Categories
Herbs & Plants (Spices)

Ribes cereum

Botanical Name : Ribes cereum
Family: Grossulariaceae
Genus: Ribes
Species: R. cereum
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Saxifragales

Common Names: Wax Currant, Squaw currant

Habitat : Ribes cereum is native to western North America, including British Columbia, Alberta, and much of the western United States, from Washington, Oregon, and California east as far as the western Dakotas and the Oklahoma Panhandle.It grows in canyons, dry ravines, hillsides, prairies and open woodland.

Description:
Ribes cereum is a deciduous Shrub. It is a spreading or erect shrub growing 20 centimeters (8 inches) to 2 meters (80 inches) tall. It is aromatic, with a “spicy” scent. The stems are fuzzy and often very glandular, and lack spines and prickles. The leaves are somewhat rounded and divided into shallow lobes which are toothed along the edges. The leaves are hairless to quite hairy, and usually studded with visible resin glands, particularly around the edges. The inflorescence is a clustered raceme of 2 to 9 flowers. The small flower is tubular with the white to pink sepals curling open at the tips to form a corolla-like structure. Inside there are minute white or pinkish petals, five stamens, and a two protruding green styles. The fruit is a rather tasteless red berry up to a centimeter (0.4 inch) wide, with a characteristically long, dried flower remnant at the end….CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

It is in flower in April, and the seeds ripen in September. 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 and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

Cultivation:
Easily grown in a moisture retentive but well-drained loamy soil of at least moderate quality. Requires a sunny position[11]. Hardy to about -20°c. A very ornamental and free-flowering plant. Often cultivated for its edible fruit in N. America. It is disease-resistant and is being used in modern blackcurrant breeding programmes. Plants can harbour a stage of ‘white pine blister rust‘, so they should not be grown in the vicinity of pine trees. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus. Related to R. viscosissimum.

Propagation:
Seed – best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 4 – 5 months cold stratification at between -2 to 0°c and should be sown as early in the year as possible. Under normal storage conditions the seed can remain viable for 17 years or more. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter, planting them out in late spring of the following year Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 10 – 15cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year’s growth, preferably with a heel of the previous year’s growth, November to February in a cold frame or sheltered bed outdoors.

Edible Uses:
Fruit – raw or cooked. Not very nice, large quantities can cause nausea. Reports on the quality of the fruit range from insipid and rubbery to highly esteemed as an article of diet. The fruit can also be used to make pemmican, jellies, jams, sauces and pies. Fruits can also be dried for later use[85]. Young leaves. No more details are given. Flowers – raw. A sweet flavour.

The Zuni people use the berries of the pedicellare variety as food, and eat the leaves with uncooked mutton fat or deer fat.

Medicinal Uses:
An infusion of the inner bark has been used as a wash for sore eyes. The fruit has been eaten in quantity as an emetic. It has also been used to treat diarrhoea.

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/user/plant.aspx?LatinName=Ribes+cereum
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribes_cereum

Categories
Herbs & Plants

Solidago canadensis scabra

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Botanical Name : Solidago canadensis scabra
Family: Asteraceae/Compositae
Tribe: Astereae
Genus: Solidago
Species: S. canadensis
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales

Synonyms:
*Solidago altissima L. subsp. altissima
*Solidago canadensis L.
*Solidago lepida DC. var. elongata (Nutt.) Fernald (misapplied)

Common Names: American goldenrod, Canada goldenrod, Canadian goldenrod, common golden-rod, common goldenrod, golden rod, goldenrod, tall goldenrod

Habitat : Solidago canadensis scabra is native to Eastern N. America – Maine to Ontario, Nebraska, Georgia and Texas. It grows in dry to damp thickets, roadsides and clearings.

Description:
Solidago canadensis scabra is a perennial plant , growing to 1.8 m (6ft) by 1 m (3ft 3in).
It is hardy to zone (UK) 3. It is in flower from Aug to September, and the seeds ripen from Sep to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.It is noted for attracting wildlife.

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES
USDA hardiness zone : 3-7

Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Cultivation:
Succeeds in any moderately fertile moisture retentive soil in sun or semi-shade. Grows well in heavy clay soils. A rather greedy plant, it is apt to impoverish the soil. Hybridizes freely with S. canadensis. The plant attracts various beneficial insects such as ladybirds, lacewings and hoverflies to the garden, these insects will help to control insect pests in the garden.

Propagation:
Seed – sow spring in a cold frame. Only just cover the seed and do not allow the compost to become dry. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle, and grow them on for their first winter in pots. Plant them out into their permanent positions in spring or early summer. Division in spring or autumn. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.

Edible Uses: Young leaves and flowering stems – cooked. It can be used as a thickener in soups. The seed is very small and fiddly to harvest or utilize. A tea can be made from the flowers and/or the leaves.

Medicinal Uses:
The whole plant is antiseptic, haemostatic, salve and styptic. An infusion of the dried powdered herb can be used as an antiseptic. A poultice of the flowers has been used in the treatment of ulcers and burns. A poultice of the moistened, crushed root has been used in the treatment of boils.

Other Uses;..…Dye; Latex……..A source of latex, contained in the leaves. A potentially good source of rubber. Mustard, orange and brown dyes can be obtained from the whole plant

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://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/03030800-0b07-490a-8d04-0605030c0f01/media/Html/Solidago_canadensis_var._scabra.htm
http://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/03030800-0b07-490a-8d04-
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Solidago+canadensis+scabra

Categories
Ailmemts & Remedies News on Health & Science

A Common Symptom of Heat Illness

Your body normally cools itself by sweating. During hot weather, especially with high humidity, sweating just isn’t enough. Your body temperature can rise to dangerous levels and you can develop a heat illness. Most heat illnesses occur from staying out in the heat too long. Exercising too much for your age and physical condition are also factors. Older adults, young children and those who are sick or overweight are most at risk. Drinking fluids, replenishing salt and minerals and limiting time in the heat can help.

Heat-related illnesses include:-

  • Heatstroke – a life-threatening illness in which body temperature may rise above 106° F in minutes; symptoms include dry skin, rapid, strong pulse and dizziness
  • Heat exhaustion – an illness that can precede heatstroke; symptoms include heavy sweating, rapid breathing and a fast, weak pulse
  • Heat cramps – muscle pains or spasms that happen during heavy exercise
  • Heat rash – skin irritation from excessive sweating

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

Click to see:

>Extreme Heat

>Hyperthermia: Too Hot for Your Health

> Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Extreme Heat

Treatment:-

* Heat Cramps: First Aid
* Heat Exhaustion: First Aid
* Heatstroke: First Aid

Prevention/Screening:-

* Extreme Heat: Tips for Preventing Heat-Related Illness

* Heat Exhaustion and Heatstroke: What You Need to Know

Specific Conditions:-

* Prickly Heat (Miliaria Rubra)

* Protect Yourself: Heat Stress

If you suspect a person is having a problem with the heat, err on the side of caution and insist they get into shade and cool down. Have them drink water and spray their body with cold water or rub them down with ice or a cold cloth. If they don’t cool down quickly, seek medical advice.

Dr. Bergeron notes that after incidents of heatstroke among student athletes, it often becomes clear that other students had noticed the player “didn’t look quite right.’’ Kids should be instructed that if their friends start acting funny, confused or mumbling, they should alert an adult.

As a result, athletic researchers recommend that kids and adult exercisers alike should adopt a buddy system when playing or exercising in the heat.

“The athlete is the worst one to make the decision,’’ Dr. Bergeron said. “We strongly recommend that you have people and kids in like positions sort of assigned to each other so you have a buddy system. It’s your buddy or friend who is likely to notice the behavioral change first.’’

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention answers frequently asked questions about heat illness here.

Resources:The New York Times. June 10 ’08 and http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/heatillness.html

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