(4) Opposite or Whorled Leaves 1 Archives

Foxglove Beardtongue: Cautions & Medicinal

June 7, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

Foxglove Beardtongue, Penstemon digitalis, is a flower that when I first encountered it, and wasn’t sure of its name, it immediately reminded me of a foxglove plant because of its flowers. After some research I couldn’t find much research on this specific plant but other members of the same genus have been used for multiple purposes. I would still recommend avoiding the use of this plant before more research can be done. The fact that it has Foxglove in its name should be enough to keep the more astute observer away, being that Foxgloves are extremely poisonous plants that will kill you. Other members of this genus have been used to make teas and beverages and animals have been observed browsing on these plants. American Indians such as the Creek, Natchez, Navajo and others have used this genus of plants for a variety of medicinal purposes. The more common medicinal uses were to relieve colds, coughs, consumption, whooping cough, snakebites, and toothaches.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry!

Foxglove Beardtongue Sources:

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 385

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 102-103

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web

Hairy Wood Mint: Edible & Medicinal

March 14, 2016 by Mike 1 Comment

Hairy Wood Mint, Blephilia hirsuta, a common mint in my area with interesting little white or purple flowers that are in bloom from May to August. The leaves have both a minty and earthy taste. They can be steeped in hot water for five to ten minutes to make a tea. Or, they can be used to add flavor to sauces, jams, jellies and beverages. Medicinally, they could possibly be used in place of Blephilia ciliata as a remedy for headaches.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry.

Hairy Wood Mint Sources:

Foster, Steven and James A. Duke. The Peterson Field Guide Series; A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America. 2nd. ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000. Print. pg. 216

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 45

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 126

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 84-85

Peterson, Lee Allen. The Peterson Field Guide Series; A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants; Eastern and Central North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1977. Print. pg. 138-139

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Wood Sage: Medicinal

March 7, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

Wood Sage, Teucrium canadense, a member of the mint family that has interesting irregular flowers that will be in bloom from June to September. The plant has opposite leaves and the leaves are toothed, lance or egg-shaped. This plant has not been used as a wild edible but it was used for a few medicinal purposes. Western herbal medicine had used this plant to cause urination, induce sweeting, and start menstruation. It was used for amenorrhea, leucorrhea, chronic bronchitis, gout, dropsy TB and whooping cough.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry.

Wood Sage Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software.Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D. King’s American Dispensatory, Vol. 2. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 1924-1925

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 874-85

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Basil Balm: Edible & Medicinal

March 4, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

Basil Balm, Monarda clinopodia, and other Bee Balms were used by the American colonists, as a substitute for the imported tea, after the Boston Tea Party. Leaves and flowerhead’s can be steeped in hot water to make a nice minty tea. Medicinally, it was used by American Indians as a cold remedy, sweet inducer, sedative, kidney aid, for headaches, fevers and as a ghost remedy.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry.

Basil Balm Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software.Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D. King’s American Dispensatory, Vol. 2. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 1274-1275

Fernald, Merritt Lyndon & Alfred Charles Kinsey. Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. 1996. Print. pg. 330

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 208

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 348

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 92-93

Peterson, Lee Allen. The Peterson Field Guide Series; A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants; Eastern and Central North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1977. Print. pg. 118-119

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Selfheal: Edible & Medicinal

February 17, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

Selfheal, Prunella vulgaris, or Heal-all is both an edible and medicinal wildflower. It can be eaten raw, added to salads or cooked as a potherb but when cooked it will lose some of its nutritional value. Medicinally, the plant was used by several different American Indians for fevers, colds, coughs, diarrhea and for skin affections. Western herbal medicine had used it for hemorrhages, diarrhea and for sore throats.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry.

Selfheal Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software. Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D. King’s American Dispensatory, Vol. 2. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 1739-1741

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 54

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 209-210

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany. Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 439

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 78-79

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia. Web

Purple Dead Nettle: Edible & Medicinal

February 3, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

Purple Dead Nettle, Lamium purpureum, this member of the mint family resembles a small nettle plant and has hairs but they do not sting like stinging or wood nettles thus the nettles are dead or inactive. Dead Nettles are edible and contain vitamins, iron and fiber. The leaves can be eaten raw in early spring, afterwards they can be boiled or cooked as potherb. Medicinally, it was used for any kind of hemorrhage.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry!

Purple Dead Nettle

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software.Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Culpeper, M.D., Nicholas. Culpeper Color Herbal. Ed. David Potterton. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1983. Print. pg. 17

Fernald, Merritt Lyndon & Alfred Charles Kinsey. Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. 1996. Print. pg. 330

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 86-87

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Web.

Ground Ivy: Edible, Medicinal & Cautions

December 10, 2015 by Mike Leave a Comment

Ground Ivy, Glechoma hederacea, is a low sprawling invasive species of North America found from early spring to mid summer. Though it can be easily over looked the flowers are interesting enough to seek this plant out. It is suspected to be toxic to horses and may cause humans to have swollen throats, labored breath and difficult sleeping. The plant has some nutrition value and the leaves are reported to be edible, but they are better served as a tea mixed with other herbs. The Cherokee made an infusion of the plant for babies’ hives, measles and colds. Western medicine has used it for asthma, jaundice, hypochondria and monomania.

Keep your eyes and ear open and your powder dry.

Ground Ivy Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software. Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Brill, Steve. Wild Edibles Plus. Computer Software. WinterRoot LLC. Version 1.5. 2012. Web. Feb. 15, 2014.

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D. King’s American Dispensatory, Vol. 2. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 933

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 37

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 248

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 86-87

Peterson, Lee Allen. The Peterson Field Guide Series; A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants; Eastern and Central North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1977. Print. pg. 140-141

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.