This posting is about the variety of Wood Betony that goes by the botanical name Betonica officinalis or Staychys botanica. Isn’t this a beautiful picture? It was borrowed from Wikipedia.
Like many medicinal herbs, this one has a list of historical uses, but the one that is most prominent in my thinking and experience is the relaxing affect it has on muscles “tightened” by a stressed nervous system. It is one of several herbs that support the nervous system.
Some find it helpful for headaches, and it is said by some that it helps with headache by relaxing the muscles in the neck area, others claim that it benefit circulation to the head area. I have used this herb and found it to be mild and helpful for this purpose.
It is the aerial part of the plant, not the roots, that are used for medicinal purposes.
Plants can be found along the edges of woodlands, along roadways, and are a welcome addition to an herb garden…they grow easily and spread. If you like butterflies, you may want to add this to your Butterfly garden.
Here is some Wood Betony all prepared and ready to use, and Nerve Control which contains Wood Betony and other nervine herbs.
If you would like a fact sheet about any of the items marked in red, please send me an email. Thanks!
Need references for any of these claims? Please email me and ask!
What a busy weekend we had! Saturday I spent some time digging and packing my double orange day lilies for a few people who ordered them on eBay. I have to decide whether I’m going to sell any more, they are thinning out nicely.
Sunday we did a lot of running about, but in the midst of it, decided to stop at an environmental center not far from us. Everything was in bloom, animals run about free, not afraid of people at all, and it is such a tranquil setting. I already did a post with some pretty pictures on another blog, you can click here to visit, you’ll love the turkeys, peacocks, and geese. It was a cloudy day, but beautiful.
Each Fall we have had an over-abundance of VERY LARGE acorns on our property, which is shaded by several oak and maple trees. The squirrels are delighted, but our cars are dimpled, and if there is a lot falling, the driveway is a bit like walking on marbles.
The variety of oak that I’m giving attention to this post is Quercus alba. It is native to my part of the eastern United states on over to Minnesota, and parts of Canada, and found in parts of Florida and Texas. Because it is tolerant to a variety of climates, it may settle in almost any location that has the right soil and enough rain. As this variety of tree produces acorns that are less bitter than some oaks, Native Americans used them as food. (Please note that the acorns pictured are not from the Quercus Alba variety.)
When the bark of a tree is used medicinally, it is often the inner bark. A tea may be made to use topically or internally, or it can be powdered. I use it in a cream and capsules (keeps the actives viable for a long, long time as the herb is not exposed to the air). The bark of this variety of oak is very rich in tannins. Because of it’s astringent properties, it is useful for treating skin irritations, including burns, hemorrhoids, and tea from the bark has been used as a gargle for sore throat. Some take the herb internally to help stop diarrhea or dysentary
A Cream that contains White Oak Bark
Encapsulated White Oak Bark
If you would like a fact sheet about any of the items marked in red, please send me an email. Thanks!
Need references for any of these claims? Please email me and ask!
I haven’t been able to say enough about how beautiful the weather has been today. The sun is shining, and it was in the upper 70’s. I went to our local garden shop and picked up a flat of Coral Petunias and top soil and planted them in my hanging baskets and planters up near the house. There are no flowers yet, so I have had to borrow this beautiful picture from webshots.
Last year I got to the shop to late in the season and the Petunias were gone by the time I arrived, so I’m happy as can be to have these beauties this year. I love the color, and will plant the ones left along the road where my vegetable/herb garden is. It’s a quiet dead-end road, so not a lot of worry about car exhaust fumes and such affecting my vegies.
So many things are coming up now, it is a joy to behold, I blogged a bit about my dear Mom and gardening on my Memories and Nostalgia blog, I always think of her when I garden.
I have enjoyed this pretty plant in my garden, as well as come across it in the wild during “herb walks”. It is not hard to grow, and spreads if it is happy in it’s location. Though native of the Western United States, it can generally be found throughout the country.
There is a legend that states that yarrow’s virtues were discovered by the hero of Greek mythology, Achilles, from which the genus name Achillea, is derived.
The medicinal variety of Yarrow goes by the botanical name Achillea millefolium and contains an alkaloid called achillein, as well as flavonoids, volitile oils, potassium, calcium salts and tannin. It has an astringent affect, making it helpful in tightening the tissues.
Yarrow provides nutritional support to the mucous membranes, and is soothing to the digestive system, so used alone, it is said to benefit the respiratory and digestive systems. It is a close relative to chamomile in it’s botanical and chemical makeup.
Here are a few Herbal Remedies that contain Yarrow:
Yarrow
Bone/Skin Poultice
Lymph Gland Cleanser
Joint Support
If you would like a fact sheet about any of the items marked in red, please send me an email. Thanks!
Need references for any of these claims? Please email me and ask!
Each year I look forward with anticipation to the blooming of my Daylilies, and each year I never know how many flowers I will have. A couple of years ago I had 8 bloom in the ring of plants I have growing around my well pump “cover”, last year only two. Then there was the year when there were several blooms, but we were in the midst of a drought and deer ate each and every bloom as they made their way from the forest that backs up the houses along the other side of our street, to the lake that is in back of our home.
I decided that I’m going to thin my plants this year, so if anyone has anything to swap, let me know. I am also selling some of these beautiful plants on eBay.
I hope you are having happy days in your gardens. Each time I write that, I have those of you that are dealing with weather extremes come to mind, I hope all of you are doing well, too. Prayers going out for your.
This posting is about the variety of Wood Betony that goes by the botanical name Betonica officinalis or Staychys botanica. Isn’t this a beautiful picture? It was borrowed from Wikipedia.
Each Fall we have had an over-abundance of VERY LARGE acorns on our property, which is shaded by several oak and maple trees. The squirrels are delighted, but our cars are dimpled, and if there is a lot falling, the driveway is a bit like walking on marbles.
I have enjoyed this pretty plant in my garden, as well as come across it in the wild during “herb walks”. It is not hard to grow, and spreads if it is happy in it’s location. Though native of the Western United States, it can generally be found throughout the country.
