Categories
Herbs & Plants

Panax pseudoginseng

[amazon_link asins=’B00TP2VW2E,B01C8ATIAC,B01M16P7YY,B01MECVTDY,B071ZJWW8Y,B07124WHTQ,B01LMPIW5Q,B015ALZF94,B01NCQ3M1F’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’17cbd8d8-8498-11e7-b5f9-d780b1fa65ce’]

Botanical Name: Panax pseudoginseng
Family: Araliaceae
Genus: Panax
Subgenus:Panax
Section:Pseudoginseng
Species:P. pseudoginseng
Kingdom:Plantae
Order: Apiales

Synonyms : Aralia bipinnatifida. Aralia pseudoginseng. Panax schin-seng.

Common Names:Ginseng, Japanese ginseng, Pseudoginseng, Nepal ginseng, and Himalayan ginseng

Habitat :Panax pseudoginseng is native to E. Asia – China to the Himalayas and Burma It grows in the forests and shrubberies, 2100 – 4300 metres in C. Nepal in the Himalayas. Moist shady places at elevations of 2000 – 3300 metres in Nepal.

Description:
Panax pseudoginseng is a perennial herb growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 0.7 m (2ft 4in) at a slow rate. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs)Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) or semi-shade (light woodland). It prefers moist soil…...CLICK & SEE THE  PICTURES
Cultivation:
Requires a moist humus rich soil in a shady position in a woodland. Plants are hardy to at least -15°c. Nomenclature of this genus is rather confused with some botanists recognising P. ginseng as a variable plant that includes this species. Other botanists divide it into 4 or even 5 distinct species, giving this plant specific status. This plant has been grossly over-collected from the wild for its use as a medicinal plant and it is rapidly approaching extinction in most parts of its range. The sub-species P. pseudo-ginseng notoginseng. (Burkill.)Hoo.&Tseng. is the form used medicinally in China[176], this plant is given a separate entry in this database.
Propagation:
Seed – sow in a shady position in a cold frame preferably as soon as it is ripe, otherwise as soon as the seed is obtained. It can be very slow and erratic to germinate. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a shady position in the greenhouse or frame for at least their first winter. Make sure the pots are deep enough to accommodate the roots. Plant out into their permanent positions in late summer. Division in spring.

Edible Uses:… Drink; Tea……Young leaves and shoots – cooked as a vegetable. The roots are chewed, used as a flavouring in liqueurs or made into a tea.

.
Medicinal Uses:

Antibacterial; Antiinflammatory; Antiseptic; Aphrodisiac; Cardiotonic; Diuretic; Expectorant; Haemostatic; Hypoglycaemic; Stimulant.

The roots and the flowers are antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, cardiotonic, diuretic, expectorant, haemostatic, hypoglycaemic and stimulant. The root is used internally in the treatment of indigestion, vomiting, coronary heart disease and angina. The roots are also used both internally and externally in the treatment of nosebleeds, haemorrhages from the lungs, digestive tract and uterus, and injuries. The roots are harvested in the autumn, preferably from plants 6 – 7 years old, and can be used fresh or dried. The flowers are used to treat vertigo and dizziness.

Known Hazards: Avoid during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Avoid if on anticoagulants or ticlodipine (for blood clot formation)

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panax_pseudoginseng
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Panax+pseudoginseng

Categories
Herbs & Plants

Viburnum erubescens

[amazon_link asins=’B01L89Y1GA’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’d8e25f1a-8edd-11e7-8aae-692698dbc586′

[amazon_link asins=’B06ZZZTG97,B00N4D5CIK,B00SPHG1M6,B003U7SZ02,B00LARU5V6,B00SXQITX8,B00SPH6HFC,B00U8GK1PK,B06XDMXZYR’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’150e6c96-8ede-11e7-882d-e7de55c6fddd’]

 Botanical Name : Viburnum erubescens
Family: Adoxaceae
Genus: Viburnum
Order: Dipsacales
Species: Viburnum erubescens

Synonyms: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;

Common name: Reddish Viburnum • Nepali Name: Ashaare

Habitat :Viburnum erubescens is native to E. Asia – China to the Himalayas and Sri Lanka. It grows in forests and shrubberies, 1500 – 3300 metres, from Uttar Pradesh to S.W. China.

Description:
Viburnum erubescens is a loose, upright, graceful deciduous shrub growing 10′ by 8′. It is distinguished by its lax drooping long-stalked branched clusters of white, cream or or pink tubular flowers, borne with the leaves at the ends of short branchlets

The var. gracilipes has larger leaves and flower panicles than the species and is more common in cultivation. Leaves are ovate to elliptic, toothed in the upper part, 3-6 cm long, dark green, with a reddish tinge. Leaves are glossy green, 2-4″ long and half as wide with a distinct reddish pedicel and central vein on the underside. Leaves emit a fetid odor when crushed. Inflorescence is a loose, pendant, panicle about 3-4″ wide and 2″ long. Fragrant flowers occuring in early June are pinkish in the bud, opening white with a pink tinge. It is in flower in July, and the seeds ripen in October.Flowers have a slender tube 5 mm long, with rounded spreading petals, 2 mm. Anthers are dark purple. The species name erubescens means becoming red, and comes from erubesco, which means, to redden, to blush. Fruits are ¼” wide, transitioning from green to red to black, 8mm long……..CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Cultivation:
An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils but is ill-adapted for poor soils and for dry situations.  It prefers a deep rich loamy soil in sun or semi-shade. Best if given shade from the early morning sun in spring. Not all forms of this species are hardy in Britain. Plants are self-incompatible and need to grow close to a genetically distinct plant in the same species in order to produce fruit and fertile seed. The flowers are deliciously scented. A polymorphic species. The sub-species V. erubescens gracilipes. Rehd. fruits freely in Britain.

Propagation:
Seed – best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Germination can be slow, sometimes taking more than 18 months. If the seed is harvested ‘green’ (when it has fully developed but before it has fully ripened) and sown immediately in a cold frame, it should germinate in the spring[80]. Stored seed will require 2 months warm then 3 months cold stratification and can still take 18 months to germinate. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame or greenhouse. Plant out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer of the following year. Cuttings of soft-wood, early summer in a frame. Pot up into individual pots once they start to root and plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 – 8 cm long with a heel if possible, July/August in a frame. Plant them into individual pots as soon as they start to root. These cuttings can be difficult to overwinter, it is best to keep them in a greenhouse or cold frame until the following spring before planting them out. Cuttings of mature wood, winter in a frame. They should root in early spring – pot them up when large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer if sufficient new growth is made, otherwise keep them in a cold frame for the next winter and then plant them out in the spring. Layering of current seasons growth in July/August. Takes 15 months.

Edible Uses: Fruit – raw or cooked. A sweet flavour but there is very little flesh in relation to the size of the single large seed.

Medicinal Uses:
The juice of the roots is used in the treatment of coughs.

Other Uses: …Miscellany; Wood…….Wood is soft to hard, close and even grained. The wood is hardest in the cooler parts of its range, the Himalayan form is a possible Boxwood (Buxus spp) substitute.

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider

Resources:
https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Viburnum_erubescens
http://www.classicviburnums.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.plantDetail/plant_id/7077/index.htm
http://flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Reddish%20Viburnum.html
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Viburnum+erubescens

Categories
Herbs & Plants

Carex arenaria

[amazon_link asins=’B0006EJMU4,B076VTL8KW,B00FK3VUNS’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’8e754656-bec3-11e7-a516-55f348bbdd10′]

Botanical Name : Carex arenaria
Family: Cyperaceae
Genus: Carex
Subgenus:C. subg. Vignea
Section:C. sect. Ammoglochin
Species:C. arenaria
Kingdom:Plantae
Order: Poales

Synonyms: C. spadicea.

Common Names: Sand sedge

Habitat :Carex arenaria is native to Coastal areas of Europe, including Britain, the Black Sea, Siberia and N. America. It grows on sandy sea shores, especially on fixed dunes and wind-blown sand.

Description:
Carex arenaria is a perennial plant, growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in) by 2 m (6ft) at a fast rate.
It is in flower from Jun to July, and the seeds ripen from Jul to August. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by Wind.Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure...CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

Cultivation:
Best grown in a sandy soil in a sunny position. Tolerates maritime exposure. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer.

Propagation:
Seed – sow in situ in the spring in a moist soil in light shade. If seed is in short supply it can be sown in a cold frame and be planted out in the summer. The seed usually germinates in 2 – 6 weeks at 15°c. Division in spring. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer or following spring.

Edible Uses: ….Root – cooked. Seed. No further details are given, but the seed is small and fiddly to use.
Medicinal Uses:

Antiflatulent; Antirheumatic; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Hypoglycaemic; TB.

The root is diaphoretic and diuretic. An infusion has been used in the treatment of bronchitis and catarrhs, abdominal and stomach disorders, liver complaints, arthritis and rheumatism and skin conditions such as eczema and pruritus. It has been used as a substitute for the tropical plant sarsaparilla. The root is harvested in the spring and dried for later use.

The rootstock of the sand sedge is also referred to as German sarsaparilla because it has a similar effect to the Central American smilax derived from Radix Sarsparillae. It was used as a diuretic as well as a blood purifier for bronchitis, gout and rheumatism. An infusion has been used in the treatment of abdominal and stomach disorders, liver complaints, and skin conditions such as eczema and pruritus.

Other Uses:…Soil stabilization…..The long creeping rootstock is valuable for binding sandy soils

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carex_arenaria
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Carex+arenaria
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_RST.htm

css.php