Just some teas that I harvested over the summer: Lion's-tail, Hyssop, Red Clover, Marshmallow, Lavender and Dragonhead. The Red Clover is from 6-year old plants. It was one of the herbs I started when I first had....
"The Epiphany!"
At the time, I was living in Richmond, CA, and they traveled with me from there to San Leandro then to East Oakland, going from ground to pot and back and forth a couple of times before finally finding their permanent spot in the spring of 2009. They must have been pretty pent up, because they bloomed with a vengeance.
So, what can I say about Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)? For those who believe in plant "signatures," the reddish hue of the florets might clue you in to its affinity for our blood in that it is said to remove toxins from it. It also has diuretic properties, which too help remove toxins from our system, through the kidneys and bladder, by making us pee a lot. Red Clover is called a phytoestrogen. This means it has plant (phyto) constituents which resemble, or mimic, the human hormone, estrogen. Isoflavones, of which Red Clover is rich in, are believed to be the source of its phytoestrogens, and are responsible for its reputed effectiveness against some of the adverse effects of menopause and certain types of cancer. The blood-thinning substance known as coumarin is another important component of Red Clover. For this reason, people who have a blood clotting deficiency or are on blood thinning drugs, are cautioned regarding its usage.
Now, with all the boring, soul-assassinating pseudo science out of the way, Red Clover tastes good! Fresh, it reminds me of alfalfa sprouts and on really lucky days, I discover a few drops of sweet nectar in them. As a dry tea, they have more of a pleasant grassy aroma and flavor. Oh, and a piece of advice about this herb: do NOT get between a bee and his Red Clover. He will chase you down! Come to think of it, with the exception of Marshmallow, pretty much all of the herbs spotlighted in this entry are bee magnets. Then again, Marshmallow flowered profusely, so I see no reason why the workers wouldn't have made a bee-line for it as well. Maybe I just didn't visit that part of the garden regularly enough or at the right time of day to observe its popularity among bees. Anyway, this is an important point to keep in mind if you consider the recent scary reports of the dwindling number of bees. Plant flowers, folks!
Hyssop, another bountiful harvest this year, has magical medicine which some attribute to its volatile oils. There was at one time a theory that its ability to fight off colds and sore throats was because of a propensity for penicillin to grow on the backs of its leaves. Then there are the biblical references and the divinity often attributed to anything associated with the Scriptures. Although, it has been debated as to whether the hyssop mentioned in the bible isn't really marjoram or oregano. Either way, isn't it mystery like this that keeps it all intriguing? Allows our imagination to flourish? Gives the notion that anything is possible wings? Let's not forget the one undeniable truth about medicine: that what you believe, be it positive of negative, true or false, has real-life manifestations.
Whatever you believe, alls I know for sure is that a strong tea with the fresh leafy herb has cured my cold and flu on several occasions. It is one of my top 3 herbs for combating cold and flu season, the others being Plantain (Plantago lanceolata or P. major) and Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis). The three fresh herbs combined and infused with boiling water make a delicious, soothing and healing tea. I don't have much experience with them dried, but that will probably change next year.
Lion's-tail's gift to me was my first experience of what it probably feels like to be a witch. First off, this plant is bee-eautiful. The depth and resonance of the orange of its flowers is mesmerizing and the configuration of its petioles combines to make for a truly awe-inspiring vision. Originating from S. Africa, this plant is also very draught tolerant, once it is established. And again, bees clearly find the trouble of wriggling their way up into the flowers' tubular caverns well worth the struggle. Lion's-tail exudes a resin which some Africans smoke as a treatment for asthma and other pulmonary complications.
Ok, so another name for this plant is Wild Dagga. The reason for that stems from reports that claim that smoking the orange flowers produce an awareness similar in effect to that experienced when smoking marijuana. However, after reading various personal accounts on the web, I have found that the general opinion is that it is a much weaker version. Whatever the case, I collected a cookie jarful of the fallen orange petals ...to give to my brother in-law to try. Yeah, that's it. I collected them for my brother in-law. Cuz I'm considerate like that. [For the record, I am not a smoker, but support medicinal and recreational - within reason - use]
Oh right. So, about that "witch" experience.
Maybe next time.....
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