Garden of useful plants

[Becky]

I just read this article and thought it would be worthy of sharing here!

Chelsea Physic Garden: what botany does for us

The Useful Plants garden covers a wide range of human endeavour. In a science bed, alongside the eco-hero sunflower, is burdock, whose leaves were the inspiration for Velcro, and sacred lotus, which has a scaly leaf that clothing manufacturers are taking tips from in their quest for waterproof fabrics. Multi-talented bamboo is the star of the housing bed, and there is a flax plant tough enough to be used as armour. “When the British invaded New Zealand, the Maoris wove the leaves together so thick they made bullet-proof vests, which the musket shot couldn’t penetrate,” Nick says.

Plants can be amazing things - I never knew that sunflowers had such useful properties!

 

[j.w]

Never knew any of this either and pretty cool stuff!

 

[ChanellG]

There are so many plants that are useful for so many things! Where does this information come from? That bit about the flax plant is particularly interesting.

 

[Tmann]

Interesting indeed.

 

[zigs]

Nice one.

I've just finished reading 50 Plants that changed the course of History. Some really interesting stuff in there. Like Eucalyptus trees dropping extra seeds in the event of fire. The seeds are taken underground by ants where they germinate.

 

[rebus2666]

This always make me wonder what we're not seeing, you know? Like what potential cure or health-extending substance lay in the leaf of an unstudied flower. I've thought this since I was a kid and it has always fascinated me, even the potential for rainforests which makes it so tragic how they are increasingly cut away. I love drinking rooibos tea which I know has incredible bacteria fighting properties, the leaves have even been used to cure frogs of infection which is pretty interesting.

 

[Warthog]

Here in Belize, we have the Poison Wood Tree and the Gumbolimbo Tree, wherever you find one, you will always find the other close by.

Lots of people react with skin irritations to the Poison Wood, the leaf or the bark of the Gubolimbo rubbed onto the skin will ease and cure the irritation in most people.

 

[ChanellG]

Here in Belize, we have the Poison Wood Tree and the Gumbolimbo Tree, wherever you find one, you will always find the other close by.

Lots of people react with skin irritations to the Poison Wood, the leaf or the bark of the Gubolimbo rubbed onto the skin will ease and cure the irritation in most people.

It's a good thing those two trees grow so close together so that if you encounter one you can quickly find the other in order to get some relief.

 

[zigs]

A bit like Stinging Nettles & Dock leaves

 

[Shirleyc Cox]

Mother nature offers a bounty of helpful and healing plant life and we don't even know about them. Cattalis a wild tall grass are found in marshy areas and easily identified by their brown seed heads. This grass roots can be eaten. Foragers can peel back the plant's leaves to reveal the flower spikes which can be eaten raw or cooked. It taste similar to corn.

Another plant is Yarrow. It’s leaves can be applied to bleeding wounds to stimulate clotting, and drinking a tea from its flowers can be a remedy for a variety of ailments including colds, flu, headaches, diarrhea and stomach ulcers.

 

[ChanellG]

Thanks for the reminder about yarrow! I will definitely have to look into how to grow it. It's always good to have a variety of herbs on hand for health use.

 

[lovinglife]

I planted yarrow one time, still trying to get rid of it. That stuff spreads with the wind! LOL

 

[ChanellG]

Thanks for the warning! I have that problem with Thai basil, it is everywhere! I now restrict when it flowers so it doesn't cross pollinate with my other basil. There are Thai basil plants in almost every other container I have outside and I can't figure out how because I collect the seeds!

 

[lovinglife]

It's the basil fairy!! Tell her to come to my house, I love the stuff!

 

[ChanellG]

I love it too, lol, but that Thai basil is almost mercenary! I have some lemon basil sprouted so it will really be a challenge soon trying to keep them all from cross pollinating!