WEEDS'N WILDFLOWERS. IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN!

 

 

It's amazing to me how many plants that we know as "weeds" are not only beautiful, but in many cases edible, or useful in medicinal applications such as salves, tinctures or even natural dyes.   

In the photo above pink-flowering Wood Sorrell (Oxalis) is snuggling up under a rambling Rose and between Daylily plants.(The Rose is Peggy Martin - more on this rose in another post!).  

There are over 550 species in the Oxalis family, and yes, the entire plant can be eaten. Wood Sorrel has a tart, lemony taste and is added in salads and paired with fish. The plant can be steeped in hot water to make a tea. Yellow Wood Sorrel is high in vitamin C, and has been used to treat scurvy.  As the name would suggest, Oxalis contains varying amounts of Oxalic Acid, which perfectly safe when eaten in small quantities and is present to some degree in many of our commonly eaten vegetables (spinach & other green leafy veg., rhubarb, potatoes and many nuts and fruit), but wood sorrel should not be eaten in large amounts. People suffering from rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should avoid oxalic acid.  

Erigeron spp.  (Fleabane).  This pretty daisy-like plant is a magnet for tiny native bees and other little insects (but evidently not Fleas!!).  It grows like a weed, which of course it is, and reliably comes back every year taking over every space it can get into!!  

Native to North America and naturalized in Europe, Fleabane is a member of the Asteraceae family, and apparently some early American settlers kept dried fleabane in their homes and in small satchels to repel gnats and fleas; that’s how the plant got its common name.  However, as mentioned, it doesn't seem to work as an insect repellent!!!  Native Americans used Fleabane for a variety of uses including   as an astringent, diuretic, and expectorant, cough and headache medicine and a salve to relieve the effects of Poison Ivy!  Caution, this plant has been known to cause Contact Dermatitis in some people.

 

 

Plantago spp.  (Plantain). Plantain weed is a great herb for your first aid kit. Its antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and astringent properties make it effective in treating a wide range of common ailments.  Plantago comes from the work "Planta", meaning sole, or foot!  The native American name for this herb was said to have been "White Man's Footprint, meaning it grew up in the footprints of settlers.  True or not, its a nice story! 

• The astringent, antibacterial leaves, crushed or chewed, can be applied topically to bug bites, stings, rashes, and superficial wounds.
• Common plantain quickly staunches blood flow and helps with wound healing. 
• It may be used instead of comfrey in treating bruises and broken bones.
• An ointment or lotion may be used to treat hemorrhoids and ulcers.
• Taken internally, plantain weed is diuretic, expectorant, and decongestant.
• It can be used in the treatment of gastritis, peptic ulcers, diarrhea, dysentery, irritable bowel syndrome, respiratory congestion, loss of voice, and urinary tract bleeding. 
  

 Here's a Plantain Salve Recipe which works really well for insect bites and rashes (makes about 1 cup):

1 cup fresh plantain leaves, gathered from an area that has not been sprayed with chemicals, chopped  1 1/2 cups olive oil or melted coconut oil                                                                                                        1 tablesp + 1 teasp grated beeswax, tightly packed                                                                                      1/2 teasp tea tree essential oil, optional 

1.Harvest leaves on a dry, sunny day.  Remove any that look damaged and brush off dirt if needed.        2.Chop leaves or grind them in a food processor.                                                                                      3. Place ground leaves in a clean dry mason jar and cover completely with oil.                                         4. Cover jars with cheesecloth, secured with rubber band.  Place a kitchen towel in the bottom of a crockpot and place jar inside.  Add enough water to cover about half the jar and set to lowest setting for 12-24 hours, uncovered, adding water if needed to keep cooker from drying out.                                    5.Strain the oil through cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve.  Let oil sit for several hours.  If any water (from the plantain leaves sits on the bottom, carefully pour the oil off the top.                                                     6. Gently heat the beesway in a double boiler.  When melted, add the plantain oil.  Stir until thoroughly mixed.  If adding essential oils, wait until the mixture has cooled a bit the stir them in.                           7.  Pout salve into a clean dry container, cool, and cover.