Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Houttuynia cordata - Fish Mint, Chameleon Plant

Polska wersja

      PLANT PROFILE

  Houttuynia cordata is a creepy parennial from south east Asia where it is popular vegetable, spice and medicine. Its variegated form called Chameleon Plant is popular in many regions of the world. And while many people from west, complain about how invasive this beautifull ground cover is in their gardens. People from Asia are enjoing its taste and health benefits just like those of its green-leaved sister. It is important herb in many tradicional medicine systems which is well indicated in its Japanese name Dokudami, that meanes ,,poison blocking plant''. Other names of this plant, like Fish Mint or Yu Xing Cao (''fish-smell-herb'' in Chinese) refer to its unique smell that may differ significantly according to conditions of growth and its ancestry. You may find descriptions of its aroma as fishy, orangy, lemony or cilantro like, and some people name it unpleasant. My advice is to try it yourself, and even if you won't like the taste remember about its vast health benefits.


     CULTIVATION AND HARVESTING

   Houttuynia cordata is parennial ground covering plant, spreading rapidly by its ground laying stems and rhizomes. It likes wet soil and grow well even partialy immersed in shalow waters. But unlike many water lowing plants it grow well on sandy ground and cope well with droughts. So if Your plant looks dead dry, just water it and wait untill it will grow back from its rhizomes. Also if You are growing it in cold climate don't worry if aboveground part of the plant looks dead after winter, rhizomes are hardy to aprox. -25'C. This herb adapt well to different conditions and can grow even in very poor soils and with different light volume. But variegated form looks pale (green) in strong shade, it is getting more vivid when exposed to stronger sunlight. With good conditions Houttuynia can be invasive, spreading strongly and threating to small plants, but it ussually not growing higher than 30cm. All parts of this plant are edible and can be harvested all year round (in cold winters you can gather only rhizomes). My advice is to pick it fresh straight before use, becouse especially leaves and stems are loseing its freshness quickly. But it can also be dried and storaged, for this purpose it should be harvested in summer while flowering. You can also grow this herb in pots indoors and have its fresh leaves all year round.



     CULINARY USES

   Leaves, stems and rhizomes of Houttuynia cordata are widely used in many tradicional cousines of south-east Asia, both fresh and cooked. It is used as an aromatic vegetable/spice and is added to salads, soups, stews, fish meals, curry dishes and stir-fries. Leaves can be fried in batter as a kind of Pakora. Herbal tea can be made from both dried and fresh Dokudami parts.




    
MEDICINAL USES

   All parts of Houttuynia cordata plant are important herb known in many Asian tradicional medicine systems. It is detoxifing, antiviral (effective against SARS coronavirus, Dengue, Hand, foot, and mouth disease, Herpes simplex, and even HIV), antibacterial, antifungal, antitussive, mildly laxative, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-alergic herb. It contain myrcene, limonen, alpha-pinene, camphene, sterols, polyphenols, flavonoids, querticin and anti-cancer alkaloids, many uniqe highly antiseptic chemical structures like 3-keto-dodecanol, methyl-nonyl-ketone and 2-nonyl-5-decanoyl-pyridine. It is also rich in potassium, magnesium and sodium.
   Houttuynia decrease histamine release and is effective herb to use for alergies and asthma, it also stimulate immune system by stimulating production of lymphocyts. It is used to treat laryngitis, sinusitis and chronic ear infections, lyme dysease and bartonella, fevers, hangovers, indigestion, dysentery, stomach cramps, constipation, stomach ulcers, intestinal helminthic infections, measles and dysuria. Poultice from fresh herb and infusions to wash, are effective with herpes, hemorrhoids, boils, gout, rheumatism, insect bites, snakebites, inflammations and infectious skin diseases, also applied on site of a fracture to help bone development.






 



 
   Sources

'' Herbal Emisaries : Bringing Chinese Herbs to the West'' - Steven Foster, Yue Chongxi,
Inner Tradictions/BEAR & Co 1992
''Chinese Materia Medica : Combinations and Aplications'' - Xu Li, Elsevier Health Sciences 2002
''Chromatografic Fingerprint Analysis of Herbal Medicines'' - Springer Verlag/Wien 2011

http://www.flowersociety.org/dokudami.htm
http://dokudami.wikispaces.com/The+Medicinal+Herb+Called+Dokudami+Has+Many+Health+Benefits
http://www.1stchineseherbs.com/houtuynia.html
http://www.dokudamihealing.com/about_dokudami.htm
http://www.prolacthailand.com/index.php?cmd=contentdesign&mode=qna
https://www.herbsarespecial.com.au/free-herb-information/vap-ca.html
http://www.vitaminsestore.com/vap-ca-benefits-reviews-side-effects-and-dosage/
http://vietherbs.com/herb-directory/fish-herb/
http://www.tcmwiki.com/wiki/yu-xing-cao
http://beforeitsnews.com/health/2012/10/chinese-herbs-in-western-view-yu-xing-cao-herba-houttuyniae-health-benefits-and-side-effects-2453518.html

Monday, July 28, 2014

Ceanothus americanus - New Jersey Tea, Redroot


     PLANT PROFILE

   Ceanothus americanus is a small shrub that grows on praries in east part of North America, where it have been used as a herb for centuries by local Indians. Nowadays it is prescribed by trained medicians and drink as a tea or coffe alternative but outside USA and Canada it seems to be known only as an ornamental. In fact in this field it's not very popular neither, as its white flowers are not that attractive as blue flowers of its famous cousin Ceanothus thyrsiflorus. Some beekeepers are praising its value as a high volume nectar source for bees. This plant gained name New Jersey Tea during American Revolution, when shortage of tea forced Americans to search for accessible substitute. Native people have been tradicionally drinking infusion made from leaves as a beverage and remedy. But it is the root of the plant that have very significant medicinal value. Redroot is a name of crude drug that refer to red coloured root from few species of Ceanothus.


      CULTIVATION  AND HARVESTING

   Ceanothus americanus is a dense shrub growing up to 1,2m. It grows on sandy, well drained soils (neutral or slightly acidic) and is a drought resistant plant, that can't grow in wet ground. It feels good in full sun or partial shade as it comes from praries and outskirts of forests. It is said to cope even with severe frosts (-30'C) as long as there is no excess of humidity. Thanks to special fungi growing on its roots this plant have a nitrogen fixing ability. Beautifull clusters of white flowers appear for about month in early summer. Leaves are best to gather while plants are in full bloom, it is losing leaves before winter. Roots are best to gather in late fall and early spring.

     CULINARY USES

  Infusion made from dried or fresh leaves of Ceanothus americanus is a good tea substitute called New Jersey tea.

    COSMETIC USES

  Flowers of this plant have contain high volume of saponins and its foam creating properties brought its use as a pleasantly smelling, soaped sponge substitute. Also roots have been used to make soap and shampoo.

    MEDICINAL USES

   Leaves of Ceanothus americanus are tradicionaly used by Cherokee people to cure indigestion, diarrhea, inflammations of chest, throat, nose and mouth. Astringent properties of decoction are used to treat wounds, veneral sores and skin cancer. It is also used to fight depression and is good source of highly antioxidant flavonoids.
  Root of the plant is used to treat fevers, catarrh, sore throat, asthma, syphilis, hemorrhoids, inflammations and indigestion. Redroot stymulates lymphatic system and is astringent, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, expectorant, antispasmotic, mildly hypotensive and sedative. Powder made from root bark is applied on sores. This herb act as an anti-coagulant, therefore should be used with lot of caution while using other anti-coagulant. It also should be avoided by pregnant and nourishing women.



   Sources

 ''Rodale's 21st-Century Herbal'' - Michael Balick, Rodale Inc 2014

http://bearmedicineherbals.com/ceanothus.html
http://www.redrootmountain.com/red-root-balance-the-body-by-way-of-the-spleen/66
http://www.eattheweeds.com/ceanothus-americanus-revolutionary-tea-2/
http://food-nutrition.knoji.com/herbs-redroot-or-california-lilac-history-nutrition-and-medicinal-uses/
http://www.swsbm.com/FOLIOS/RedRtFol.pdf
http://www.henriettes-herb.com/eclectic/kings/ceanothus.html
http://doctorschar.com/archives/new-jersey-tea-ceonanthus-americana/
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ja01048a032

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Hemerocallis - Daylily

Polska wersja 

      PLANT PROFILE

   Daylily is a perennial plant, growing in clusters that provide abundance of beautiful, and what not many people suspect, delicious flowers. Every single flower is open for one day only, hence it's name Daylily and Hemerocallis which means ''day-beautifull'' in greek. But before you go to to try it, please make sure it is the right one. The most important thing to avoid is to get mixed with Lilies. They both have basically same shape of flowers as they are closely related. Fortunately they differ in general appearance. Daylilies are growing in form of clumps of long leaves growing straight from the ground, while highly poisonous Lilies are creating single flowering stems with small leaves growing straight from the stalk. What is also important is that there are hundreds of cultivars of Daylilies and some of them are reported to be not palatable or iritate stomach. But don't worry, it is not that hard to find the right one, that have been used in China, Korea and Japan for centuries, both as a vegetable and medicine. Mainly there are two types of asian Daylilies, which in many regions of USA and Europe escaped from cultivation and become popular wildplants. One have orange/tawny flowers and is called Hemerocallis fulva, and second one is yellow, Hemerocallis flava. These are the safest for harvest of edible raw or cooked, flowers, buds, young greens and tubers. But you have to be carefull with them as well. Even though delicious in taste in bigger quantities they are laxative, and older uncooked leaves might couse hallucinations. Some people also are allergic to Daylilies. So if you want to try one of those two types for the first time or try some new variaties without certain recommentadion, take a small part, chew it, taste it and spit it out. If you feel fine after about hour, try to eat small piece, but do it with someones assistance in case of sever allergic reaction. Fortunately I didn't found any human death reports but there are some informations about poisoning of cattle and cats.
    In Asia dried leaves and it's fibres are used to made sandals, ropes and even paper.



      CULTIVATION AND HARVESTING

   Daylilies are easy to grow perrennials growing up to 1,2m with flower stalks reaching even 2m hight. It can create a vast clumps, spreading through it's rhizomes, and so it can be easily propageted by division. This method of propagation is better from culinary point of view as it create exact clone of motherplant. While propagation from seeds is risky becouse of cross polination, very common among Daylilies. It can be fun though as sometimes hybrids might taste better than it's parents. It is a sun loving plant but tolerate moderate shade. It copes well with heats, temporary droughts and severe frosts (zones 3-9), but it is adviced to leave old dead leaves over winter as a natural cover. It can grow on nearly any soil, but prefer rich compost, neutral or slightly acid and quite wet soils. Leaves are best to gather when young, especially when they are just comming out from the ground in late winter or early spring. Older leaves are less atractive in both taste and texture, have stronger laxative effect and if eaten in excess uncooked, can couse hallucinations. Tubers are best from late fall to early spring, becouse of highest accumulation of nutrients, but can be digged up at any time of year. Buds and flowers can be picked at any time of development, most varieties are producing flowers from late spring to late summer. If some flowers will be left and the seed pods will start to develop, that plant may stop growing new flowers.


     CULINARY USES

  Young leaves, tubers, roots, buds and open flowers can be eaten raw, blanched or cooked in many ways. It can be added to salads, soups, stews, stir fries or used as a fillings. Flower buds while small and green, can be used like a green beans. Flowers can be dried and used as a thickening, fried in batter or turned into a jelly. Moderation is adviced because of laxative properties of uncooked green parts that if eaten in excess may lower ability to concentrate or even couse hallucinations.


     MEDICINAL USES

  Fresh leaves of Hemerocallis fulva acts sedative and might be used as a pain relief. Chinese are saing that it uplift the spirit and Chinese word for Daylily is synonym for ''forget-worry'', it is used as a treatment for post traumatic stress disorder, but consumed with excess it might couse hallucinations. It also have laxative properties.
  Tubers and roots are antimicrobial, diuretic, laxative and are used to cure jaundice, hemorrhoids, constipation, pneumonia, also breast tumors and other form of cancer. It also kills parasitic worms that couse filariasis. Juice from roots is effective antidote in cases of arsenic poisoning.
  Flowers are diuretic, depurative, febrifuge, antiemetic, sedative, antispasmotic, antidepresant and anodyne, in China it is used for this purpose even by women in childbirth. They are good source of protein, iron, beta-caroten and also contain rutin.In Japan both flowers and leaves are used to treat insomnia. Crushed petals or infusion made from flowers can be applied for sprains and bruises.







    Sources

http://www.thesouthernherbalist.com/articles/Daylily.html
http://www.survivalschool.us/edible-medicinal-plant-uses/day-lily-hemerocallis-fulva/
http://practicalplants.org/wiki/Hemerocallis_fulva
http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/hemerocallis-fulva-orange-daylily
http://www.floridata.com/ref/h/Hemerocallis_fulva.cfm
http://honest-food.net/2010/06/29/dining-on-daylilies/
http://brigittemars.com/other/day-lilies/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15172183
http://www.susunweed.com/Article_Liliacea-family.htm
http://blog.chestnutherbs.com/delectable-daylily
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1055/#b
http://ipm.missouri.edu/MEG/2012/6/Daylily-Americas-Favorite-Perennial/
http://www.hgtvgardens.com/foraging/wild-man-dig-into-some-delicious-daylilies
http://books.google.pl/books?id=MaduhNghjb4C&pg=PA146&lpg=PA146&dq=hemerocallis+medicinal+uses&source=bl&ots=AJiDBVSNTE&sig=BCTHhZ2VwJgdTgyPEBu8NAXJj0w&hl=en&sa=X&ei=SkqpU8znBoXB7AbIiYGgAg&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAjge#v=onepage&q=hemerocallis%20medicinal%20uses&f=false
http://greentropicals.wordpress.com/2012/09/09/daylily-hemerocallis-fulva/
http://books.google.pl/books?id=10IMFSavIMsC&pg=PA2231&lpg=PA2231&dq=hemerocallis+medicinal+uses&source=bl&ots=7GbOv2KY7V&sig=eTio6bj5iWGW0yDoFOzQjgP3Efg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=IvGpU-3aN5Sp7Aai84HICg&ved=0CFAQ6AEwCDgo#v=onepage&q&f=false
http://www.teasofkyushu.com/health-forum/health-kwanso
http://books.google.pl/books?id=6jRsF1nOmqgC&pg=PA27&lpg=PA27&dq=hemerocallis+medicinal+uses&source=bl&ots=S_AjkT9TR5&sig=rrDwc4dWULK2Zf3EzGyVRNvc340&hl=en&sa=X&ei=4J2oU9SyINHy7Aa344G4Aw&ved=0CDcQ6AEwBDgU#v=onepage&q=hemerocallis%20medicinal%20uses&f=false
http://www.pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?LatinName=Hemerocallis+fulva

Stachys byzantina - Lamb's Ears

Polska wersja

      PLANT PROFILE


   Stachys byzantina is a low growing perennial native to Turkey, Armenia and Iran, but quite popular in whole Europe thanks to it's hardiness and atrative outlook. Today it is almost totaly forgotten as a herb. But it is probably one of those few herbs that Dioscorides was calling Sideritis, which comes from greek word ''sideros'' that means iron. This name indicated not only antibacterial properties helpfull in cases of wounds made by iron weapons. But also use of it's leaves as a wound dressing, thanks to it's wooliness.


    CULTIVATION AND HARVESTING

  Stachys byzantina is small perennial reaching around 80cm in hight and up to 2m in diameter. It cope well with strong sunlight, heats and droughts as well as severe frosts (-30'C). But it not tolerate shade and wet ground over longer period as well as acidic pH. It grows well on sandy, poor quality soil. Flowers appear in june.



     CULINARY USES

  Leaves and flowers can be used as an original, wolly, slightly bitter vegetable. For example in Brazil, where it is called Lambari, it is fried in batter.

 
     MEDICINAL USES

  Leaves and flowers of Stachys byzantina have been used for centuries, mainly for it's antibacterial, antiseptic, antipyretic and astringent properties. Laboratory studies confirmed those values of this herb, which are coused by flavonoids and tanins that it contain. Juice squized over stings reduces swellings. Infusions are helpfull with colds, diarrhea, throat and gums infections, asthma, internal bleedings, varicose veins and also strengthens liver and heart. Fresh leaves squeezed in order to release it's antiseptic, anti-inflammatory juices onto the surface are excelent cover for wounds and simmered and cooled, can be used as an eyewash for pikeye and sties.



   Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stachys_byzantina
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba_oistgVHw
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2792521/
https://webstu.onu.edu/garden/node/353
https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/s-0031-1282312
http://www.naturalcuresnotmedicine.com/2014/06/grow-antibacterial-bandages.html
http://books.google.pl/books?id=YC_lAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA3551&lpg=PA3551&dq=stachys+Byzantina+medicinal+use&source=bl&ots=cUXgEce8_x&sig=yzxMOb4_g_XZx-Ni0j_TYXDkmNQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=B76eU6mOBqHF7AbxtIEg&ved=0CDsQ6AEwBTgU#v=onepage&q=stachys%20Byzantina%20medicinal%20use&f=false

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Sideritis scardica - Mursalsky Tea, Ironwort, Greek Moutain Tea

Polska wersja

      PLANT PROFILE


   Sideritis scardica is a low growing, perennial plant from family Lamiaceae. It is native to the Balkans where is used since ancient times as a panacea. Tea made from it's flowering tops is very popular in Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Turkey and Albania, where it grows in wild on a high altitudes in moutainious regions and in last century become a cultivated herb. Even though the knowledge about it's medicinal values is growing due to results of clinical and laboratory studies. This herb is popular only in Balkans and some Mediterranean areas, while still almost unknown in rest of Europe and other continents. In Bulgaria, although this plant is scheduled in the Red Book of Plants, this tea is very popular and praised for it's unique, subtle taste and health benefits, that brought it its name of  Bulgarian Viagra. An interesting thing is that during Communist Party rule, in times when Bulgaria was part of Soviet bloc, knowledge about this herb was blocked to the public and only members of the Party could enjoy consumption of it. This tea was given to both russian and american astronauts before their space flights. There are several species of Sideritis that have both appearance and medicinal values similar to Sideritis scardica, like Sideritis raeseri, Sideritis euboea, Sideritis montana and Sideritis syriaca, it all grows in Mediterranean region and have tendencies to hybridise.
    Name Sideritis comes from greek word ''sideros'' which means iron and is said to be given this name becouse of use in healing wounds made by iron weapons. Scardica derived from scardus - latin for Sharr moutains, where it was found by german botanic August Grisenbach. It have many common names in english. Ironwort is common name for whole Sideritis genus. Moutain Tea or Greek Moutain Tea (Greece was first exporters of this herb) as well as Shepperd's Tea may refer to herb of different species of Sideritis. Mursalski Tea (Мурсалски чай), Pirin Tea (Пирински чай) and Olympus Tea refer to Sideritis scardica only and indicate region of origin. The first one is gathered in Rhodopi region and second in Pirin Moutains, both are in Bulgaria while third one comes form Mount Olympus in Greece.




    CULTIVATION  AND HARVESTING

   In its natural form it is growing in shape of small rosettes of leaves coming from it's roots, with only frowering stems (usually no more than ten) growing up, reaching no more than 60cm. This have place on rocky hillsides, moutains or outskirts of forests, where it is growing on even very poor or barely any soil at all. But in cultivation, on a very good (alkaline or neutral) soil one plant can spread up to two meters in diameter, producing over hundred of flowering stems at once. It is propagated by seeds and made flowers in second year. Even though it is perennial it is known to be short lived plant. It likes full sun or light shade. Copeing well with extreme hot weather and temrorary droughts as well as severe winters (up to -25'C as long as coverd with snow), but can easily die if soil is to wet over longer period. Fully developed flowering stems can be gathered from june to august, but some early harvested plants can even produce rich second crop in september.


    COSMETIC USES

  Although voltile oils of Sideritis scardica plants are giving it very plesant, refined, soft herbal fragrance the only perfume contained it that you can find on market is ''Sideritis''. It was launched in 2009 by Maria Candida Gentile and it is said to suit both women and men. This herbs valuable antioxidant, desinfecting and detoxifying properties are also underuse and it is hard to find any cosmetics lines like ''Korres'' or ''Ile de Jardin''. Those brands are offering different creams, body lotions and gels with Sideritis extract, that helps to keep skin healthy, young and beautifull.


   MEDICINAL USES

 Infusion or decoction from flowering stems of Sideritis scardica is regarded as a cure-all. This pleasantly tasted tea can be drink at any ocasion to cure or to prevent illnesses, as there is no reported contraindiction or side effect of it's consumption. It's ant-inflammatory, anti-microbial and soothing propertis make it helpful with colds, flu, angine also bronhit, asthma and lung emphysema. It is recomended an hour before meal for digestive tract ailments, It strenghten liver and kidneys and is regarded helpfull with urinary tract infections as well as prostatis and reumatism. Clinical studies proved it to be effective in  prevention of osteoporosis. It is also said to strenghten eyes, memory and soothing nervous system. This herb is lowering blood pressure, which helps to prevent heart attack and its antioxidant and detoxifiyng properties are helpfull with preventing and fighting cancer. General health benefits of this plant make it valuable remedy for allergies and general weekness, and those strenghtening powers builded it's reputation as Bulgarian Viagra. It's slighty wooly, crushed leaves are excellent antseptic cover for wounds and bruises. It contains flavonoids, diterpenoids, steroids, iridoids, coumarins, lignans and essential oils.









      Sources

http://www.fragrantica.com/news/MOUNTAIN-TEA-Sideritis-The-Humble-3706.html
http://shop.balkanherbs.co.uk/mursalski-tea-2-w.asp
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22274814
http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/83586326/extracts-sideritis-scardica-as-triple-monoamine-reuptake-inhibitors
http://gigaplus.makeshop.jp/estia/pdf/sideritis/Sideritis-in-mood-disorders-and-ADHD.pdf

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Chrysanthemum coronarium - Chop Suey Greens, Crown Daisy

Polska wersja

      PLANT PROFILE

   Chrysanthemums are one of the most popular flowers in Europe and rest of the world as well. But apart from Asia they are still one of the least known herbs and vegetables. There are few species of which flower buds are playing significant role in Chinese Traditional Medicine and other ancient medicinal systems (the most popular are C. morifolium ( ju hua ) and indicum). And there are three  that are valiable vegetables as well. Chrysanthemum carinatum, syn. C. tricolor is quite unique and it's native to north Africa, while two others seems to be closely related.
   One is a forgoten european - Chrysanthemum segetum (a.k.a. Corn marigold in Britain) and another one is asian - Chrysanthemum coronarium, which probabily derives from its ancestor Midditerean form. First one is nowadays used culinary probabily only on the Isle of Crete where it's called Mantilida (more precisely, it's probably hybrid of both, also known under latin name of C. coronarium), while the second one is hugely popular in the whole of south-east Asia, and apart from using for cooking and as a fresh vegetable, it's also used as a medicine.
   In Britain it's barely known but it has its own names - Crown daisy, Garland Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum greens but it's also known as Chop Suey, which comes from the name of popular Asian dish made from this veg. Most popular names of these greens are Tangho, Ai Cai in China, Shungiku,Kikuna in Japan and Tan O in Vietnam. In my opinion this very easy to grow annual is realy tasty and deserves to be just as popular in Europe and other temperate climate regions as letuce or parsley.


                                                                                       CULTIVATION  AND HARVESTING

  Chrysanthemum coronarium is very easy to grow outdoors in a temperate climate. It is herbaceous annual, growing up to meter high and if you cut tops it can be very bushy. Its seeds germinate well sown just straight on a surface of soil even when temperatures are around 8'C, it is growing even in temperature's between 0'C to 5'C and can withstand light frosts. Biggest and best crops are when plants have good compost, neutral or slightly acidic soil, around 20'C, with high humidity and partial shade. In higher temperatures, dry conditions and strong sunlight, plants are starting to produce flowers rapidly and its leaves are becoming bitter. If  you continue to harvest tops, leaving a bit of leaves and not letting the plant to flower. You can have nice greens from the same plant from last to first frosts. And I presume that in greenhouses it might become even biennial veg. But plants produce seeds easily, which like I've mentioned sprouts easily too, so you can just grow new plants and harvest old ones just above roots only leaving some to produce you new seeds.



     CULINARY USES

   Leaves, and whole young, soft stems are tasty, mild, slightly bitter vegetable with characteristic Chrysanthemum aroma. They both have a plasant succulent, crispy texture as long as they are freshly picked from plants that had been watered enough. It can be used for sandwiches and salads or chopped and mixed with white cheese the same way as rucola. As for cooking, it have many uses, which is why these greens are so popular in Asian cusines. They can be pickled, fried in tempura batter, stir-fried, steamed or cooked in soups and stews added near the end of cooking to avoid overcooking. In Japan a pickle called Kikumi is made from flower petals, they also dip flowers in sake and eat as an apetizer. Centre of flowers is rather chewy, very bitter and aromatic, while petals are very subtle both in texture and taste, distinct from green parts. Flowers can be also dried for a herbal tea.

 
                                                                                                             MEDICINAL USES

  Chrysanthemum coronarium  is rich source of vitamins and minerals especially: potassium - which helps to lower blood pressure, iron , vitamin B-complex, C , and beta-carotene -an antioxidant that help to avoid lung cancer. It also contain a lot of bio active chemical compounds. Alpha - pinene and Benzaldehyde support digestion and nutrients absorption. Eating Chrysanthemum greens helps with colds, fewers, microbial infections, headaches, dry eyes, inflammatories, arteriosclerosis, constipation also protecting from kidney stones and strokes.
   Excess consumption should be avoided as plant (especially center of flower bud) contains pyrethrin, which is potentialy harmful in large doses. This plant may cause allergic reactions especially on people that are allergic to ragweed, dandelion, goldenrod, sunflower or daisies. It should be avoided by people taking medications for conditions like high blood presure, gout, HIV, herpes, immunosupressants or insuline. Because of lack of reaserch it is advised to be avoided by pregnant or breastfeeding women.













    SOURCES :

''Complete Book of Vegetables'' - Matthew Biggs, Kyle Cathie Limited 2010
''The Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses'' - Deni Brown, DK 2002
''Honey, Wild flowers & Healing plants of Greece'' - Myrsini Lambraki, Myrsini Lambraki 2003

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysanthemum_coronarium
http://practicalplants.org/wiki/Chrysanthemum_coronarium_spatiosum
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Chrysanthemum+carinatum
http://www.bellarmine.edu/faculty/drobinson/Chrysanthemums.asp
http://echigofarm.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/shungiku-edible-chrys
http://etd.uasd.edu/ft/th10071.pdf
http://www.healwithfood.org/health
http://link.springer.com/article/1
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/54126/#b
http://rawedibleplants.blogspot.co.uk/2012/1
http://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=ja.2005.18
http://www.livestrong.com/article/467234-sid
http://stuartxchange.com/Tango.html
http://www.agrohaitai.com/leafveg/tongho/tonghoinfo.htm
http://www.botanical-online.com/eng


Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Pseudowintera colorata - Horopito, New Zealand Pepper Tree

Polska wersja

      PLANT PROFILE

   Horopito is one of those rare herbs that is hard to find anywhere and if you  manage to find one, it will  probably be among ornamental plants. This bush has very small flowers that are easy to omit but the foliage itself has a lot of n'evergreen charm all year round.
   Pseudowintera colorata is native to New Zealand where it has been used in tradicinal Maori medicine for centuries and its popularity as a powerful fungicidal is nowadays growing among orthodox medicine practitioners. Reddish coloured leaves that  usualy turn creamy green with age are very hot to taste and so are used in cookery as a peppery spice, hence it's often called New Zeland Pepper Tree. Its also called Mountain Horopito in order to distinguish it from Pseudowintera axillaris called Lowland Horopito, which has bigger leaves and grows larger in size. What's also interesting about it, is that it is the one of oldest plants on the planet.


    CULTIVATION  AND HARVESTING

 A fully grown  Horopito can reach almost 3m in height and 1.5 metres in width, but you can treat it as a small shrub as it is slowgrower and easy to cut. It grows well in rich compost soil with neutral or acidic pH , but it copes well even in poor sandy, rocky ground and can stand both periodic drought and excess of water in the ground. This plant can grow in full sun as well as in full shade but dosage of sunrays seems to affect colour of leaves. The more in shade the less reddish, pinky, yellow and more greeny it will be. It requires locations sheltered from strong winds, and as far as I know it does not cope well with temperatures below 0 C, but I still have my fingers crossed for Oxford Botanical Garden's atempt to grow it outdoor. Leaves can be gathered all year round but if you want to use them fresh then it has to be a young leaf. Old leaves are easier to dry and ground though.


             CULINARY USES

    Even though  Horopito's fiercely strong taste is very different to black pepper or chilli, dried and ground leaves can be used as their substitute both in hot and cold dishes. In very small amounts taste can be quite refreshing and almost cooling, so I wasn't surprised when I found out that it is added to cookies and even ice creams. A tiny bit added to black tea gives unique taste and can be nicely invigorating.


      MEDICINAL USES

   The most important use of the plant in medicine is to fight a variety of both internal and external fungal infections. Poligodial is  the compound found within the plant and is a powerfull fungicidal. For this purpose  it's often combined with anise seeds becouse of strong synergestic efect. Horopito is also a general antiseptic and its used externaly on wounds and bruises, as well as in cases of skin desease such as  ringworm or veneral desease. For these purposes it's applied mostly in form of infusion or maceration. Internally taking the leaves, fresh, dried or in form of water solutions is used in cases of diarrhea and stomach ache. Chewing fresh leaves or rinsing the mouth with an infusion of Horopito helps with toothache as well as with gums and mouth infections. Clinical studies proved that there are no contraindictions of useing Pseudowintera colorata . In cases of fighting serious candida albians infections a mild headache and nauseous feeling can be expierienced, as body reaction for a big amount of dead candida cells within it. Main active ingridients are polygodial, pinenes, limones, humulene, eugenol, quercetin, luteolinm and myrcene.








   Sources :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudowintera_colorata
http://www.lovelyhealth.com/Pages/horopito.html
http://www.naturopathydigest.com/archives/2007/jan/horopito.php  
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jsessionid=24AFFB3C5E42F26B73E7147B1BF72EB0.journals?fromPage=online&aid=2517912
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003194229600427X         http://www.medicaljournals.se/acta/content/?doi=10.2340/00015555-0173&html=1 http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/1958/JR/jr9580003710#!divAbstract http://www.readcube.com/articles/10.1002/jsfa.2740091108?locale=en
http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/2442304?uid=3738032&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&sid=21102807972893
http://www.terrain.net.nz/friends-of-te-henui-group/table-1/mountain-horopito-pseudowintera-colorata.html
http://otago.ourarchive.ac.nz/handle/10523/2350