Categories
Herbs & Plants

Allium orientale

 

Botanical Name: Allium orientale
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Allioideae
Tribe: Allieae
Genus: Allium
Subgenus: A. subg. Melanocrommyum
Species: Allium orientale

Habitat : Allium orientale is native to North Africa to W. Asia. It grows on limestone hills and slopes, rocky places, fields and vineyards, 600 – 1870 metres in Turkey.

Description:
Allium orientale is a bulb growing to 0.3 m (1ft). It makes a broad umbel of perfectly white to pale rose flowers on a tall stem emerging from a rosette of broad light green leaves.

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES
The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, insects.Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Cultivation:
Prefers a sunny position in a light well-drained soil. Plants are only hardy in the warmer areas of the country, tolerating temperatures down to between -5 to -10°c. The bulbs should be planted fairly deeply. Most members of this genus are intolerant of competition from other growing plants. Grows well with most plants, especially roses, carrots, beet and chamomile, but it inhibits the growth of legumes. This plant is a bad companion for alfalfa, each species negatively affecting the other. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer.

Propagation:
Seed – sow spring in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle – if you want to produce clumps more quickly then put three plants in each pot. Grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter and plant them out into their permanent positions in spring once they are growing vigorously and are large enough. Division in spring. Very easy, the plants divide successfully at any time in the growing season and the divisions can be planted straight out into their permanent positions if required.

Edible Uses:

Bulb – raw or cooked. The bulbs are up to 15mm in diameter. Leaves – raw or cooked. Flowers – raw. Used as a garnish on salads.
Medicinal Uses:
Although no specific mention of medicinal uses has been seen for this species, members of this genus are in general very healthy additions to the diet. They contain sulfur compounds (which give them their onion flavor) and when added to the diet on a regular basis they help reduce blood cholesterol levels, act as a tonic to the digestive system and also tonify the circulatory system.

Other Uses:
The juice of the plant is used as a moth repellent. The whole plant is said to repel insects and moles. It is a   very showy species and an excellent cut flower.

Known Hazards :Although no individual reports regarding this species have been seen, there have been cases of poisoning caused by the consumption, in large quantities and by some mammals, of certain members of this genus. Dogs seem to be particularly susceptible

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advise or help. It is always best to consult with a Physician about serious health concerns. This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe remedies.This is purely for educational purpose.

Resources:
https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Allium_orientale
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Allium+orientale
http://www.rareplants.de/shop/product.asp?P_ID=10583

Categories
Herbs & Plants

Kickxia elatine

[amazon_link asins=’B00DL0J91C’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’f5db56a9-1dc3-11e7-a053-2bc87248fcc1′][amazon_link asins=’B01BJ4C3LY’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’d9202444-1dc3-11e7-a8f4-5fa4fa392c2a’][amazon_link asins=’B00DL0J91C’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’b62beedf-1dc3-11e7-ba7a-97b9351a5f6f’]

Botanical Name : Kickxia elatine
Family: Plantaginaceae
Genus: Kickxia
Species: K. elatine
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Lamiales

Synonyms: Linaria elatine

Common Names: Sharpleaf cancerwort, Sharp-leaved fluellin, Fluellen

Habitat : Kickxia elatine is native to Europe and Asia, but it is present on other continents as an introduced species, and sometimes a noxious weed. It grows on arable land, usually cornfields in light soils.

Description;
Kickxia elatine is an annual hairy herb growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in). It has trailing stem with many branches. It is in flower from Jul to October. It produces oval to arrowhead-shaped fuzzy leaves at wide intervals along the slender stem, and solitary snapdragon-like flowers borne on long, straight pedicels. Each flower is up to 1.5 centimeters long with a narrow, pointed spur extending from the back. The lobes of the mouth are yellow, white, and purple, and the whole flower is fuzzy to hairy. The fruit is a spherical capsule about 4 millimeters long. It is dry and splits open when ripe.

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES
The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs)The plant is not self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) 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:   Requires a light to medium soil and a sunny position.

Propagation:   Seed – sow spring or autumn in situ[

Medicinal Uses: Haemostatic.
The plant is haemostatic. It is used externally to staunch wounds and bleeding

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/Kickxia_elatine
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Kickxia+elatine
https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/species/kickxia/elatine/

Categories
Herbs & Plants

Helianthemum nummularium

[amazon_link asins=’B00NBUE5SO,B00NBUE5MU,B00NBUE7SC,B074RGB7N1,B07CCHQSSL,B07BZM3R6Q,B07C7BZXFY,B01IHLFV02,B07BZBBB9L’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’ddfb4c89-4ede-11e8-a0cf-73d306568c7d’]

Botanical Name: Helianthemum nummularium
Family: Cistaceae
Genus: Helianthemum
Species:  Helianthemum   nummularium
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Malvales

Synonyms: Helianthemum chamaecistus. Mill. Helianthemum vulgare. Gaertn.

Common Names:, Common RockroseSun Rose, Rock Rose

Habitat: Helianthemum nummularium is native to most of Europe. It grows on the basic grassland and scrub, to 600 metres.

Description:
Helianthemum nummularium is an evergreen tralling Shrub growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in) by 1 m (3ft 3in) at a fast rate.
It is plant with loose terminal clusters of bright yellow, saucer-shaped flowers. In the flower centre is a tight cluster of orange stamens, which are sensitive to the touch, and spread outwards to reveal the tall stigma in the middle. The plant is common on chalk downs, and occasional in other grasslands, always on dry, base-rich soil. The wild species has yellow flowers, but garden varieties range from white through yellow to deep red.

Though the individual blooms are short-lived, the plant produces a mass of flowers through the summer. It needs a dry, sunny place, like a south-facing rockery or meadow. As the Latin name Helianthemum suggests, these are sun-flowers. This is a good nectar source for bees and there are several species of small beetle that feed on the foliage. Common rock-rose is also the food plant for the larvae of several species of moth and butterfly.

It flowers from May until July.

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects, self.The plant is self-fertile.
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:
Landscape Uses:Alpine garden, Border, Ground cover, Rock garden, Specimen. Requires an open sunny position in a light well-drained soil with a pH between 5.5 and 8. Plants are hardy to at least -10°c. A vigorous plant suitable for the rock garden, crevices in walls or gravel beds. Plants are short-lived, though, soon becoming leggy or sparse, and require fairly frequent replacement. The flowers only open in bright sunshine. Plants resent root disturbance and should be placed in their permanent positions as soon as possible. A polymorphic species, there are some named forms that have been selected for their ornamental value. Plants are generally pest and disease-free. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus. Special Features:Attractive foliage, Not North American native, Attracts butterflies.
Propagation:
Seed – sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 6 – 8cm with a heel, late summer in a sandy soil in a frame.

Medicinal Uses:
The plant is used in Bach flower remedies – the keywords for prescribing it are ‘Terror’, ‘Panic’ and ‘Extreme fright’. It is also one of the five ingredients in the ‘Rescue remedy’.

Other Uses:
A prostrate growing plant, it can be used as a ground cover.

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/Helianthemum_nummularium
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Helianthemum+nummularium

css.php