Herbs from Distant Lands

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.