Herb Garden Plants

Sweetleaf, Sweet Leaf or Sugarleaf  - Stevia rebaudiana (Asteraceae)

History
Stevia or Sweet Leaf occurs naturally in Sub tropical regions of North And South America. It has been popular for many years because of its sweet leaves, extracts of which can be up to 300 times sweeter than sugar. Recently stevia has gained some fame as low carbohydrate low sugar alternative with the added attraction of a minimal effect on blood glucose.

Stevia is named after Spanish physician/botanist Pedro Jaime Esteves. (Thus Stevia) The genus embraces some 240 species of plants native to South, Central and North America. Naturally occurring leaves of the plant have 30–45 times the sweetness of cane sugar and may be be consumed fresh or placed in infusions, teas or culinary concoctions.

Much controversy exists regarding the 1991 banning of stevia by the FDA. There is awealth of claims and counter claims – so if you are interested look it up. However people in many developed countries legally use stevia either as extracts or as a naturally occurring product.

Usage
Research has revealed possible benefits in treating high blood pressure and obesity. It’s negligible effect on blood glucose makes it attractive as a natural sweetener to persons on a carbohydrate-controlled diet.

In some countries, stevia has been used as a sweetener for decades or centuries. Japan began growing and using stevia in 1971 in opposition to conventional non-cane sugar sweeteners; today stevia has more than one-third of the Japqanese sweetener market. World wide usage is increasing gradually in all forms, but there are still bans in various regions.

Modern medical research has produced positive results in treating hypertension and obesity. Tradition bound tribes of Bolivia, Paraguayand Brazil have used stevia as a sweetener in teas for treating heartburn and other ailments.

Propogation
Commercial enterprises plant cloned stevia to speed up propogation. Stevia does produce seeds naturally, but only a small percentage germinate. Home growers are advised to obtain seedlings from specialised herb nurseries.

The ancient medical science of Ayurveda is based on the principle of preventing diseases. It directs us to resist the diseases through our food habits and life styles. The same principle was suggested by Hippocrates when he wrote “Let your food be your medicine”.

A very well known spice in Ayurveda not completely understood by the public is Turmeric; Over the last few years, there has been increasing interest in turmeric and its medicinal properties. The medicinal qualities of turmeric is utilised in almost all Ayurvedic preparations related to liver and skin disorders.

This herb has occupied the shelves of every Indian kitchen for over 5000 years where it is considered the king of the kitchen and is is used daily in cooking. Apart from its culinary virtues, it is also used daily as a beauty aid and as a dye.

Turmeric (Curcuma Longa) belongs to the Zingiberacae branch of the ginger family and is a perennial plant that grows 3 to 5 feet high in SE Asian tropical regions. In India it is grown all over but specially in Bengal, Bombay and in Tamilnadu.

Ayurveda’s appreciation of the medicinal qualities and color of turmeric is evident through the various names of turmeric specified in ancient texts of ayurveda:

• Haridra – enhancer of body complexion.
• Kanchani  – looks like gold .
• Nisha  – imparts  beauty by enhancing complexion which is as beautiful as  full moon night
• Gowri  – yellow in color
• Krimighni  – works as a Antibacterial and antihelmenthic.
• Yoshit priya – used in Gynecological disorders.

In Hindi turmeric is known as haldi.

The rhizomes or roots of this plant are used as medicine and for other purposes. The rhizomes are boiled, dried and then powdered. This powder is used for a multiplicity of purposes and virtues.

The active chemical component of turmeric is curcumin.  Curcumin is a strong antioxidant and reduces inflammation by reducing histamine levels. Curcumin protects the liver, reduces cholesterol, and prevents internal blood clotting thereby preventing heart attacks and liver tissue damage.

Turmeric is very safe, but special precautions should be taken in persons who have gall stones, hyperacidity, stomach ulcers and obstructive jaundice.  Ayurveda describes the qualities of turmeric as light and dry. It has pungent and has a bitter taste. It is widely used in skin, respiratory and liver disorders and it purifies blood and enhances the complexion.

Medicinal properties of turmeric.

Liver
Ayurveda recommends this powdered golden herb root to purify blood and prevent clotting. It is extensively used to protect the liver from toxins and microbial. Turmeric increases the secretion of bile and also promotes the free flow of bile. This herb can be used to overcome toxic effects of alcohol on liver. It reduces cholesterol and protects the heart.

Take half a teaspoon of turmeric with warm water to rejuvenate and expel toxins out of the liver.

Respiratory system
One spoon of turmeric boiled in milk should be consumed with a spoon of pure ghee (clarified butter) for as a beneficial treatment for conditions such as bronchitis, asthma and coughing. This gives relief and acts as an anti tussive to get rid of congestion in the lungs.

Anti-ageing
The antioxidant properties of turmeric promotes a good complexion and increases vitality. It reduces inflammation in joints, protects the heart, reduces cholesterol and is an aid to good health.

Diabetes
Turmeric is widely used in ayurvedic preparations for diabetes. It lowers the blood sugar and increases metabolism.

Uterus
Turmeric initiates a regular menstrual cycle and reduces menstrual cramps.

Skin
Blood nourishes the skin and it is known fact that pure blood always keeps the skin glowing and radiant. Turmeric purifies blood, nourishes skin and gives it a healthy natural glow and radiance. A traditional face pack in India consists of flour, pure turmeric powder, milk and honey. This reduces any inflammation of the skin, smoothes it and prevents many skin ailments.

Stomach and Intestines
Turmeric enhances digestion, normalizes metabolism and expels unwanted intestinal parasites

On Wounds
Turmeric accelerates the healing process and reduces pain and inflammation. A thick paste of turmeric applied on wounds acts as an excellent antibiotic and anti-inflammatory.

Yogis
Turmeric purifies and cleans the body. It is a tailor-made herb for yogis. It increases the flexibility of muscles, reduces inflammation in muscles and joints and helps to perform yoga with confidence and added pleasure.

Is this not a wonderful treasure nature has stored for us in this golden herb?

As always, seek medical opinion prior  to embarking on any turmeric based treatments and use in moderation even then.

Every year the seasonal flu kills about 36,000 people and sends 200,000 to the hospital, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Annually during “flu season” (typically starting around Thanksgiving and peaking around Christmas) there is a dash to get flu shots; especially among the older folk, the ill, and the very young – and this concern is well-grounded.

For most victims – between 5 and 20 percent of the populace annually – the flu brings fever, headaches, exhaustion, aches and discomfort, stomach distress and other symptoms that make life dismal for days. Rumor of a pandemic flu virus outbreak brings increased personal concern. It’s important to understand precisely what this means, instead of just being afraid of something arriving at the nearest airport against which you have no protection.

Viruses are the invading organisms to blame for most epidemic illnesses. Virus-caused ailments cover anything from the common cold to cold sores, warts, measles as well as chicken pox, liver disease, West Nile virus, the “ordinary” flu, and AIDS. Recently it was the Avian flu that had people on edge. We can help prevent the passage of viruses from person to person by avoiding large indoor gatherings of people (Right…slap bang during the holiday season!) and exercising good hygienic practices – cleansing hands often, making use of tissues, ventilation of rooms, etc.

Viruses are known to be resistant to pharmaceutical antibiotics. Numerous public health experts pinned their hopes on the antiviral drug Tamiflu to fight the avian flu, for example, only to find that resistent cases are emerging. A flu virus mutates frequently and sometimes a new strain emerges that humans have not been subjected to. If the strain propagates easily between humans, it can cause widespread death and bombard global health resources. (It’s important to know that the avian flu is NOT passed easily between people; it seems to mostly be passed from poultry to humans.) A flu virus from half a world away is one to which you will most likely have no defenses, in contrast to the local ones you contact, and the mutations can leave us even more defenseless.

Enter the powerful therapeutic properties of the oil of the tea tree, Melaleuca alternifolia. Tea tree oil offers numerous uses in medical therapies due to its triple antibiotic features: it’s an antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal agent. Simply because a substance is naturally-occuring with no identified side effects, does not necessarily mean it can’t work. Tea tree was an important medicinal for native Aborigines. They drank teas made of the leaves and used tea tree poultices to treat wounds, cuts, and various skin disorders. In 1920, Dr. A. Penfold examined the oil’s elements for the first time. He learned that tea tree oil was 12 times more potent than the accepted antiseptic at the time, carbolic acid. Dr. Penfold’s study motivated further tests in the following decades, contributing to its growing use by the public.

Tea tree oil is a valuable replacement for pharmaceuticals. Its complex chemical composition makes it very difficult for germs to develop resistance. Traditional antibiotics have got more simple chemical structures to which germs can easily develop immunity. Tea tree oil is readily absorbed and it proceeds to obstruct germ growth at the site for several days after the initial application. The oil is a proven immuno-stimulant and anti-viral agent; it is currently being tried in the management of AIDS.

You should apply a little test amount to the skin prior to using it the first time, just like any product, there is always the chance of sensitivity in a particular individual. Adding a few drops to a vaporizer and inhaling the steam helps to freshen and disinfect the air, eliminating germs that invade the sinuses and lungs, and opening blocked breathing passages. The oil can be rubbed into the skin at full strength, or perhaps combined with a carrier oil or lotion. The oil can also be put into a hot bath tub and is then assimilated both through the skin and the nasal passages.

Personal use of tea tree oil is not to be substituted for advice from your family doctor. It is, however, useful in avoidance and as a first aid treatment. And there is anecdotal and scientific evidence of truly incredible results using this extraordinary substance.

The world of today is a world of progress. We have now managed to do in two centuries of ongoing industrial revolution, what we couldn’t do in thousands and thousands of our tumultuous historical past. And yet, with all these scientific breakthroughs and synthetic materials, synthetic foodstuff plus the reign of King Plastic, many people still find the need as well as having the perception to ask themselves how individuals previously remained healthy and fit without nutritional supplements, medicines or antibiotics. Their secret was that that these people employed what Mother Nature gave them: the plants to treat themselves. Thankfully, this knowledge has not been forgotten; even though they’re not so widely used these days, plants have claimed their own place in our civilization.

The herb story starts many thousands of years back, long before the recorded historical past, when man did not know how to write or read, but knew how to follow their instincts. These people discovered by observation that specific herbal products could alleviate their discomfort, others could make a wound fade away and others could kill them by ingestion. Throughout time, societies developed herbal lore and with time discovered methods to transfer their know-how other than just orally.

5000 years ago, in Ancient China, people used rhubarb (Rheune palmatum) as a purgative without knowing anything concerning the actual active substances they contained. They also used Ephedra to treat asthma, even though the substance known as ephedrine was supposedly “discovered” much later in 1887 AD. Just about all oriental ancient civilizations acquired their skills into the fascinating arena of botany, as plants were among the few elements to which they could turn to heal themselves. The famous king Hammurabi of Babylon (18th century BC) recommended mint to cure constipation and other digestive disorders. Mesopotamian doctors considered that the best time to take a herbal medicine was at night or early in the morning, a principle which is confirmed nowadays by modern studies. The Indians had an entire system of rules, prescriptions, remedies and practices, called Ayurveda, many of which involved the use of plants. They also had strict rules about when, by whom and from where the plants should be collected

People in Ancient Egypt knew and used the castor-oil plant, wormwood, saffron and oregano to heal and disinfect wounds; they also put coriander in their tombs so that the spirit will remain healthy in the afterlife. There are written records of their use of garlic (for the workmen who built the pyramids), indigo, mint and opium. The Greek and Roman civilizations have made a major contribution to medical science. Although much of their studies stemmed from other cultures (Mesopotamian, Egyptian), they added precious information and, in time, they became more and more concerned about the diseases and cures as natural and realistic processes, rather than spiritual or magical. Physicians like Hippocrates, Dioscoride and others have recorded their discoveries; their works would enlighten the pre-medieval civilizations for many centuries after their death. Dioscorides wrote De Materia Medica (1st century AD), which contained a list of hundreds of medicinal plants, along with their description and curative qualities.

The Dark Ages met with a lack of any further recorded herbal studies; the knowledge was probably transmitted from generation to generation – parents taught children, monks, even herbalist taught apprentices. However, there lived a great Persian physician by the name of Avicenna (Abu Ali al-Husayn ibn Abd Allah Ibn Sina) who wrote one of the most famous books in the history of medical science: The Canon, which also contained information about how plants should be used and their properties.

In 1527, the Swiss scholar Paracelsus demonstrated that only a small part of the plant has an effect upon the human body (1g per 20 kg of plant), which is what we now call active substance. Later scientists developed methods to isolate these substances. However, the first complete categorization of all known medicinal plants was printed in a book called Theatrum Botanicum by John Parkinson in 1640 AD. In 1649 Nicholas Culpeper pulished A Physical Directory, which is considered one of the best herbal pharmacopoeia manuals and is still widely quoted today.

Whilst chemistry developed as a scienctific discipline, physicians began using morewidely synthetic medicines, such as aspirin, which proved to have side effects. Yet all pharmacists and drug producers confirm the fact that, unlike artificially synthesized substances, medicines extracted from plants are more accessible to the metabolism and friendlier to the human body. This is probably why herbs are still viewed with benevolence and even awe, as they are apparently so suited to the human condition through their gentle actions.

Echinacea purpurea

Appearance
This perennial blooming plant is 1.2 m (3’6″) tall and .5 m (18″) broad at maturation. Identifiable through its purple cone-shaped flowers, it is indigenous to eastern North America and is known as the ‘purple coneflower’.

Depending on climate, it starts to bloom in late May to early July. Its flowers are hermaphroditic, possessing both male and female organs on each flower. It is pollinated through butterflies and bees.

Usage

• Echinacea purpurea may possess antidepressant attributes
• Echinacea is commonly believed to stimulate the immune system.
• Echinacea has traditionally been utilized to deal with or prevent colds, flu, and other infections.
• Less frequently, echinacea has been useful for wounds and skin problems, such as acne or boils.
• Echinacea purpurea can be grown as a ornamental plant, and numerous cultivars have been developed for flower quality and plant form.
• The above surface elements of the plant and roots of echinacea are used fresh or dried out to make teas, extracts, or preparations for exterior use.
• When taken through the mouth, echinacea usually doesn’t result in unwanted side effects. However, some individuals encounter allergic reactions, including rashes and bronchial asthma. In medical trials, gastrointestinal side effects have been most common.

History
A genus of herbaceous flowering plants from the daisy group, Asteraceae. The 9 species it includes are commonly known as purple coneflowers.They are endemic to eastern and central North America, where they are found growing in damp to dry prairies and open wooded areas. They have big, showy heads of composite flowers, blooming from early to late summer. The generic name hails from the Greek term(echino), or “spiney,” due to the spiney middle disk. Several species are used in herbal medications while some are usually grown because of their showy flowers.

Propagation and Cultivation (Northern hemisphere)
Useful propogation methods include division, root cuttings, and basal cuttings. Cuttings produced from roots that are 7 to 10 mm thick will grow into plants when started at the end of autumn or early winter. Cuttings of basal shoots in the spring may be rooted after treating with powdered rooting hormones.

Seed germination occurs best with daily temperature variances and help to end the seeds dormancy. Clumps of Echinacea purpurea may be divided, or broken into smaller bunches, which is usually carried out in the spring or autumn.

Its normal habitats feature dry open woods, prairies and barrens. Although the plant prefers loamy or sandy, well-drained earth, it is little influenced through the soil’s pH. Needing the sunlight, Echinacea purpurea thrives in either moist or dry earth and can endure drought, once established.

For indoor sowing: Flowers from February to April (for Spring)
Put in containers of damp compost. Sow thinly and cover using a fine layer of compost. Firm lightly and keep moist. Cover using glass, polythene or a propagator lid. Keep at approx. 15-20°C (60-68°F). The seedlings will come in 14-28 days. Remove cover when seedlings appear. When big enough transplant 5cm (2in) apart in trays. Stand outdoors for several days late May in a frostfree period, after that transplant 40cm (16in) apart in desired situation.

For outdoor sowing: Flowers from May to July (for Autumn)
Place the seeds in a prepared seedling bed. Sow very finely in rows of 30cm (12in) apart. Cover up carefully with fine earth. Firm lightly and keep damp. When big enough thin to 10 cm (4in) rows. Then transplant 40cm (16in) apart in blooming position in September to October. Keep moist and eradicate weeds.

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Note that these herbal poultices date from the 19th century – some were written down for perpetuity by my grandmother late in the 19th century when still widely used in many British colonies and the United States.

Colds and Cough, Hops or Catnip Poultice for. Hops or catnip put inside small bags and steamed until hot, then placed on lungs and throat. This is a great remedy, since the hot bags act as a poultice and draw the congestion from the unhealthy areas. It creates not only local, but general perspiration.

Croup, Pork and Onion Poultice for. Place pork and onions on the throat. Drink plenty of hot water. Bind the pork and onions on the throat, acting as a poultice. The virtue of this is often increased by cooking the onions and pork together. Onion syrup may be given internally to produce vomiting, even in very small babies.

Croup, Coal Oil, Turpentine and Snuff, a Canadian Remedy for. A little coal oil and some drops of turpentine soaked up by snuff, and applied as plaster. Helps make the child sneeze after a short while. The poultice loosens the phlegm plus the sneezing throws it off.

Bronchitis, Lard Poultice for. Take a bit of cotton batting large enough to cover chest and fit up near to the neck; wring out of melted lard as hot as the patient can stand it, and administer. Change as frequently as it gets cool. Additionally provide measure of castor oil.

Carbuncles, Poppy Leaves to Draw and Ripen. A poultice of poppy leaves is very suitable to draw or ripen a carbuncle. A poultice made from these leaves is very quieting and soothing, and simultaneously will cause the carbuncle to ripen.

Carbuncle, Bread and Milk Poultice for. Keep warm bread and milk poultice on until the core discharges out, after that place on salve or vaselin and keep covered until healed.

Eczema, Potato and Camphor for. Create a poultice of a cold potato with a small amount of camphor. This is excellent and eliminates the trouble quickly.

Abscess, Beech Bark Poultice for. Poultice made of red beech bark and wheat bran, A poultice made of the bark will result in a drawing sensation, and the wheat bran will maintain the heat. The proportions to make the poultice should be about half of each..

Abscess, Milk and Salt Poultice for. Make a poultice of one cup of hot milk and table salt 3 teaspoonfuls; salt added in steadily so it won’t curdle. Cook until even and creamy, then add sufficient flour so that it will spread but not be dry. Divide this into four poultices and apply in succession each and every half hour. This will eliminate the soreness and it should be kept oiled till cured.

Indolent Ulcers and Boils, Chickweed and Wood Sage Poultice for. Equal parts of chickweed and wood sage pounded together make a good poultice for all kinds of indolent ulcers and boils.

Ulcers, Proud Flesh, Venereal Sores and all Fungus Protuberances, Blood Root and Sweet Nitre for. Two ounces pulverized blood root; one pint of sweet nitre; macerate for ten days, shake a few times a day.

Ulcers and Sores, Carrots will heal. Boil carrots until soft and mash them to a pulp, add lard or sweet oil enough to keep it from getting hard. Spread and apply; outstanding for offensive sores. Onion poultice made exactly the same will work for slow boils and indolent sores. This makes a very comforting poultice and it has great therapeutic qualities.

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Drying and Preserving Roots, Herbs, Barks.
General – collect herbs when the weather is good and when there is no dew on them. Dry them in the shade, after which they ought to be protected from exposure to the air by wrapping up inside paper or perhaps keeping in paper pouches, tied up and hung up in a dry spot.

Roots ought to be dug in the spring when the sap is rising if you wish to make extract; or they may be collected in autumn when they have ceased to vegetate. In order to dry for winter use they should be sliced up, dried out and put in a draught-free position.

Barks ought to be stripped when the tree is in full leaf and dried in the shade. The bark from the roots should be gathered in the fall, once the sap has descended.

Flowers and Seeds.
Flowers should be gathered when in full bloom and totally free of the dew and should be kept from exposure to the air. Make sure that seeds have completely matured; dry them in a shady position and store ready for use.

Preparation of Herbs for Medicine.  There are various ways of preparing herbs intended for medicine. The best known are:

• Infusion
• Decoction
• Fomentation
• Ointment
• Plaster
• Poultice
• Powder
• Essence
• Tincture

Five of these, Plaster, Poultice, Fomentations, Decoction and Infusion (Referred to as a tea.) are the most popular methods.

Plasters – Bruise the leaves, root, or other part of the plant and position between two sections of cloth, basically as you would a mustard plaster, and apply to the area you want to cover up.

Poultices – Poultices are used to apply warmth (moist heat), to soothe or to draw. Generally a soft substance is used, such as soap and sugar, bread and milk, mustard, etc. Some cause a counter-irritation, a few draw the blood from a congested part and thus alleviate soreness.

Fomentations – Dip linen or heavy towels in the infusion or decoction, wring out and apply locally to the part that you wish to cover.

Decoction – Make the same as for infusion and boil for some time, simply as a person would make coffee.

Infusion or Tea – Usually about one ounce of the herb to a pint of water is used for an infusion. Occasionally cold water is poured over the herb, but the most typical method is to pour boiling water over the herb and let to stand for a brief time, just as a person might make typical tea for the family table. Occasionally a little sugar might end up being included to make the tea more palatable. An infusion or tea ought to be used whilst fresh.

Ointments or Salve – An easy technique to make a salve or ointment is to use about eight portions of vaseline or lard or any like substance and add two parts of the remedy you want to employ. Thus, in the event that you were to make a sulphur salve you would use eight oz . of vaseline and two ounces of sulphur; stir and combine well while hot and when cool you would have a typical sulphur salve or ointment.

Essence – Take about an oz of the essential oil of the herb and dissolve in a pint of alcohol.

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Until the early 20th century, the Chinese people, along with their traditions, were virtually unknown to the vast majority of the Western world.

This ancient and scholarly culture has used herbs to cure human ailments and imbalances for millennia. In accordance with Chinese medicine, our body, mind and soul are inter- connected. If one organ of the body is inadequate, it will ultimately effect on the other bodily organs too. So the Chinese herbology works on the concept that herbs are classified into 3 distinct branches.

1. The Four Natures
The Four Natures – Yin and Yang. The four natures make reference to the yin and yang. Yin means extremely cold whereas yang symbolizes extremely hot. Depending on the symptoms detected by diagnosing a patient, herbs are used and implemented. If an individual is suffering from intense cold then yang can be used to stablize the body system and combat the imbalance observed.

2. The Five Tastes
The five tastes possess special and unique characteristics and include tastes such as bitter, sweet, sour, salty and pungent. Bitter taste is hot in nature and is used to dry the dampness in skin and purge the bowels. In order to tone the body and harmonize it, the sweet tasting nature herbs are utilized. The pungent herbs are used to stabilize the flow of energy in the body and produce perspiration. Sour taste is an astringent whereas the salty taste smoothes the skins and softens hard areas.

3. The Meridians.
The meridians are different in their effectiveness from natural tastes because they have an effect on the organs directly. For example:

• Menthol is effective for both lungs and liver.
• Ginseng is a very popular herb and is efficient in treating dry coughs, constipation and fevers.
• The wolfberry herb can be used for longevity of and vitalizing the human body.
• Dong Quai is also an powerful herb which is used to cure heart, spleen, kidney and menopausal problems.
• An extremely well-known herb that is often used in our food as well is cinnamon. It assists in curing allergies and refreshes the blood circulation of the body.

Many other Chinese herbs help in healing numerous dangerous illnesses. The vastness of the country and the lack of swift transport in ancient times brought about a culture of alternate medicine and local cures for common ailments. The collation and broadcasting of these remedies in light of recently improved communications – both within China and worldwide – has been an eye-opener for bringing the scope and reach of Chinese herbal decoctions to the rest of the world.

The subject is well worth pursuing and very interesting to boot. But as always, proceed with extreme caution. Many herbal remedies in the hands of incompetents may prove harmful or even fatal.

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Artemisia absinthium (Compositae)

Herb Garden Plant Appearance
The light green deeply slashed leaves (which are silvery when young) provide a highly attractive feature in the herb garden. lt is a touch woody and appears to glimmer during the rain. Circular shrubs achieve 90-120 cms (3-4 ft) in height and produce tiny greenish-yellow flowers in summer time.

Include new grown leaves in poutpourri and herbal sachets, and spread dehydrated sprigs inside drawers as well as cupboards to maintain fresh air. The essential oil of wormwood is manufactured from this plant in both France and America. Although aromatic, wormwood has a very bitter taste.

In large herb gardens a striking impact can be attained by grouping a number of plants together.

History
Known as Artemisia from Artemis, the Greek name for Diana. The Herbarium of Apuleius proclaims: “Of these worts that we name Artemisia, it is said that Diana did find them and delivered their powers and leechdom to Chiron the Centaur, who first from these Worts set forth a leechdom, and he named these worts from the name of Diana, Artemis, that is Artemisias.”

A native of Europe, wormwood is one of the truly magical shrubs from the herb garden. lt was long been introduced into America as a cultivated plant which has naturalized in some areas.

Herb Usage
Wormwood is primarily a flavorant designed for liqueurs and aperitifs – such as absinth and vermouth – since it has a unique fragrance. The leaves are sweetest in aroma when gathered early on in the summer. Absinthe, popular in the 19th century in Europe, caused several cases of brain damage and even death and was banned in many countries in the early 20th century. There is some controversy about this today, as it is claimed that prohibitionists in America started the rumours of brain damage or death. At present, there is no definitive study to prove either theory.

It was previously regarded as a useful remedy for liver and gallbladder problems.

Wormwood oil is still used as a flavoring agent for foods, although in very much smaller quantities than were found in the original absinthe.

The plant’s typical scent can help make it helpful with regard to making a plant spray to combat unwanted insects. In the technique of companion plants, it puts an inhibiting influence on the growth of surrounding plants, therefore inhibiting weeds. It can always be helpful to reject insect larvae although it need only to be located    on the border of the area of planting. It has also ended up being employed to repel indoor pests.

Cultivation In The Herb Garden
Propagate through summer season cuttings or from seed sown as soon as it’s ripe, and protect through

the winter season. Both dappled shade or full-blown sunshine are well suited for wormwood, but bushes do appreciate a little shelter from robust winds.

It may be grown within containers and where winter weather icy temperatures pose problems, taken into shelter during a severe spell.

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Rosa gallica officinalis (Rosaceae)

Appearance
Rosa gallica officinalis is the apothecary’s rose, identified somewhat ambiguously in England as the damask rose because it was introduced to Europe by the crusaders from Damascus. Within America it’s known as the French rose, or rose of Provins

The plant is a bush generally 60 to 120 cms (2-4 ft) in height, typically thick and wide, frequently used on trellises and a great plant for a casual border around the herb garden. The leaves are a strong darkish green, made up of five leaflets, and the stiff bristly stems are virtually without thorns. The petals are bright red with a golden cluster of anthers at the open centre.

History
Numerous mythological as well as charming associations have followed the rose through the centuries and a belief in its potent capabilities resulted in its cultivation in herb gardens fof its uses in medicine and confections.

The apothecarys rose is sometimes referred to as the queen of aromatic herbs.

Herb Usage
Mainly because the dried out petals hold their fragrance it has been extensively employed in the production of numerous fragrances – particularly in the region of the town of Provins, south of Paris, during the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

Previously, rose honey, lozenges, rose perfumed snuff and rose scented tapers, rose scented wine, rose vinegar and rose sauces were almost all widely available. Fresh or dried out petals may be spread on salads and desserts or strewn in drinks: the hips can be lightly boiled until tender, strained, and the fluid used like a tisane.

ln perfumery, because the petals preserve so strong an aroma on drying out, they were very helpful for sweet waters and sweet smelling bags and they are the predominant ingredient of pot pourri.

Cultivation
Roses adore the sunlight and require a bit of moisture at the roots. Basic cultivation is actually the exact same for all roses, although the complex pruning regimen connected with modern roses will not have to be adopted for the apothecary’s rose. Just get rid of dead and ageing branches; in the event that too much pruning is undertaken the vitality of the plant will end up being directed into producing growth instead of producing blossoms.

In The United States the rose will flourish in all except the really northerly areas, and likes some winter season cold in order to get its winter break. Numerous gardeners regard its cultivation impractical, and it is definitely not for the southern and western seaboard states.

Choose good garden loam, and prepare the soil well before planting in the autumn (fall) or spring. It is actually a good idea for you to acquire smaller plants since propagation from cuttings can be a somewhat sluggish process. In regions where the winter temperature falls beneath minus l2°C (l0°F) shrubs planted in autumn (fall) should be protected during their initial winter with a shielding mulch (which can easily be taken off the following spring).

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