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Sunrise farewell in the Blue Ridge

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Spilanthes Acmella oleracea

It's like Pop Rocks but without the corn syrup and artificial dye!  Spilanthes is an awesome gateway plant because it makes your mouth all tingly and explodey feeling while preventing and treating infection/bacteria.  It's just great recreationally, too, when you are feeling bored.  I'm considering making Spilanthes fruit leather this fall. And Spilanthes mead. And Spilanthes everything.  Never enough.

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The "retreat" center down the road.  Abandoned suddenly in the 70s. There would be more pictures but I decided to run away because it was scary.

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Blue Vervain Verbena hastata

I'm too intimidated by writing a comprehensive blurb on this one right now… but only because it's awesome and I really want to do it justice!   Pithy overview: Blue Vervain is a lovely lovely bitter nervine that is especially suited to folks dealing with anxiety of the high-strung, self-critical, perfectionist sort.  It is a neurotrophorestorative, meaning that it simultaneously repairs damage to the nervous system and tones and strengthens it (rare among medicines/single herbs).  Additional properties include aiding digestion and soothing coughs.  Also it has a very pretty flower!

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Berries of Mountain Gardens (unfortunately the strawberries didn't make it to the photoshoot) Wineberries and cherries and tree mulberries still to come!

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Angelica dahurica

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Goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis

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First home brew of the season--and the first beer I've made actually using malt and hops and stuff!

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Another mystery plant.  Asafoetida relative?

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Baffling flower of the day award goes to whatever in the world this thing is.    The leaves kind of seemed geranium-ish??

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Galls are the coolest things ever.  Or at least the coolest things I've seen this week.  I know nothing about this particular one, aside from that it's growing on an elm tree and makes beautiful pink pouches of flower tissue spring from the leaves.  Whoever lives in there is a lucky little bug!

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Salamander mummy

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Gotu kola Centella asiatica

This cute little herb is a highly revered nutritive tonic native to Southeast Asia.  Most touted for it's longevity promoting qualities ("two leaves a day keep old age away"), Gotu kola is also useful as a general balancing agent.  Being an adaptogen, the plant is strengthening and restorative to all systems of the body, as well as appropriate for all constitutions--essentially, it can make everything and everyone feel a bit more nourished and centered.  Centella really stands out when it comes to building/repairing connective tissue, stimulating mental function, and healing the nervous system.  Many find the herb especially helpful in dealing with depression, anxiety, and mental/adrenal fatigue.  It's also edible!  And an excellent source of vitamins and antioxidants.  I never fail to give it a nibble when I'm in the greenhouse.   

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Scotch Thistle Onopordum acanthium

Things I know about it: totally edible, good for the liver, makes you pee (diuretic), and also is the emblem of Scotland.  

P.S. I think it's very cool that Scotland has such a surly useful plant as it's national symbol.

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False Unicorn Root Chamaelirium luteum An herbaceous perennial native to North America, False Unicorn Root is known for it's powerful uterine toning and fertility enhancing properties.  The herb has long been used to regulate menstruation and promote healthy pregnancy, particularly in people who have struggled with fertilization and/or carrying to term in the past.  This species is currently consider at risk, wild populations having suffered due a recent surge in popularity.  Luckily, there are herbs with comparable actions that are just as effective (and more abundant)!  Alternatives include Vitex agnus-castus, Angelica sinensis, and Partridge berry, among others.

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Sometimes when Mountain Gardens apprentices leave the forest (specifically me), we miss foraging and end up harvesting slightly scary things from dumpsters.  The occasional vegetable has been known to occur--limes and hardly mushy tomatoes were a recent highlight--but the general theme is corn syrup rich candy logs. Whether the majority of this stuff is creating more harm in a landfill or in someone's body is definitely debatable, and I'm still trying to figure out where to draw the line for myself.  For now I abide by whole foods only, but if chocolate ever enters the scene…things may change.  A lot.