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Herbs & Plants

Korean Mint

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Botanical Name : Agastache rugosa
Family: Lamiaceae
Synonyms :  Lophanthus rugosus – Fisch.&C.A.Mey.
Genus: Agastache
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Lamiales
Species: A. rugosa

Common Names: Korean Mint, Blue Licorice, Purple Giant Hyssop, Huo xiang, Indian Mint, Patchouli Herb, Wrinkled Giant Hyssop

Habitat : E. Asia – China, Japan, Korea, Siberia .  Grassy places in mountains, especially by streams, and in valleys all over Japan. Sunny, more or less stony meadows from the lowlands to elevations of 1500 metres.Cultivated Beds;

Description :

It is  a herbaceous perennial plant growing 2to 3 feet, spread 1.5 to 2 feet
It is hardy to zone 8 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen in September. Colour of the flower is blue. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile. It is noted for attracting wildlife.
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Highly attractive to butterflies, bees & birds, this licorice-scented flowering herb is lovely, too! Intense, violet to blue flowering clusters are held in dense, short spikes on multi-branching stems, 3’ to 4’ tall. Excellent in mid-to-back border or garden bed, it blooms in mid-Summer above scented, crinkled & toothed foliage. “Korean Mint” is native to China, Japan & Korea and prefers moderately fertile, well-drained soil. Makes a nice, scented, cut flower fresh or dried. Long used medicinally. Feed once in awhile.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

Cultivation :
Prefers a sunny sheltered position and a well-drained soil. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c. The flowers are very attractive to bees.

Propagation:-
Seed – sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. The seed usually germinates in 1 – 3 months at 13°c. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first year. Plant out in late spring or early summer. Division in spring. Fairly simple, if large divisions are used it is possible to plant them straight out into their permanent positions. Basal cuttings of young shoots in spring. Harvest the young shoots when they are about 10 – 15cm tall and pot them up in a lightly shaded position in a greenhouse. They should root within 3 weeks and can be planted out in the summer or following spring.

Chemical constituents:-
Chemical compounds found in the plant include:

*Estragole, Plant
*P-Anisaldehyde, Plant
*P-Methoxy-cinnamaldehyde, Shoot
*Pachypodol, Leaf

The plant has antibacterial, antifungal, antipyretic, aromatic, anticancer, carminative, diaphoretic, febrifuge, refrigerant, and stomachic properties, among others

Edible Uses:-
Edible Parts: Leaves; Seed.
Edible Uses: Condiment; Tea.

Young leaves – raw or cooked. A strong anise-like fragrance, they are normally used as a flavouring or as an addition to the salad bowl. We find them a bit coarse and too strong for use as a salad. The leaves can be used as a tea substitute. A pleasant flavour. The seed is possibly edible. No further details. The seed certainly should not be poisonous, but it is very small and its use would be very fiddly.

Medicinal Actions & Uses
Antibacterial; Antifungal; Antipyretic; Aromatic; Cancer; Carminative; Diaphoretic; Febrifuge; Refrigerant; Stomachic.

Korean mint is commonly used in Chinese herbalism, where it is considered to be one of the 50 fundamental herbs. Considered to be a “warming” herb, it is used in situations where there is “dampness” within the digestive system, resulting in poor digestion and reduced vitality. The leaves and stems are antibacterial, antifungal, aromatic, carminative, diaphoretic, febrifuge and stomachic. They are used internally to improve the appetite and strengthen the digestive system, they relieve symptoms such as abdominal bloating, indigestion, nausea and vomiting. They are also used to treat morning sickness. The leaves are also used in the treatment of chest congestion, diarrhoea and headaches. An infusion of the leaves is used in the treatment of angina pains. The plant is used as a folk remedy for cancer, extracts of the plant have shown anticancer activity.

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

Resources:
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Agastache+rugosa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agastache_rugosa
http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=B218
http://www.anniesannuals.com/signs/a/Agastache_rugosa_KM.htm

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Herbs & Plants

Anise Hyssop

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Botanical Name:Agastache foeniculum
Family : Labiatae
Genus : Agastache

Common Names: Anise Hyssop, Blue giant hyssop

Habitat: Western N. America – Ontario to Washington, south to Colorado.  Dry thickets, fields and waste ground on prairies and plains.Cultivated Beds;

Desvription:
It is a Perennial plant.

This bushy, upright plant forms a nice sized clump and grows up to 90-100 cm tall (3 ft.) on the prairies. It is a member of the mint family with square stems and opposite leaves. The ovate leaves are medium green with a paler green underside. They are 2.5 to 7.5 cm long (1″-3″) with a serrated edge. The 10 cm (4″) lavender flower spikes are made of many small, tubular flowers packed together. Each plant produces a mass of flower spikes which results in a very attractive plant.

This  branching occasionally near the apex. The four-angled stems are glabrous or slightly pubescent. The opposite leaves are up to 4″ long and 2″ across, and have short petioles. They are cordate or broadly lanceolate, with crenate margins. The upper surface of the leaves is conspicuously veined and dull green, while the lower surface is white and finely canescent. The foliage has an anise scent. The upper stems terminate in spikes of flowers about 3-6″ long. The small flowers are arranged in dense whorls that are crowded along the spike, although sometimes the whorls are less crowded and more interrupted. The calyx of a flower is tubular and has five teeth; it is usually dull blue-violet or a similar color, becoming more colorful toward its tips. The tubular flowers are about 1/3″ long, extending beyond the calyx. They are blue-violet. The corolla of a flower is divided into a short upper lip and a longer lower lip. The lower lip has 2 small lateral lobes and a larger central lobe. Exerted from the throat of the flower are 4 stamens with blue-violet anthers, and a style that is cleft toward its tip. The flowers bloom in scattered locations along the spikes for about 1-2 months from mid- to late summer. During this time, calyx of each flower remains somewhat colorful. There is no floral scent. The flowers are replaced by nutlets that oval-shaped and smooth. The root system produces a taproot.

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It is hardy to zone 8 and is not frost tender. It is in flower in July, and the seeds ripen in August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile. It is noted for attracting wildlife.
The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

Cultivation:-
Prefers a sunny position and a dry well-drained soil. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c. The young growth in spring is very susceptible to slug damage. The flowering plants are very attractive to bees and butterflies. There is at least one named variety. ‘Texas American‘ has an anise-pennyroyal fragrance and is used in a similar way to the species.

Propagation:-
Seed – sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. The seed usually germinates in 1 – 3 months at 13°c. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first year. Plant out in late spring or early summer. Division in spring. Fairly simple, if large divisions are used it is possible to plant them straight out into their permanent positions. Basal cuttings of young shoots in spring. Harvest the young shoots when they are about 10 – 15cm tall and pot them up in a lightly shaded position in a greenhouse. They should root within 3 weeks and can be planted out in the summer or following spring.

Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Leaves.

Edible Uses: Tea.

Leaves and flowers – raw or cooked. They are used as a flavouring in raw or cooked dishes. Excellent raw, they have a sweet aniseed flavour and are one of our favourite flavourings in salads. They make a delicious addition to the salad bowl and can also be used to flavour cooked foods, especially acid fruits.The only drawback to the leaves is that they tend to have a drying effect in the mouth and so cannot be eaten in quantity. A pleasant tasting tea is made from the leaves.The licorice flavoured leaves make fine herbal teas and jellies or can be included fresh in salads.

Medicinal Actions & Uses:-
Cardiac; Diaphoretic; Pectoral; Poultice.

The leaves are cardiac and diaphoretic. An infusion of the leaves is used in the treatment of colds, fevers, weak heart etc. When left to go cold, the infusion is used to treat pains in the chest (such as when the lungs are sore from too much coughing). A poultice of leaves and stems can be used to treat burns.

The root of anise hyssop was an ingredient in North American Chippewa Indian lung formulas, and the Cree sometimes carried the flowers in their medicine bundles. The Cheyenne employed an infusion of the leaves for colds, chest pains from coughing and a weak heart.  The leaves in a steambath were used to induce sweating; and powdered leaves on the body for high fevers.

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

Resources:
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Agastache+foeniculum
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/herbs/agastache_foeniculum.html
http://www.naturenorth.com/summer/hyssop/Fhyssop.html
http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/anise_hyssopx.htm
http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/agafoeniculum.htm

http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_AB.htm

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Herbs & Plants

African Lily (Agapanthus africanus)

Botanical Name : Agapanthus africanus
Family   : Alliaceae
Common name: Agapanthus
Synonyms:
Homotypic
Abumon africanum (L.) Britton, Fl. Bermuda: 72 . 1918.
Mauhlia africana (L.) Dahl, Observ. Bot.: 26 . 1787.
Tulbaghia africana (L.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 718 . 1891.
Genus :
Agapanthus
Species: Agapanthus africanus
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asparagales
Genus:
Agapanthus

Habitat  : It is native of the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa – Cape Peninsula to Swellendam.   Rocky sandstone slopes, usually in montane regions. Upper slopes of Table mountain and the southern mountains.Cultivated Beds;

Description:
An evergreen Bulb growing to 1m by 0.5m. It has a short stem bearing a tuft of long, narrow, arching leaves 10-35 cm long and 1-2 cm broad, and a central flower stalk 25-60 cm tall, ending in an umbel of 20-30 white, or bright blue, funnel-shaped flowers, each flower 2.5-5 cm diameter.
It is hardy to zone 9 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf all year, in flower from July to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees.
The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

Cultivation:
Succeed in most soils, but prefers a light very well-drained porous soil with plenty of leaf-mold[1, 200]. Plants need to be kept moderately dry during the growing season but with some moisture in winter[1]. They only flower freely if growing in a very sunny position. Plants succeed in maritime gardens. The rhizomes are best planted only just below soil level – a mulch of gravel or stone chips will help to keep the crown of the plant free from excess moisture. This species does not usually do well in cultivation. In the wild it usually only flowers freely in the year following a bush fire. This species is not very hardy in Britain, but some forms of the plant tolerate several degrees of frost. They are best given a good mulch if temperatures lower than 0°c occur. Plants are growing well at the foot of a wall in Cambridge Botanical Gardens. Hybridizes very freely with other members of this genus, some botanists say there is only one very variable species of Agapanthus. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits. The flowering stems lean towards the sun.

Propagation
Seed – best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe, it can also be sown in a greenhouse in March/April. The seed usually germinates in 1 – 3 months at 18°c, do not sow it too thickly so that it is possible to grow the seedlings on in their pot without disturbing them for their first year of growth. Give occasional liquid feeds to make sure they do not become nutrient deficient. Divide the seedlings up into individual pots in the spring following germination, grow them on for a further year in the greenhouse and then plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. Seedlings take 2 – 3 years to flower. Division of offsets in April/May. Do not move plants between October and March. Division is very easy in the growing season, the divisions can be planed straight out into their permanent positions if required.

Medicinal Uses:  Cardiac; Stomachic.

Resources:
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Agapanthus+africanus
http://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Agapanthus_africanus
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Agapanthus_africanus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agapanthus_africanus

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Herbs & Plants

Agalinis tenuifolia

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Botanical Name :Agalinis tenuifolia
Family: Orobanchaceae
Genus: Agalinis
Species: A. tenuifolia
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Lamiales

Synonyms : Gerardia tenuifolia – Vahl.

Common Names: Common gerardia, Slender false foxglove, Common false foxglove

Habitat :Agalinis tenuifolia  is native to the eastern and southwestern United States, and Canada, which produces purple flowers in late summer or early fall. It grows in moist open areas and low woods in Texas.

Description:

Agalinis tenuifolia is a perennial plant .It is  erect, annual, 8″-24″ tall forb, dark green, blackish when dry, many erect branches; stems smooth.Individual flowers and their buds are produced from the axils of the leaves on the upper and outer stems; these flowering stems can be regarded as leafy racemes. The swollen flower buds are conspicuously white. Each flower is about ½–¾” across, consisting of a short tubular corolla with 5 petal-like lobes and a tubular calyx with 5 short teeth. The corolla is pink, purplish pink, or medium purple; its 5 rounded lobes are quite large in relation to its tubular base. The lobes are finely ciliate along their margins. The lower interior of the corolla has dark purple spots and a pair of faint yellow lines. Near the upper interior of the corolla, there are 4 stamens with hairy white anthers and an undivided white style (sometimes with a pale yellow tip). The slender pedicels of the flowers are green to reddish purple; they are usually as long or longer than the flowers (at least ½” long). The blooming period occurs during the late summer or early fall and lasts about 2-3 weeks. Each flower lasts only a day or two before its corolla falls to the ground. There is no noticeable floral scent. Each flower is replaced by a globoid seed capsule containing many small seeds that can be blown about by the wind. The root system is fibrous. Slender False Foxglove is partially parasitic on other plants.

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES
Flower: purple to pink, 5-parted, 1/3″-1/2″ long, smooth inside, upper lobe arched forward over the 4 stamens the lower stamens longer; inflorescence a cluster (raceme) of flowers on 1/3″-1″ long stalks; blooms Aug.-Sept.  The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) It is in flower from July to August.

Fruit: roundish capsule
Leaf : linear to 1/4″ wide
It is hardy to zone 8.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Cultivation:
Requires a well-drained soil, preferably on the dry side. Grows well in a woodland garden. This species is not very hardy outdoors in Britain, tolerating temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c. A semi-parasitic plant, thus making it very difficult to establish in cultivation. We are not sure which species it parasitizes.

Propagation:  Seed –

Medicinal Uses:
An infusion of the plant has been used in the treatment of diarrhea.
Known Hazards : The plant is said to be poisonous to cattle and sheep.

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:
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Agalinis+tenuifolia
http://wisplants.uwsp.edu/scripts/detail.asp?SpCode=AGATEN
http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/slfs_foxglove.htm

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Herbs & Plants

Red Buckeye

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Botanical Name: Aesculus pavia
Family : Hippocastanaceae /Sapindaceae
Common Name :Red Buckeye ,scarlet buckeye, woolly buckeye and firecracker plant.
Genus : Aesculus
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Sapindales
Species: A. pavia


Habitat :
Native to the southern and eastern parts of the United States, found from Illinois to Virginia in the north and from Texas to Florida in the south South-eastern N. America – Virginia to Florida, west to Louisiana.   Rich moist soils in deciduous woods, on the sides of streams and swamp margins.Woodland Garden; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;

Description:
It is a deciduous flowering plant growing  at a fast rate.  The Red Buckeye is a large shrub or small tree.Red buckeye is a  clump-forming shrub or small tree with an irregular rounded crown. It reaches a height of 5-8 m, often growing in a multi-stemmed form. Its leaves are opposite, and are usually composed of five elliptical serrated leaflets, each 10-15 cm long. It bears 10-17 cm long clusters of attractive dark red tubular flowers, each in April to May. The flowers are hermaphrodite. The smooth light brown fruits, about 3 cm in diameter, reach maturity in September and October.
There are two varieties:

Aesculus pavia var. pavia: typical Red Buckeye.
Aesculus pavia var. flavescens: yellow-flowered Red Buckeye.
The yellow-flowered variety, var. flavescens, is found in higher country in Texas, and hybrids with intermediate flower color occur.

The flowers are attractive to hummingbirds as well as bees. The fruits are rich in saponins, which are poisonous to humans, though not particularly dangerous because they are not easily ingested. The oils can be extracted to make soap, though this is not commercially viable.

Ornamental cultivars such as the low-growing ‘Humilis’ have been selected for garden use.

Red Buckeye has hybridised with Common Horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) in cultivation, the hybrid being named Aesculus × carnea, Red Horse-chestnut. The hybrid is a medium-size tree to 20-25 m tall, intermediate between the parent species in most respects, but inheriting the red flower color from A. pavia. It is a popular tree in large gardens and parks, most commonly the selected cultivar ‘Briotii’. Hybrids of Red Buckeye with Yellow Buckeye (A. flava) have also been found, and named Aesculus × hybrida.

It is hardy to zone 5 and is frost tender. It is in flower in June, and the seeds ripen in September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

Cultivation :-
Prefers a deep loamy well-drained soil but is not too fussy. Very shade tolerant, it also succeeds in a sunny position. A very ornamental shrub, when dormant it is hardy to about -15°c though the young growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts. It prefers a continental climate, growing best in eastern and south-eastern England. Trees are fast-growing in the wild, though they are also short-lived .

They can commence flowering when only 1 metre tall. Plants spread by means of suckers . There are a number of named varieties, developed for their ornamental value. Var. ‘Humilis’ is a low growing form. Most members of this genus transplant easily, even when fairly large.

Propagation:-
Seed – best sown outdoors or in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. The seed germinates almost immediately and must be given protection from severe weather. The seed has a very limited viability and must not be allowed to dry out. Stored seed should be soaked for 24 hours prior to sowing and even after this may still not be viable. It is best to sow the seed with its ‘scar’ downwards. If sowing the seed in a cold frame, pot up the seedlings in early spring and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. Division of suckers in the dormant season. The suckers can be planted out straight into their permanent positions if required.

Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Seed.

Seed – cooked. It can be dried and ground into a powder and used as a gruel. The seed is quite large, about 25mm in diameter, and is easily harvested. Unfortunately, the seed is also rich in saponins and these need to be removed before it can be eaten. See also the notes above on toxicity. The following notes apply to A. californica, but are probably also relevant here:- The seed needs to be leached of toxins before it becomes safe to eat – the Indians would do this by slow-roasting the nuts (which would have rendered the saponins harmless) and then cutting them into thin slices, putting them into a cloth bag and rinsing them
in a stream for 2 – 5 days. Most of the minerals etc would also have been leached out by this treatment.

Medicinal Actions & Uses
Cancer; Hypnotic; Odontalgic; Salve.

The powdered bark is hypnotic and odontalgic. It is used in the treatment of ulcers. A poultice of the powdered seeds has been used in the treatment of cancer tumours and infections, and as a salve for sores.

An infusion of the roots has been used as a bath in the treatment of dyspepsia.

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

Other Uses
Soap; Wood.

Saponins in the seed and roots are a soap substitute. The saponins can be easily obtained by chopping the seed into small pieces and infusing them in hot water. This water can then be used for washing the body, clothes etc. Its main drawback is a lingering odour of horse chestnuts.


Known Hazards :
The seed is rich in saponins. Although poisonous, saponins are poorly absorbed by the human body and so most pass through without harm. Saponins are quite bitter and can be found in many common foods such as some beans. They can be removed by carefully leaching the seed or flour in running water. Thorough cooking, and perhaps changing the cooking water once, will also normally remove most of them. However, it is not advisable to eat large quantities of food that contain saponins.

Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish.


Resources:

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Aesculus+pavia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesculus_pavia
http://www.rubythroat.org/BuckeyeRedMain.html
http://www.mobot.org/gardinghelp/plantfinder/plant.asp?code=J210

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