guidedwanderer

[guidedwanderer]

Materia Medica

Dandelion

Botanical Name: Taraxacum officinale

Common Name: Dandelion, lion's tooth

Family: Asteraceae or Aster family and the subfamily of Cichorioideae

Parts Used: Whole plant, Leaves, Flowers, Root

Energetics and Taste: Cooling and Dry. Dandelion greens are bitter but it is said if you harvest them from a shady location they will be less bitter. If you roast the dandelion roots it sweetens them.

Actions and Properties: Dandelion is used for arthritis, gout, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, edema and abnormal blood sugar levels. It is used for gastric headaches, dyspepsia, heartburn and many other digestive ailments. The whole plant, especially the root, is beneficial to the liver but is slow in producing the desired action. Autumn roots are roasted and used as a coffee substitute. The high inulin content, especially in the autumn make dandelion root a good food source (prebiotic) for beneficial gut bacteria. Has the flexibility of being healing and protective while also being stimulating to the liver. It is indicated for many female problems and skin diseases due to its action on the liver, and  is specific for liver/gallbladder/digestive headaches. The whole plant, especially the root, is beneficial to the liver.

Constituents: Dandelions are a rich source of vitamins, minerals and it even has antioxidants. One cup of raw dandelion greens contains 112% of your daily required intake of vitamin A and 535% of vitamin K. In addition, it is rich in Vitamin C, iron, and calcium, and detoxifiers, which explains its frequent use in medicines. Due dandelion being rich in calcium, which is essential for the growth and strength of bones, it improves bone health. It is also rich in antioxidants like vitamin C and luteolin, which protect bones from age-related damage. It treats liver disorders, controls diabetes, treats acne, can aide in weight loss, can help prevent cancer, can prevent gall bladder disorders, it cures constipation, it prevents anemia, and regulates blood pressure.

Description: The dandelion is a readily identifiable, perennial weed. It has a rosette base producing several flowering stems and multiple leaves. The flowerhead has about 150 to 200 yellow ray florets and no disk florets, spreading outward from the center. At the base of the flowerhead, there are inner and outer green bracts. The inner bracts are linear or linear-lanceolate, appressed together to form a cylindrical tube around the ovaries of the flowerhead. This tiny tube is nearly half full of nectar, providing the incentive for the visits of many bees. The outer bracts are linear-lanceolate and sharply curve downward. Dandelions have toothy, deeply notched, basal leaves that are hairless. The shining, purplish flower-stalks rise straight from the root, are leafless, smooth and hollow and bear single heads of flowers. On picking the flowers, a bitter, milky juice exudes from the broken edges of the stem, which is present throughout the plant, and which when it comes into contact with the hand, turns to a brown stain that is rather difficult to remove. When the flower head has matured, all the florets close up again within the green bracts. Then one day, all those shriveled petals will be pushed off in a bunch to reveal a gossamer head of seeds crowned with their tufts of hair, ready to blow off when ripe with the slightest breeze. Dandelions can grow up to be 24 inches high.

Habitat: Dandelion grows in lawns and on waysides and everywhere.

Harvesting/ Propagation: Dandelions produce asexually by by seed when their seeds are blown away by the wind or humans. Dandelion leaves should be harvested while young, older leaves are too bitter to eat. Flowers can be harvested all season. Roots of second year old plants should be harvested in October after all the nutrients have been stored. Roots collected at this time will dry with a firm appearance compared to roots harvested in spring, which will dry shriveled and porous – and worthless for sale. The young leaves make an agreeable and wholesome addition to spring salads. Tear the leaves, don’t cut them, to keep the flavor. Tender spring leaves are less bitter than mid-summer and fall leaves; although any newly unfurled leaves will be less bitter. Roots can be harvested in spring and autumn, with spring-harvested roots more bitter and autumn-harvested roots sweeter due to the storage of nutrients throughout the growing season. Autumn-harvested roots also contain more of the polysaccharide inulin, a soluble fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria.

Preparation and Dosage: Dandelion root can be made into tea. It can be made into a strong decoction using the dried root, 2 tablespoons per 10oz water ... simmer on stove for 30min-4 hours, strain and drink. It can be made into a standard infusion (Leaves): 2 tablespoons fresh leaf, chopped, in 10oz hot water. 1 tablespoon of dried leaf per 10oz hot water. Or it can be made into a tincture (Fresh Root, 1:2) 30-60 drops.

Contradictions/ Cautions: Physical contact with the fresh latex in dandelions can cause contact dermatitis. Dandelion is contraindicated in bile duct obstruction, acute gall bladder inflammation, acute gastrointestinal inflammation and intestinal blockage. Do not use for extended periods of time due to the possibility of over-stimulating the liver. Should not be taken in cases of biliary obstruction and/or biliary abscesses.

Ethnobotanical Considerations: While it’s true that Dandelion grows in abundance, it is often heavily sprayed with harmful chemicals, so only use Dandelion purchased from a store or other source you know are clean. 

History/ Folklore/ Mythology: In the Victorian Language of Flowers, Dandelion symbolizes Rustic oracle. There are many ways blowing the seeds off can predict your future and I've found they contradict each other. The traditional "they love me, they love me not" might be your best option when seeking consultation from the plants or better yet simply make a wish and send it off with the seeds to be planted. If a flower held under your chin glows gold, it is an indicator of good health. Let the Dandelion flowers tell you time and weather. They predictably open around 5am and close around 8pm. If they close during the day, expect rain. Dandelions symbolize tenacity and survival, persevering even through cracks in the pavement, in order to thrive.

Plant Spirit/ Flower Essence: Find joy in the bright delight of the flowers, shining brightly in the sun. Call on its flower essence to aid in releasing emotions, find a sunnier perspective and openness to cosmic influences. A tale of the universe, the bright yellow flowers harken the sun, the puff seed heads represent the moon and seeds floating in the wind epitomize the stars in the sky. According to Culpepper's, it is ruled by Jupiter. The element is Air.

References:

[guidedwanderer]

Materia Medica

Blood Root

Botanical Name: Sanguinaria canadensis

Common Name: Bloodroot, Red Root, Puccoon, Paucon, Pauson, Red Puccoon, Coonroot and Indian paint ((( all refer to Native American uses of the plant to color skin, clothes, and baskets ))) tetterwort ((( old english for skin disease ))) , sleep slumber, and snakebite ((( all of which were used mostly by Old English speakers ))).

Family: Papaveraceae or Poppy family

Parts Used: Rhizome, Root,

Energetics and Taste: Harsh, Bitter, Acrid. Drying and cooling in small amounts, warming and stimulating in larger amounts.

Actions and Properties: Bloodroot is currently used to cause expectoration and to clear the respiratory pathways of mucus. The herb can be taken internally to treat a variety of ailments such as asthma, emphysema, laryngitis, bronchitis, pharyngitis, sore throats, and croup. Cough lozenges are made by mixing fresh sap from roots with maple syrup or sugar. A homeopathic remedy containing bloodroot has also been used to treat migraines. Fresh bloodroot sap or an infusion of the root can be applied externally to treat warts, benign skin tumors, ulcers, eczema, chilblains, or ringworm. The dried powder can be sniffed to treat nasal polyps. Sanguinarine, the medicinally valuable alkaloid found in bloodroot sap, is purported to have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that inhibit the formation of plaque and reduce gingival inflammation and bleeding. Research has shown that the alkaloid is retained in the mouth for long periods after brushing, providing longer resistance to plaque and gingival inflammation.

Constituents: Bloodroot exudes a bright orange-red sap from all parts when cut, with the highest concentrations found in the rhizome where the juices are stored. The sap contains isoquinoline alkaloids, red resin, and an abundance of starch. Sanguinarine is the predominant alkaloid, making up 50 percent of the total alkaloid content. The alkaloids in the sap contribute to the medicinal properties of the herb, though they can also be poisonous in large doses, causing nausea, vomiting, dizziness or fainting, dilated pupils, and heart failure. The alkaloids in bloodroot have strong antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties. The herb has also been described as having antiseptic, cathartic, diuretic, emetic, emmenagogue, escharotic, expectorant, febrifuge, sedative, spasmolytic, stimulant, and tonic properties.

Description: Plants reach a height of 6 to 12 inches at maturity, though they are typically only half that height at the time of bloom. Each plant consists of a single leaf wrapped tightly around a flower bud; the leaf opens to expose the flower as it blooms. Bloodroot leaves are kidney shaped, with five to nine rounded lobes arranged palmately and covered with a whitish-gray down. The pale underside of the leaf is prominently veined. Once the flowers have faded, the basal leaves persist until August, when they turn a deeper green and reach their maximum size of 6 to 10 inches. Each waxy, white flower grows on a single stem up to 8 inches in height, blooming around late March and early April. Flowers are roughly 2 inches in diameter, with gold-colored stamens in the center. Whereas other members of the Papaveraceae family have flowers with 4 petals, bloodroot flowers have 8 to 10 petals arranged in 2 to 4 rows.

Habitat: Bloodroot is mostly found in rich woodlands or on sunny-to shady edges of wooded areas, on slopes, or on bottomlands along shaded streams. Bloodroot prefers light-to-medium well-drained soils with a sandy-to-loamy texture. Bloodroot can tolerate a range of pH, but does best in soils with a pH of 5 to 7 or higher. Soils with a layer of leaf cover in cool areas under deciduous trees are optimal. Bloodroot is an indicator species for birch-maple-basswood and hardwood forests.

Harvesting/ Propagation: Bloodroot can be propagated by seed, root division, or leaf cuttings. Seeds can be sown in outdoor beds in the spring or summer, or in a cold frame in winter. A cold stratification period is required for the seed to produce a root, then another warm and cold period to produce a shoot. Rhizomes can be divided by breaking them into small pieces, each of which should contain one bud. This is typically done in late summer or early fall after the leaves die back. Leaf cuttings can be taken from shoots in late spring and set in a protected cold frame until the plants are established.

Preparation and Dosage: Roots are harvested in order to then make them into a powder or to make a dried root tincture. In small doses, bloodroot is relaxing and soothing, particularly on the bronchial muscles. In moderate doses, the herb has stimulating and emetic properties.

Contradictions/ Cautions: Large doses can cause irritation of the mucus membranes. Other negative side effects can either be a burning or stinging sensation in the mouth, or a sloughing of the epithelium cells when used orally. The alkaloids in the sap can be poisonous in large doses, causing nausea, vomiting, dizziness or fainting, dilated pupils, and heart failure. Should not used during Pregnancy. Regarded as abortifacient. Seeds are narcotic, with effects said to be similar to Datura seed ((( can cause death if taken internally ))). People should not use this herb unless under the guidance of a trained health care practitioner. The fresh root is more dangerous than the dry root.  Do not use more than 1-2 drops every 2-4 hours in acute phase, then 1-2 drops per day after the acute phase. Long term use may be contraindicated. Long term users of products with sanguinarine in them have increased incidence of leukoplakia.

Ethnobotanical Considerations: Bloodroot is listed as “At-Risk” by the United Plant Savers organization. Often collected from the wild and marketed domestically and internationally, the plants on the “At-Risk” list have experienced pressure due to over-collection or habitat loss. This pressure, combined with the innate sensitivity and rarity of the plants listed, has led to the rapid decline of wild populations in their native ranges.

History/ Folklore/ Mythology: Native Americans used bloodroot as a dye, love charm, and potent medicine. European colonists learned of the Native American medicinal uses for the herb and adopted them to suit their own needs and as early as the 1800s Bloodroot was described in pharmacopoeias. In the mid-19th century at the London Middlesex Hospital, Dr. J. Weldon Fell experimented with the use of bloodroot to treat skin cancers. Although used extensively at that time, the treatment eventually fell out of use until its revival in the 1960s for minor skin tumors, particularly those in the nose and ears. As of the year 2000 researchers were studying the ability of bloodroot alkaloids to selectively fight cancer cells without harming normal cells. Although it has experimentally shown anti-proliferative potential towards human carcinoma cells, current in vitro studies are not conclusive and more research is needed before bloodroot is considered for development as a commercial anticancer drug. Sanguinarine has been used in toothpaste and oral rinses. Bloodroot can be used as a botanical dewormer for cattle and sheep.

References:

[guidedwanderer]

📷: April 21st & 23rd

📍: Spotsylvania County, VA

Chamomile update:

Chamomile has doing very well and I even harvested my first chamomile flower. I learned that the best time of day to harvest chamomile flowers is around midday when the flower petals are slightly pushed back because this is when their oils are more potent. I cannot wait to be able to harvest even more flowers so I can let them dry out in order to make tea. I also learned that there are two types of chamomile Roman and German chamomile. My chamomile friend is German Chamomile.

[guidedwanderer]

Bitter Sweet

Although this is my last post for the class I would like to think I will keep using this page to share my continued relationship with the world outside my corporeal body. These four pictures were taken at different instances along my journey, some of which my plant identification apps were not able to give me a concrete ID for. The flowers on the top right are known as Asian Bleeding Hearts whereas I am pretty sure the flowers on the bottom right are Virginia bluebells.

This experience has been a much needed one. Taking walks and exploring the areas local to me served as a fresh of breath air, no pun intended, and as a way to let go of the stresses of day-to-day life. I learned a lot of new names and thus made new plant friends. Not only that however but I was able to push and test my human relationships, with my partner in specific. I would often invite him to tag along on my journeys and teach him the names of plant friends I was familiar with. I even had him help me harvest dandelions for the cordage I had been wanting to make to then possibly teach myself the skill of basket making. I even had him taste some plant friends such as dandelions and chickweed. It was a relief discovery he enjoyed my fascination with the outside world and was willing to come along with me and explore. It was a huge relief knowing he doesn't find me to be crazy and was open to being crazy with me nonetheless.

[guidedwanderer]

📷: April 21st at 6:49 PM

📍: Downtown Fredericksburg, VA

I witnessed these as my client and I walked around his block with his dad. He has a neighbor who lives on the corner of the street with a great big garden. There are endless flowering plants and so much green. However, I noticed that this neighbor likes to use borders, they use step stones and edging around their plants as to keep each separate from the next.

[guidedwanderer]

📷: April 16th at 3:56 PM & 4:08 PM

📍: Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA

Although this precious baby goat and these chickens are not themselves plants I decided I wanted to share them here as well. These babies are on my uncle's property in Spotsylvania County. He feeds his hens fruit and vegetable scraps from his kitchen as well as buys them feed. He eats the eggs his chickens lay feeds his family as well. The baby goat pictured on the left has a little sister and a mommy goat too. Together they live happily in a big corral my uncle built for them where they eat all the grass and other greens they want. My uncle also feeds them goat feed and salt. This day I went to visit my uncle milked the mommy goat and I was able to taste fresh goat-milk for the very first time. It was very sweet!

[guidedwanderer]

📷: April 15th at 9:46 AM

📍: Spotsylvania County, VA

My mom passed down her obsession and utter fascination of plants to me. Growing up, and up until present day, she has always had plants around the house. These annual honesties in the picture she actually cut and placed in a vase after one of her morning walks around the neighborhood. She said she had been eyeing them for days and decided she would take some home with her. What caught her eye was the beautiful deep purple that popped put against the brown fences along the road.

[guidedwanderer]

📷: April 6th at 2:03 PM

📍: Rappahannock River Stafford, VA

These flowers caught my eye because they were growing in a sandy-ish spot by the river all by its lonesome. There weren't any other plants growing near it. At first glance I thought about mustard but then my ID app said it was a member of the wintercress genus. I learned that wintercresses are an early source of nectar and pollen for our local pollinators as it flowers fairly early. I also learned that it was once actually used to cure scurvy before vitamin C was readily available.

[guidedwanderer]

📷: April 18th at 5:56 PM

📍: Downtown Fredericksburg, VA

These lovely Azaleas are located in my client's front yard. His mom's birthday was coming up and I thought it would be a cute idea to take his portrait in front of these bushes with my polaroid camera which we could then include in her birthday card I had him make for her. When she received her card she looked at me with teary eyes and thanked me so much for taking such cute pictures of her boy.

[guidedwanderer]

📷: April 16th at 1:14 PM

📍: Spotsylvania County, VA

Although these are not plants I wanted to share a little about my interspecies relationships I have going on. These are my family and I's chickens. We often feed them scraps out of our kitchen which they are able to eat such as fruit and vegetable scraps. The hens lay eggs which we then gather and consume. We dry the eggs shells and powder them in order to mix it in with their food to provide them with extra nourishment so they can continue to remain healthy and produce eggs. Yes we take their eggs and eat them but we also give back to the hens and roosters.

My dad will take them out in the evening and let them roam around our backyard. He has to keep a close eye on them as our property is not completely fenced in and they are fast! For the most part they tend to stay close by and when the sun starts going down they go back into their coop.

[guidedwanderer]

📷: April 19th at 9:12 AM

📍: Spotsylvania County, VA

The lovely Chamomile plant I was gifted has grown so much! I have had to repot it twice. I already see some flower petals forming on some buds.

[guidedwanderer]

📷: April 20th at 4:14 PM

📍: Old Mill Park Fredericksburg, VA

The day that I was introduced to these lovelies was quite funny. My partner and I were walking down our favorite path which leads to the Rappahannock river. I was leading and he was walking clumsily behind me. I feel him tug at my shirt and asks me to look but I was too preoccupied with looking for plant friends who are new to me. They are everywhere! Anyways, we keep walking and we make it all the way down to the water but there's a group of kids our age and we decide not to intrude. As we're walking back up the trail I spot these beautiful white flowers and gasp, "Look at these! They are so cute!" He audibly sighs and says, "I was trying to show you them earlier but you ignored me!" We laugh together and I apologize.

[guidedwanderer]

📷: April 20th at 4:23 PM

📍: Old Mill Park Fredericksburg, VA

[guidedwanderer]

📷: April 20th at 4:23 PM

📍: Old Mill Park Fredericksburg, VA

In a geography class I took last semester I learned that Hops is a close family member of cannabis. Hops is used to make beer. I wonder if Japanese Hops can be used to make beer.

[guidedwanderer]

📷: April 16th at 7:21 PM

📍: Spotsylvania Courthouse

Every time I would drive down i-95 I would catch a glimpse of grape-like flowers and I wondered what the trees name was. Then this day when I went to visit my uncle I saw one of the grape trees on his property. I used my plant ID app and found out that my plant friend's name was Wisteria.

[guidedwanderer]

📷: April 16th at 6:23 PM

📍: Spotsylvania Courthouse

Upon resorting to use Google I learned that Sweet Vernal Grass grows in lawns but is also kept as a house plant due to it having a sweet scent.

[guidedwanderer]

📷: April 4th at 5:49 pm

📍: Stafford Civil War Park Stafford, VA

According to our Botany in a Day book, Clubmoss spores have historically been used as a homeostatic for nosebleeds and other hemorrhaging as it absorbs fluids from damaged tissues.