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Asclepias physocarpa

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Botanical Name: Asclepias physocarpa
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Genus: Asclepias
Species: A. physocarpa
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Gentianales

Common Name:Balloonplant, Balloon cotton-bush or Swan plant or South African Milkweed

Habitat : Asclepias physocarpa is native to southeast Africa, but it has been widely naturalized.

Description:
Asclepias physocarpa is an undershrub perennial herb, that can grow to over six feet. The plant blooms in warm months. It grows on roadside banks, at elevations of 2800 to 5000 feet above sea level. The plant prefers moderate moisture, as well as sandy and well-drained soil and full sun.

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The flowers are small, with white hoods and about 1 cm across. The capsule is a pale green, and in shape an inflated sphere. It is covered with rough hairs. It reaches three inches in diameter. The leaves are light green, linear to lanceolate and 3 to 4 inches long, 1.2 cm broad. The seeds have silky tufts.

This plant will readily hybridize with Asclepias fruticosa creating intermediate forms

Medicinal Uses:
Asclepias physocarpa is used for intestinal troubles in children or as a remedy for colds.  The powdered leaves were dried for snuff.

Other Usees:
Asclepias physocarpa plant  is often used as an ornamental plant. The name “balloonplant” is an allusion to the swelling bladder-like pods which are full of seeds.

The plant is a food source for the caterpillars of Danaus butterflies, and is a specific Monarch butterfly food and habitat plant. It is also popular in traditional medicine to cure various ailments.

All of the milkweeds are named for a milky sap in the plant’s stem and leaves. After the Monarch caterpillar has metamorphosed into a butterfly, the alkaloids from the sap they ingested from the plant are retained in the butterfly, making it unpalatable to predators

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.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_LMN.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asclepias_physocarpa

http://www.jardineiro.net/plantas/flor-borboleta-asclepias-physocarpa.html

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Opuntia compressa

Botanical Name : Opuntia compressa
Family: Cactaceae
Genus: Opuntia
Species: O. humifusa
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Caryophyllales

Synonyms: Opuntia humifusa, Opuntia macrarthra, Opuntia opuntia, Opuntia rafinesquii, Opuntia  vulgaris

Common Names: Eastern Prickly Pear or Indian Fig

Habitat :Opuntia compressa is native to  North-eastern N. America.It ranges from Montana eastward to southern Ontario and then on to Massachusetts, south to Florida and westward to New Mexico. Naturalized on rocks and walls in S. and S.C. Europ.  Grows in Opn dry areas. Rocky bluffs, sand dunes, dry rocky or sandy grasslands.

Description:
Opuntia compressa is an evergreen Perennial growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in) by 1 m (3ft 3in).The green stems of this low-growing perennial cactus are flattened and are formed of segments. Barbed bristles are found around the surfaces of the segments and longer spines are sometimes present. The flowers are yellow to gold in color and are found along the margins of mature segments. The flowers are waxy and sometimes have red centers. They measure 4-6 cm wide and bloom in the late spring.The juicy and edible red fruits measure from 3-5 cm. As the fruit matures, it changes colour from green to red, and often remains on the cactus until the following spring. There are 6 to 33 small, flat, light-colored seeds in each fruit.

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PICTURES

plant

Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus Spines

Eastern prickly pear fruit

Opuntia humifusa Ottawa IL

Opuntia humifusa – Michigan

It is hardy to zone 4 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf 12-Jan It is in flower from Jul to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by 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 dry soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Cultivation:     
Requires a sandy or very well-drained soil. Prefers a pH in the range 6 to 7.5. Must be kept fairly dry in winter but likes a reasonable supply of water in the growing season. A position at the base of a south-facing wall or somewhere that can be protected from winter rain is best for this plant. Requires warmth and plenty of sun. Plants tolerate considerable neglect. Plants are very cold-hardy, tolerating temperatures down to about -30°c, but they are intolerant of winter wet. There is considerable confusion over the correct name for this species, several of the synonyms listed above are also applied to other species in this genus.

Propagation:  
Seed – sow early spring in a very well-drained compost 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 two winters. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Give the plants some protection from winter wet. Make sure you have some reserve plants in case those outdoors do not overwinter. Cuttings of leaf pads at any time in the growing season. Remove a pad from the plant and then leave it in a dry sunny place for a couple of days to ensure that the base is thoroughly dry and has begun to callous. Pot up into a sandy compost. Very easy, rooting quickly.

Edible Uses:
Edible Parts: Fruit;  Leaves;  Seed.
Edible Uses: Gum.

Fruit – raw, cooked or dried for later use. Sweet and gelatinous. Lean and insipid. The unripe fruits can be added to soups etc, imparting an okra-like mucilaginous quality. The fruit can hang on the plant all year round. The fruit is up to 4cm long and 3cm wide. Be careful of the plants irritant hairs, see the notes above on toxicity. Pads – cooked or raw. Watery and very mucilaginous. Seed – briefly roasted then ground into a powder. It is also used as a thickener

Medicinal Uses:
Pectoral;  Poultice;  Warts.

A poultice of the peeled pads is applied to wounds, sores etc. The juice of the fruits is used as a treatment for warts . A tea made from the pads is used in the treatment of lung ailments.

The stems, which look like flat, spiny green leaves, are roasted and used as a poultice on swellings of all sorts and on the breasts of nursing mothers whose milk supply has dwindled.  The roots have been used in an effort to increase hair growth.  A tea made of flowers has been drunk to increase urine flow. Indians made tea of the stems and used this as a wash to ease headaches, eye troubles, and insomnia.  The early settlers of the West boiled the root in milk and drank the liquid to treat dysentery.  A poultice of the peeled pads is applied to wounds, sores etc.  The juice of the fruits is used as a treatment for warts.  A tea made from the pads is used in the treatment of lung ailments.

Other Uses:  
Gum.

The following notes are for O. ficus indica. They almost certainly also apply to this species. A gum is obtained from the stem. It is used as a masticatory or can be mixed with oil to make candles. The juice of the boiled stem segments is very sticky. It is added to plaster, whitewash etc to make it adhere better to walls.

Known Hazards:   The plant has numerous minutely barbed glochids (hairs) that are easily dislodged when the plant is touched and they then become stuck to the skin where they are difficult to see and remove. They can cause considerable discomfort.

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://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opuntia_humifusa
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Opuntia+compressa
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_IJK.htm

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Ephedra torreyana

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Botanical Name :Ephedra torreyana
Family: Ephedraceae
Genus: Ephedra
Species: E. torreyana
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Gnetophyta
Class: Gnetopsida
Order: Ephedrales

Common Name :Ephedra, Torrey

Habitat :Ephedra torreyana is native to south-western N. America – Arizona and Colorado south to New Mexico, Texas and Mexico.
It grows in  dry gravelly or sandy plains, hills and canyons, 900 – 1800 metres in New Mexico. Dry rocky to sandy areas; 500–2000 m

Description:
Ephedra torreyana is an evergreen Shrub growing to 1m.
It is hardy to zone 0. It is in leaf all year, in flower from April to May. The flowers are dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required)The plant is not self-fertile.

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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 and can tolerate drought.

Cultivation :
Requires a well-drained loamy soil and a sunny position. Established plants are drought resistant and are also lime tolerant. Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown in fruit and seed are required.

Propagation:
Seed – best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a greenhouse. It can also be sown in spring in a greenhouse in a sandy compost. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow them on for at least their first winter in a greenhouse. Plant out in the spring or early summer after the last expected frosts and give some protection in their first winter. Division in spring or autumn. Layering.

Edible Uses:
Edible Parts: Fruit.

Edible Uses: Tea.

An excellent tea is made by boiling the stems for a few minutes and allowing the brew to steep. Fruit – raw or cooked.

Medicinal Uses:

Diuretic; Kidney; Pectoral; Salve; Stomachic; VD.

This plant has a wide reputation as a cure for syphilis. A decoction of the stems is used, this decoction is also used in treating coughs, bladder and kidney problems and stomach disorders. A decoction of the leaves and stems has been used as a lotion on itchy skin. The stems of most members of this genus contain the alkaloid ephedrine and are valuable in the treatment of asthma and many other complaints of the respiratory system. The whole plant can be used at much lower concentrations than the isolated constituents – unlike using the isolated ephedrine, using the whole plant rarely gives rise to side-effects. Ephedra does not cure asthma but in many cases it is very effective in treating the symptoms and thus making life somewhat easier for the sufferer. The stems can be used fresh or dried and are usually made into a tea, though they can also be eaten raw. The young stems are best if eating them raw, though older stems can be used if a tea is made. The stems can be harvested at any time of the year and are dried for later use.

In some areas of the southwest this species is preferred as a diuretic to the greener species (Ephedra viridis and E. trifurca). Native tribes of the southwest used it for a variety of ailments. The Pima made a decoction from stems and used as an antiluetic (anti-syphilitic). The Mescalero Apache made a decoction from the entire plant and used as an antiblenorrhagic. Spanish New Mexicans made a decoction and used it to reduce fever and to relieve kidney pain.  The recipe is: boil a handful of the plant in a quart of water, then strain through a cloth. Drink one glass of this tea (hot) at least three times a day, about 1 hour before meals. When the pain is gone, one must eat a chopped red onion three times before meals for approximately 6 to 8 days. A decoction of the stems is used, in treating coughs, bladder and kidney problems and stomach disorders. A decoction of the leaves and stems has been used as a lotion on itchy skin.

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://digedibles.com/database/plants.php?Ephedra+torreyana
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephedra_torreyana
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Ephedra_torreyana

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

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Sorbus scopulina

Botanical Name : Sorbus scopulina
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Sorbus
Subgenus: Sorbus
Section: Commixtae
Species: S. scopulina
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Rosales

Synonyms: Sorbus sambucifolia non Roem,   Sorbus cascadensis G.N. Jones

Common Names :Greene mountain-ash,Cascade Mountain-ash, Sorbus scopulina var. cascadensis,western mountain-ash

Habitat :Sorbus scopulina  is native to western North America, primarily in the Rocky Mountains.(Southern Alaska to northern California, mainly in the east Cascades, east to the Dakotas, and south to Utah and New Mexico)

Description:
Sorbus scopulina is a deciduous shrub or small tree ranging in height from 1 to 6 m and up to 10 cm in stem diameter. It usually has multiple stems with smooth yellowish to grayish-red bark and slender light brown twigs that are white-hairy when young. Winter buds are glutinous and glossy. The alternate leaves are 10 to 20 cm long, odd-pinnately compound with seven to 15 lanceolate leaflets that are nearly sessile, pointed, and serrate on the margins. They are thin, shiny-green above and paler beneath. Inflorescences are much-branched corymbs, 6 to 12 cm broad, that contain many 10-mm broad, white to cream, five-petaled flowers. Fruits, which  grow in clusters, are shiny, orange to red, berrylike, 5- to 10-mm-long, globose pomes with an attached calyx at the apex. Each contains up to eight flattened, brown or red-brown seeds 3 to 4 mm long (Davis 1952, Viereck and Little 1972, Welsh 1974).
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Medicinal Uses:
An infusion of the branches has been given to young children with bed-wetting problems.  The bark is febrifuge and tonic and has been used in the treatment of general sickness.

Other Uses:
Greene’s mountain-ash is an important component of the Western shrub community and furnishes a number of benefits. The species helps protect the soil, adds to the aesthetics of wildland sites, especially with its yellow to orange-red fall  foliage and red-orange berries, and furnishes cover for wildlife. Sorbus scopulina  is planted to a limited extent as an ornamental, especially in naturalistic landscape settings. The wood is soft. It is probably useful for firewood.

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.cwnp.org/photopgs/sdoc/soscopulina.html

Click to access Sorbus%20scopulina.pdf

http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_AB.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorbus_scopulina
http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Tree%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/sorbus%20scopulina.htm

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Oxalis violacea

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Botanical Name :Oxalis violacea
Family: Oxalidaceae
Genus: Oxalis
Species: O. violacea
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Oxalidales

Common Names: violet wood sorrel

Habitat:Oxalis violacea  is native to  Eastern N. America – New York to Wisconsin, south to Florida. It  grows in Woods, shaded slopes, gravelly banks and prairies. Dry sandy or clay soils.

Description:
Oxalis violacea, the violet woodsorrel, is a perennial plant. It  is a low-lying (4″), shy native with small, bell-shaped violet flowers that become white with greenish lines near the blossom’s throat. Leaves and blossoms both open up to the sun, the latter exposing bright yellow anthers, and then fold with shade. Three oval-heart leaflets comprise each leaf. Bees love this plant, which prefers well-drained soils.from BULB.( in appearance to small clovers such as the shamrock, the plant bears violet colored flowers among three-parted leaves having heart-shaped leaflets. Wood sorrel emerges in early spring from an underground bulb.)

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. It is in flower from May to August, and the seeds ripen from Jul to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.

Spread: 0.5 to 0.75 feet,Bloom Time: May, Bloom Color: Pink, Lavender , Bloom Description: Pink, lavender, Sun: Full sun to part shade.

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 semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.It requires dry or moist soil.

Cultivation:
Easily grown in a moisture-retentive humus-rich soil in shade or dappled sunlight.  Succeeds in dry soils. Grows well in a wild or woodland garden.

Propagation:
Seed – best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in late spring or early summer. Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.

Edible Uses
All parts of the plant are edible; flowers, leaves, stems and bulb.

Leaves – raw or cooked. The acid salty leaves are eaten raw in salads and sandwiches or cooked as a potherb.Use in moderation, see notes at top of sheet. Flowers – raw. An attractive and tasty garnish for salads[183]. Root – raw or cooked. A lemon-flavoured drink is made from the leaves.

Medicinal Uses:
Anthelmintic;  Antiemetic;  Blood purifier;  Cancer;  Salve.

The plant is anthelmintic, antiemetic, blood purifier, cancer and salve. A cold infusion is used to stop a person vomiting. An infusion can be used as a blood purifier, it is said to be a treatment in the early stages of cancer. An infusion of the plant is drunk and also used as a wash in treating children with hookworm. An infusion of the leaves, mixed with oil, can be used as a salve on sores.

In New Mexico, a teaspoonful of fresh or dried powdered leaves is boiled in a cup of water and taken in the morning to help expel intestinal worms.  The raw greens have been eaten in the early spring as a blood tonic, after a winter without greens.  The plant has been used to create a feeling of coolness in a person with fever, and to increase urine flow.  A cold infusion is used to stop a person vomiting. An infusion can be used as a blood purifier, it is said to be a treatment in the early stages of cancer. An infusion of the plant is drunk and also used as a wash in treating children with hookworm. An infusion of the leaves, mixed with oil, can be used as a salve on sores.

Known Hazards:
The leaves contain oxalic acid, which gives them their sharp flavour. Perfectly all right in small quantities, the leaves should not be eaten in large amounts since oxalic acid can bind up the body’s supply of calcium leading to nutritional deficiency. The quantity of oxalic acid will be reduced if the leaves are cooked. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition

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/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Oxalis+violacea
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxalis_violacea
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_UZ.htm

https://www.prairiemoon.com/seeds/wildflowers-forbs/oxalis-violacea-violet-wood-sorrel.html

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