worms Archives - The Cargo Cult Café

Common Ragweed: Caution, Medicinal & Other Uses

September 27, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

Common Ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, is a plant scorned by allergy suffers everywhere. But did you know it was historically used by both western culture and American Indians as a healing plant? The Cherokee used it for insect stings, pneumonia, fever, hives, and infected toes. The Dakota used Ragweed to stop vomiting and for diarrhea. And, the Iroquois used it for cramps, stroke and diarrhea. Western herbalists used it as a stimulant, astringent, hemostatic, and antiseptic. There are historic accounts of the Lakota using Common Ragweed as toilet paper, a sentiment that many would agree with, but I would advise you to think twice before doing this if you are prone to allergic reactions.

Besides causing you to itch and giving you a bad case of the sneezes Ragweed can effect your food. If cows consume it, their milk will retain a bitter taste and if it is harvested with wheat it will cause the flour to become bitter and unsuitable for bread making.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry!

Common Ragweed 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. 1. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 168

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. 246-247

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 52

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 227-228

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 66

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 438-439

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

White Vervain: Medicinal & Cautions

April 6, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

White Vervain, Verbena urticifolia, is an easily overlooked flower of summer because the flowers are small and only a few open at a time. The flowers grow in spikes, the leaves are opposite, coarsely toothed, and egg-shaped. The stem is known to be usually hairy. It was not used as a food source but it does have some medicinal value. The Meskwaki made an infusion of the roots and took it for profuse menstruation and ate its roots to restore health. Western herbal medicine used it to relieve gastric irritations, fever, anorexia, gravel, worms and it was mixed with white oak and used for poisoning caused by poison ivy.

White Vervain Sources:

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. 2055-2056

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 592

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 282-283

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

Common Milkweed: Edible, Medicinal, Cautions & Other Uses

December 15, 2015 by Mike Leave a Comment

Common Milkweed, Asclepius syriaca, is an extremely useful plant to know. Besides being edible and used for its medicinal properties it has a slew of other uses such as making cordage, bowstrings, fishing line, and thread. The dry down in the seedpods can be used for insulation and it makes a great tinder bundle for starting a fire. As for its edibility you can eat the young shoots and flowers but you’ll have to prepare them first to get rid of their bitter and toxic properties. Medicinally, it has been used to induce urination, start menstrual flow, cause vomiting, kills parasitic worms and acts like a laxative.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry.

Common Milkweed 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. 1. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 291-292

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 44

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 199-200

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 108-109

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 264-265

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. 112-113

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

Wescott, David. Primitive Technology; A Book of Earth Skills, Salt Lake City: Gibbs Smith Publisher, 1999. pg. 35

Garlic Mustard: Edible, Medicinal, Cautions & Other Uses

December 8, 2015 by Mike Leave a Comment

Garlic Mustard, Alliaria petiolata, an invasive species to North America with a hint of garlic. You can find this plant growing in early spring on the side of roads and in open fields. Even though this plant contains trace amounts of cyanide it is a fairly nutritious wild edible, and the cyanide isn’t strong enough to cause harm to humans or animals. The plant contains vitamins A, C, E and some B vitamins. It also contains omega-3 fatty acids and several minerals. The flowers, seeds, leaves, stalk and roots are all edible. Medicinally it’s anti-asthmatic, antiscorbutic, antiseptic, diaphoretic and vermifuge. The plant was also used to make a yellow dye and may be used as an insecticide.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry.

Garlic Mustard 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.

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 138-139

Plants for a Future. M.Bieb Cavara & Grande. Website.

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

Shepherd’s Purse: Edible, Medicinal & Cautions

June 9, 2015 by Mike Leave a Comment

Shepherd’s Purse, Capsella bursa-pastoris, is a wild edible and medicinal plant that can be found throughout most the year. You can eat the leaves and seedpods. It was used medicinally for headache, dysentery, diarrhea and as a poison ivy remedy.

Shepherd’s Purse 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.

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 136

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 150-151

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. 26-27

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

Mayapple: Poison, Edible, Medicinal & Other Uses

February 6, 2015 by Mike Leave a Comment

Mayapple, Podophyllum peltatum, is a plant that can both help and hurt you. The fruit is only edible when ripe otherwise it can rip your stomach to pieces. Most of the plant is considered poisonous with a few reported cases of fatalities. Medicinally, it has been used to expel worms, as a purgative meaning strong laxative, for rheumatism, as an emetic and finally it was used as an insecticide.

Mayapple 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.

Culpeper, M.D., Nicholas. Culpeper Color Herbal. Ed. David Potterton. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1983. Print. pg. 119

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. 1528-1532

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 44

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 93, 126-127

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 420

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 354-355

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. 20-21

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