reasonably expect that this is where its medicinal virtue lies. And one would be correct.
Lungwort strengthens the respiratory functions by treating congestion, sore throats and coughing. It is also used to break a fever in cases of influenza and bad colds as it seems to assist in the process of ’sweating it out’ which frequently precedes a cure.

Cultivation
Chalky, damp but well-draines soil approximates the natural conditions in which lungwort thrives. Duplicate these conditions for best results from these herb garden plants. Sow early in Spring and thin out seedlings in late Summer. Alternately, divide roots in the autumn (fall) and replant.

Herb Garden Plants – Lemon Verbena
Aloysia triphylla (Lippia citriodora) Verbenaceae

Appearance:
One of the lesser known but truly essential herb garden plants, lemon verbena commonly grows to about 1.5 to 2m tall with a wide spread. Our 30 year old lemon verbena now dwarfs the house and needs frequent trimming. The pale green leaves make a lovely showing and afford shade to smaller plants. Standing close to the plant will immediately reveal the origin of its name.

History:
Prized for centuries due to the pungent lemon like fragrance exuded by its leaves, lemon verbena is amongst the most fragrant of herb garden plants; it was brought from South America by the Spanish around the seventeenth century. Lemon verbena was given its name for its aroma, and it is a name that has persisted. One wonders if the citizens of South America call our lemon something like “verbena fruit” in return.

• Usage – everyday:
• Originally imported mainly for its oil, lemon verbena is prized for several other virtues:
• An aromatic addition to finger bowl water.
• The dried leaves retain their scent for a very long time and can be used in potpourri.
• Branches and fresh leaves of these herb garden plants can be put into airing cupboards and wardrobes to keep clothes and linen freshly aromatic.
• Crush lemon verbena leaves in almond oil makes an oil used for aromatherapy massage.
• Blending with other fragrant oils for handmade cosmetics.
• Add to bath water in a sachet for an aromatherapy experience.
• Hang branches in saunas to permeate the wood paneling with a wonderful fragrance.
• The leaves may be finely chopped for use in hot drinks, cakes, puddings and jellies.
• Chopped leaves work marvelously well sprinkled on fish while cooking; or add a small sprig to give bland foods like oatmeal and rice a lift.
• Lemon verbena shrubs attract butterflies to the garden and they often grown as herb garden plants for this purpose alone.

Usage – medicinal:
Leaves can be infused to make a gentle sedative tea to soothe chest and nose congestion, indigestion, flatulence, stomach cramps and nausea. Use about 10 leaves to a cup of boiling water, sweeten with honey and drink after meals.

Cultivation:
Lemon verbena loves sunshine as well as a bit of shelter. (A sunny corner is ideal.) These semi-hardy herb garden plants are grown mostly in greenhouses or indoors in colder climates. Protect outside plants with a light covering in regions susceptible to frost.

Ideal soil is sandy, tending to alkalinity and having good drainage. Lemon verbena thrives in poor soil.

To propagate, take summer cuttings with a small heel and trim off all but the topmost leaves; place these firmly into a moist sandy growing medium. Keep in a cool shaded place and keep soil slightly damp. Plant out into hessian or plastic bags when rooting has taken place and allow to grow until well established but not bursting at the seams. Plant out to between 1 and 2m. Regular pruning will encourage growth and produce a healthier plant.

Harvesting:
One of the least demanding herb garden plants, you can harvest lemon verbena leaves at will. Branches are a bit brittle and will benefit from trimming back to prevent breaking in high winds or from sheer weight.

Polemonium caeruleum (Polemoniaceae)

Appearance
Nowadays Jacobs Ladder, although demoted from its high position in the medical herb garden plants hall of fame, is still popular as a decorative perennial plant. The cultivated version is around 30cm tall sporting regularly spaced leaves and flowers of a striking blue which reveal themselves in a series of blossoms for a month around midsummer. Left to its own devices, it will grow up to 60cm (2′) tall.

History
Named after Polemon of Cappadocia for a medicinal herb associated with him, the true species is common to the northern hemispere, growing best, if thinly, in the temperate regions. The so-called false jacobs ladder – Greek Valerian – is widespread in America where it roots in damp soil.

Usage
Modern medicine has largely over-shadowed the virtues for which Jacobs Ladder was previously cultivated. These once-popular herb garden plants were cultivated as recently as the 19th century for use as an astringent, an anti-syphilitic measure, as an antidote to snakebite and in the treatment of rabies. Currently popular as an addition to a cat basket as a sort of potpourri or just by rubbing over the bedding. The plant is beloved by felines, who will roll on the young herb garden plants and damage any that are not protected in some fashion.

Cultivation
Choosing a sunny spot with a damp soil – possibly laced with clay pellets – will reward you with healthy happy and attractive plants. For this is the new virtue of jacobs ladder; simply its beauty. Divide the ground creeping roots and replant as necessary. The established plants will seed themselves and reward gardeners with an ever increasing population.

Hyssopus officinalis (Labiatae)

Appearance
Popular both as sectional edging or container inmates, hyssop is an attractive, if attenuated, sweet scented evergreen. It sports minute leaves and has little lilac-blue blossoms which give a fine show from the middle of summer onwards.

History
I read recently that William Turner was cognisant of hyssop. He authored the first ever English-language book on English plants. This was circa 1558 and I quote “the brethe or vapour of Hisop driveth away the Winde that is in the ears, if they be holden over it”.

A native of the warmer parts of Europe and the Mediterranean rim, hyssop is mentioned in the bible. These popular herb garden plants started their eastern migration in the 11th century and were established in Britain around the 14th century as popular herbs. Thereafter they were taken to the New World by settlers.

Memorably aromatic, they were very important medieval herb garden plants grown for their function as one of the standard strewing herbs. Notably, oil of hyssop was used in the Chartreuse blends and was certainly as highly regarded and in demand as the better known oil of lavender.

Usage
The volatile oils extant in hyssop were well known to the American colonists as a specific remedy for catarrh and rheumatism as well as being an antiseptic. Hyssop flowers make a tea used for easing of catarrh, another delivery medium being by way of crushing and introducing into a herb-based pipe tobacco.

Apart from the traditional usage as strewing herbs through its aromatic virtues, hyssop is popular in potpourri recipes, adding a distinctive almost incense-like tinge to a potpourri. Hyssop was one of the most important herb garden plants for the earlier settlers, who were sometimes cut off from their peers and medical attention for long periods.

Cultivation
Grow hyssop through spring cuttings or seeding. After sprouting roots, plant cuttings in a peat mixture somewhere shady enough to stay moist. Deceptively hardy plants, they will nevertheless benefit from a well drained soil in their beds, window boxes or containers. These are herb garden plants that benefit from apicular pruning in autumn to bush out better in summer.

Glechoma hederacea (Labiatae)

Appearance
Ground Ivy has small lilac/pink flowers with very tiny reddish spots; they seldom exceed 120mm in height and display themselves over rather lush variegated supporting leaves which run across the ground, taking root in a wider and wider area when uncontrolled. The leaves of these herb garden plants are similar in shape and appearance to a conventional ivy – hence the name ground ivy. Not only will the ground ivy reward you with its own prettiness, but will also invite butterflies to flit about the garden.

History
A native of Northern climes, it was certainly used in Saxon times as records exist indicating its usage in clearing ales during the brewing process. Ground Ivy has, over the centuries marched across Europe and Britain yard by yard and is currently invading the United States from the East. Its virtues make it a popular addition to gardens where it is often used as an inhibitor of weeds as its dominance brooks no rivals.

Usage
The plants were fairly widely cultivated as herb garden plants for their apparent detoxification virtues. All portions of the ground ivy possess a bitter taste but lovely aroma; powdered ground ivy was included in snuff mixtures to relieve headaches and clear sinuses. Before the advent of lead free paint, American house painters cultivated ground ivy as essential herb garden plants – they used them in a tea – called gill tea after the French ‘guiller’(roughly to ferment beer). This tea was thought to be an antidote to inflamed eyes and the common malady of ‘lead colic’ experienced by painters of the time. Gill tea was a specific remedy for hacking coughs and popularly used as a blood tonic.

Cultivation
Although seeds are available, ground ivy propagates very easily from a piece of its squarish root simply pulled off the host plant; no special measues at all are required when taking cuttings from these plants. Although not fussy herb garden plants, ground ivy will thrive in heavy dampish soil with a modicum of sun.

Symphytum officinale (Boraginaceae)
Appearance
Comfrey produces strongly arched, hairy hollow stems with hanging bunches of bell-like pink, blue and white flowers in early summer. This popular herb garden plant achieves some 70 to 80cms. (2′to 2′6′)
Oftentimes compared to a foxglove in appearance, comfrey is differentiated by its hairlike growths, moist clammy feel and close-set veins in its leaves.
History
The generic name Symphytum comes from symphuo, the Greek word for planting next to something, possibly from often finding plants next to a river.  Comfrey was long known as ‘Saracens Root’ due to Crusaders discovering it’s therapeutic and healing powers whilst on crusade in the holy land. So impressed with the healing powers of this newly discovered herb garden  plant were these crusaders that they brought numerous examples back to Europe.
Settlers bound for the New World took Comfrey along as part of their pharmacological arsenal. It’s increasing cultivation was noted by Josselyn in his 1672 book, “New England Rarities Discovered”.
Usage
Comfrey’s claim to pharmacological fame derives from the abundant mucilage it contains. Revered for its several virtues as a healing herb garden plant; its mucilagenous yield was used as a bone-setting plaster.
Fresh leaves of comfrey formed a poultice or compress for sprained or twisted joints, but needed to be enclosed in cloth to prevent skin irritation from the hairy leaves.
The sticky pulverised root provided plasters for the easing of pulmonary and throat disorders as well as being a specific for stomach ulcers.
The fresh flowers and leaves produced a commonly used yellow dye.
Cultivation
Always position comfrey in a moist loose soil capable of being penetrated by the black skinned roots.
Although comfrey is happy in most environments, it does not like colder climes, but with care will survive all but the coldest regions.
Growth derived from seed is slow. Root division in spring is the preferred propagation route. Choose moisture-retentive or poorly drained soil for good long term results and plants lasting up to a quarter century.
Harvesting
Unlike most herb garden plants, comfrey roots should be harvested in spring.

Bulbinella or bulbine

Liliaceae

Appearance
Several varieties of Bulbinella Frutescens exist, some with long, thin racing green leaves, and some having a more yellowish leaf. The most common one is the yellow-flowered plant which looks a bit like a garlic chive but has round succulent leaves and grows to about 150mm (6ins)This is the bulbinella most commonly used as herb garden plants in many gardens as well as in rockeries.

History
Bulbinella has long been considered the pharmocopeia plant of the herbal world; the fleshy leaves yield a jelly like sap that has multiple virtues and applications – as you will see under the ‘usage’ section. Bushmen and iron age dwellers of Southern Africa knew and understood its virtues. It has long been a part of the traditional healers arsenal.

Usage

1. Medicinal Usage – Express some sap from a leaf to get immediate relief from:

• Eczema
• Fever blisters
• Blisters
• Pimples
• Burns
• Rashes
• Itchy spots
• Cracked skin
• Cracked lips
• Cold sores
• Mouth ulcers
• Sores and rashes on domestic and farm animals
• Painful insect stings

2. Aesthetic Usage

Although referred to as herb garden plants, bulbinella is also regarded as a valuable landscaping plant for its reliable growth pattern and bright all year round colour. Drought and pollution resistant, it is almost impervious to frost.

3. Cosmetic Usage

Just like the better known and much vaunted Aloe Vera, extracts of bulbinella sap can be used as a basis for skin creams.

Cultivation
Bulbinella is a gardeners dream; simply split a bunch and replant without missing a beat. Wind resistant, drought tolerant and a prodigious grower – bulbinella is all this and more. Equally responsive to landscapers filling those awkward spots where nothing else can thrive and to apartment window sills, bulbinella responds well to light composting and regular watering and will reward the diligent gardener with hosts of flowers.

Propagation
Propagation is so easy that I feel guilty about including a sub-heading on the subject. Split a bunch of bulbinella and plant out or break off a leaf and plant. How about that.

Harvesting
Help yourself whenever you want but stop short of denuding the plant.

Leptandra virginica (Scrophulariaceae)

Appearance

In mid-Summer blackroot sports compact lengthy and attractive spikes of white flowers above long sharp leaved stems which reach from 1.5 to 2 meters in length. Apart from their classification as herb garden plants they make a charming backdrop to a well drained semi shaded area of the garden. The dark brown rhizomes which are harvested for their essential oils can be found just below the ground running parallel to the surface.

History

Native American shamans knew these herb garden plants well and collected blackroot for clearing bile and aiding digestion. Originally found growing wild in the warmer regions of North America at higher altitudes, it was dubbed Culver’s Root by the early settlers.

Blackroot is not common on the continent, but can be found with a bit of effort and is easily grown in temperate regions or greenhouses.

Usage

Be warned that the virtues of the fresh root and its dried counterpart stand in juxtaposition to one another.

Whilst the fresh root is employed as an emetic, the dried roots are stored and used in the treatment of gastric enteritis and dysentry. As with conventional medicine, it is best to consult a genuine herbalist prior to embarking on a course of herbal treatment.

Cultivation

Propagation in blackroot as herb garden plants is achieved rather easily by dividing their rhizomes by hand in early spring and thereafter placing them in a bed of rich organic material which is well drained and applying a shallow layer of soil. Divide the resultant groups every 3 to 4 years for best results.