#horsetail weeds

[weirdowithaquill]

Traintober 2023: Day 21 - Roots

Terence Hates Weeds:

Terence the Tractor works on a farm near Hackenbeck, on Thomas’ branchline. He’s a pleasant sort, but he can be rather cheeky, and a little impatient. Once upon a time, he’d saved Thomas from a deep snow drift, and ever since the tractor had always been the first to remind Thomas to be careful whenever the snow began to fall.

“Do be careful, Thomas,” he chortled. “I might not be able to pull you out if you get stuck this time!” Thomas often ignored him when he got like this.

Terence’s farm was often all but barren during the winter. Terence was only started up to go and check on the cows that lived in the far paddock, but otherwise he spent his winter days dozing in his shed.

One morning, however, he awoke to the farmer flinging open the door. “That sodding weeds are back!” he grumbled. Terence groaned. The last of the frost had only just melted away!

One thing that the farm often had to contend with was weeds – and one particular type was continuously causing the farm trouble was horsetail. Horsetail weeds could spread their roots deep into the ground, making it almost impossible to full dig them out. Furthermore, they spread rapidly: one day, it was one, then the next it was four, then sixteen, and by the end of the week the field was covered, and the harvest was ruined.

The weeds also resisted everything Terence and the farmer did to remove them. Mowing had down nothing, burning them had only worked to remove the visible plant and weedkillers couldn’t penetrate through its rubbery skin.

So instead, Terence was coupled to a large tanker of lime. “We’ll begin by liming the soil,” the farmer said. “Then, we’ll burn the lot of them, dig up the tubers and be rid of this menace!”

Terence was excited to begin – though his excitement dimmed when he realised just how boring it all was. He dragged the tanker across the field a number of times, then sat beside the line and waited while the farmer set fire to the horsetail weeds.

That was when he heard a familiar horn. “What’s going on?!” exclaimed Mavis, looking horrified. Terence was confused. “Um…” “Quick! Driver! We must rescue Terence from the fire!” “Wait…” Before Terence could protest, Mavis’ driver had grabbed a coil of rope and tied it around his bumper. The other end was tied to Mavis, and the diesel began to pull Terence away from his field as quickly and carefully as she could.

“Mavis! Stop!” shouted Terence. “The farm isn’t on fire!”

Mavis stopped. “What?” “The farm isn’t on fire,” spluttered Terence indignantly. “We’re burning off weeds!” Mavis winced.

“Oh… sorry. Um…” The two paused – Terence looked down and groaned. His caterpillar tracks had gotten caught in a gnarled tree root. Mavis chuckled nervously, and hurried away with her stone trains.

“How’d you do that?!” exclaimed the farmer. “Mavis thought the farm was on fire, and wanted to save me,” Terence replied. “I tried to tell her, sir.” The farmer could only sigh. “It’s nice that you have such good friends, Terence, but they need to leave you alone so you can do your job!”

At that moment, a cheerful whistle peeped from behind them. “Oh no…” groaned Terence. “Need a little help?” asked Thomas cheekily. “Though I might not be able to pull you out, seeing as you’re stuck this time.”

Terence groaned – all this, and because of some annoying weeds with deep roots.

Back to Master Post

[rebeccathenaturalist]

Dead Wood Isn't Dead Weight in Habitat Restoration

I've been slowly rewilding my yard; almost every plant growing in it when I moved in was non-native, from purple foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) to sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosella) to at least four species of non-native grasses. The natives were sparse, mostly limited to beach strawberries (Fragaria chiloensis), trailing blackberry (Rubus ursinus), and field horsetail (Equisetum arvense), along with a few native shrubs like salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) and twinberry honeysuckle (Lonicera involucrata).

A lot of what I've been doing is removing non-native species while introducing native ones. It's been an uphill struggle since the non-natives are largely species that have evolved to quickly colonize disturbed land and out-compete most of the natives, which has meant a LOT of weeding. In some cases when I've had to open up entire areas of the yard that will have heavy foot traffic, I've had to sow various clovers as a quick solution to keep the other non-natives from crowding their way in. Clover, at least, is easier to remove, and once I have a chance to kill it it will release the nitrogen it has collected into the soil, making it a better spot for whatever I plant there next.

This morning before I started work I decided to get just a little more gardening in. I had these three log slices I was given a while back; the largest is over a foot in diameter. I decided to use them to create a small woody debris pile in one part of the yard that was rather sparse on such things. It's nothing too fancy; they're simply leaning on each other to create a little space underneath.

But these are important additions to this habitat in progress. Lots of living beings rely on dead wood for food or shelter--or both. While these wood slices look pristine now, it's likely that in the next few years they'll collect an array of inhabitants, from lichens and moss to insects and bacteria. Some of these will simply take up residence in the shelter I've created; others will do their part as decomposers and break down the cellulose and lignin in the wood. Eventually, if left in place, the slices will eventually return to the soil, adding to the nutrient load being passed around from being to being in this ecosystem.

Most often when woody debris is mentioned in habitat restoration, the focus is on large example like entire snags, nurse stumps, and nurse logs, or on dead trees piled up in rivers and streams. These are, of course, important examples thereof. However, many people don't have the space for an entire dead tree in their yard. In that case, smaller installations are perfectly reasonable and will still create habitat for your local wildlife like insects and other arthropods, snakes, toads, etc.

I also took the opportunity to take a quick peek at a stack of red alder (Alnus rubra) logs I had set up a couple of years ago. They'd already brought their own patches of moss, but the wet weather and resident decomposers have been doing their work, and the bark is beginning to slough off of some of them.

The previous owner of this property did some landscaping with dead wood; this is probably the largest, an old log about five feet long that I think looks a bit like an alligator's head. As you can see, it's pretty weathered at this point; the old knot has rotted out and the remaining wood has numerous cracks and splits, and the bark has long since decayed.

I'm going to keep adding small wood piles around the yard as I'm able to make space for them. They do need to be worked around when I'm attending to live plants, and can be an obstacle to mowers and other tools. I want to not have to disturb these little habitats once they're established, so I'll be adding them in deliberately. This sort of planning is important if you're going to be creating woody debris piles in your yard as well, so that your local wildlife are free to set up their homes without worrying about sudden eviction. If you're in an area with venomous snakes, or if you're concerned about termites or carpenter ants using a wood pile to hopscotch over to the wood in your home, you may want to make sure you create habitat further away from the house and other buildings. Finally, make sure that no one uses these piles as jungle gyms; the animals living inside them can be easily crushed if the wood is shifted around or compressed.

Did you enjoy this post? Consider taking one of my online foraging and natural history classes, checking out my other articles, or picking up a paperback or ebook I’ve written! You can even buy me a coffee here!

[silvermp]

A fun crossover of language, botony, and Fandom.

So! In Demon Slayer, our big bad demon-vampire Muzan looking for the Blue Spider Lily.

Except… he’s actually looking for the (青い彼岸花 - the Ao i Higanbana - a plant name given to him by a doctor who was combining herbal medicines to treat him, before that doctor died.

(Ao is made into an adjective by adding い. So, ( 青い )Aoi is describing something as being colored blue - which would be great, except….

Higanbana definitely refers to the red spider-lily. Like, specifically the red ones. White spider lilies have a different name. Symbolically, they represent a final separation.

( 青 ) Ao also means Green as well as Blue, especially when talking about plants. Green apples are AoRingo. Linguistically, the two colors weren’t differentiated until very recently. This story is set in the Taisho era of Japan, with Muzan’s plant name coming from, uh, more than 1,000 years old.

Midori, 緑 specifying GREEN, was only introduced to the Japanese language in the last 100 years or so - well after traffic lights, which still are called “red yellow ao” and not “red yellow midori”

Additionally, we’re given the information that this flower was later successfully found! Apparently the plant bloomed only for a few hours in the day, and otherwise resembled a large horsetail weed. It could not propagate from seed.

Horsetail plants are common in Japan, and the sprouts are commonly foraged to eat in early spring like asparagus.

Horsetail plants additionally are used medicinally - treating parasites, lowering blood pressure, increase blood clotting in a wound, relieving menstrual pain, and fever-reduction… while pretty much all lilies are poisonous.

Spider lilies aren’t super fatal in small doses, but they’re not medicinal either.

Below is a horsetail plant, with its “flowers” .

And now below THIS text is red spider-lilies (Higanbana) right before they bloom.

They kinda resemble each other, huh! Enough to gain a lookalike nickname, do you think? “Green-Higanbana” << referring to both the resemblance to a Higanbana scape (unopened flower and stem), and the green color.

Herbalists across the world often referred to plants with all sorts of nicknames based on what they visually resemble…

As a final mail in the coffin, how about coffins? After Uta's death, the 青い彼岸花 - Aoi Higanbana started growing on her grave.

While Higanbana were associated with death and passing to the other side, they do not spread by seed in Japan. They must be manually divided from bulbs and planted, and can’t appear like that unless by magic/mystic means. They appear around rice paddies and at gravesites via intentional planting

Horsetail meanwhile, also thrives around rice paddies and in disturbed soil like new graves. It’s a weed.

How likely is it, do you think, that Muzan’s doctor nicknamed the final ingredient of the medicine that would relieve a BLOOD CURSE “Aoi Higanbana”, but was actually talking about the medicinal common horsetail, and not a literal poisonous red spider Lily which bloomed blue flowers?

Totally hypothetical question, it’s my headcanon now.

[kaijusnz]

Hello kaijusnz, I’m a big fan of your blog and really enjoy reading your headcanons - thank you for sharing them! I’d love to see your HC of Kuki Shinobu and/or Kujou Sara sometime you feel inspired. :)

Ahhh thank you so much 😭💕💖 I've wanted to do these two for a while so here we go!

Kuki Shinobu

Stifles because she doesn't want to get her mask all gross

Pinch nose stifles when not wearing her mask

Only sneezes openly alone or if she can't stop sneezing

Normally sneezes twice

Naku weed allergy

It makes her nose super itchy

It'll take her a bit to sneeze but once the first one is out she can't stop

Typically a soft sneeze if she doesn't stifle but the more she sneezes the harsher they get

4/10 in volume, 5/10 in pitch, 6/10 in wetness

False sneezes which annoys her a lot

Almost never gets sick

Sakura bloom allergies too but they aren't super bad

Just another thing that made her dislike being a shrine maiden

Terrible horsetail allergy when she went to Liyue

They made her sneeze so much but they teased her too so she spent that entire day on the verge of sneezing but half the time they faked her out

Kujou Sara

Harsh sneeze

One that sounds like it hurts her throat

Her stifles are super harsh too

Hayfever

When spring comes around it wrecks her

3/10 pitch, 8/10 volume, 3/10 wetness

She can holdback super well but her red nose will give her away

Sneezes in 5s because of course

Suspenseful buildups

She'll keep them quiet around people but if she's alone they're pretty vocal

If she's alone and her sneeze won't come out she'll stick a feather up there to get it over with

Turns around and sneezes into her shoulder

Voice crack sneezes

Dust allergy as well

She makes sure to keep her house spotless

Gets sick often but works through it unless she physically can't

[hexjulia]

my garden is overgrowing with these and i was just going to compost them and make antifungal juice to spray on other plants but maybe not. some of these results look really fun

that's a beautiful yellow!

[helperhome]

Horseweed (I misnamed it horsetail on the stream, my apologies, there is also another plant with that name that I will post about as well!)

DISCLAIMER: ANY PLANT HAS THE ABILITY TO CAUSE ALLERGIC REACTIONS SUCH AS CONTACT DERMATITIS AND ALLERGIC RHINITIS. If you are allergic to a plant in the same family, it is advised that you use caution when handling and using the plant in question.

Firstly, what is it and what are the benefits of this fabulous plant? Well, this weed is commonly found across the Northern and Southern Americas and has spread elsewhere to places like Europe, Asia, and Australia. Thankfully along with its wide availability, it is also full of health benefits with a yummy taste included!

Some benefits include antibacterial, anti-fungal, and carminative properties (a fancy way of saying it helps relieve gas). Also, it treats diarrhea, hemorrhoids, and menstrual irregularities. An awesome bonus is that it is said to treat an array of skin problems including eczema, and ringworm, among others as well. This usage was found primarily in African cultures and (so far) I haven't been able to identify what properties aid the skin problems. [It also may be an effective way to treat herpes, boils, and bites but use with caution as I haven't found more detailed info on those claims.]

Recipes!!

Horseweed Tea:

The ratio of plant matter to water when making a tea is going to vary amongst what your overall preference would be as far as potency of benefits and flavor are concerned. A great idea is to fill a heat-safe container with the leaves and cover it with boiled water, steeping overnight. To get the most out of the plants, allow the hot mixture to cool at room temp before storing it in the fridge to steep overnight.

Horseweed Syrup:

For this, all you'll need is your previously mentioned tea mixture and sugar of your choice! Add a 1:1 ratio of sugar and tea to a pot and bring to a boil. From there, simmer it until it becomes your desired consistency.

If the syrup is added to carbonated water it will have a flavor similar to that of a combination of cream soda, Dr. Pepper, and root beer - BUT MEDICINAL!

Sources:

Horseweed Sources

Benefits: 

Medicinal Herb Info: Horseweed http://medicinalherbinfo.org/000Herbs2016/1herbs/horseweed/#:~:text=Horseweed%20is%20particularly%20suitable%20for,colon%20trouble%2C%20and%20summer%20complaint.

Illinois State Horticulture Center

https://horticulturecenter.illinoisstate.edu › gardens

Location:

UC IPM https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/WEEDS/horseweed.html#:~:text=Horseweed%2C%20also%20called%20mare's%20tail,natural%20vegetation%20has%20been%20disturbed.

Recipe: 

Taken from FB foraging group- I'm going to try to contact the OP for crediting purposes if she wants to be credited!(:

[flowerishness]

Buddleja davidii (Butterfly bush) and Apis mellifera (Western honey bee)

Globalisation

Whenever I’m visited by out-of-town friends in the summer, I usually take them down to the beach to get a bit of that West Coast vibe. The plant community is the very picture of globalisation because the only native plant that I see in abundance is the common horsetail (Equisetum), and that doesn’t count because horsetails are found everywhere except Antarctica.

This species of Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii) is originally from central China and parts of Japan. It arrived in European gardens in the 1890′s and was already being declared an ‘invasive weed’ in Britain in 1922. Here it prospers on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, “duking it out” with a host of other introduced plant species.

Butterfly bush is often grown as a garden ornamental because it is attractive to butterflies. However, this particular ‘garden escapee’ is being pollinated by a honey bee. Butterflies are sensitive to habitat destruction, pesticide use and, increasingly, climate change. As local gardeners, we don’t see that many butterflies around these days but these honey bees are part of the problem too.

In 2021 the global honey market was worth 8 billion dollars with over 94 million registered bee hives world-wide. The number of hives is expected to grow another 8% in the next five years. Each bee hive can consume 250 kilos of nectar and 50 kilos of pollen a year, and this represents enormous competition to native pollinators of all kinds, especially bumblebees and butterflies. Some jurisdictions are now considering restricting the number of honey bee hives to assist conservation efforts and increase biodiversity.

[blackswallowtailbutterfly]

Native Plants I’ve Actually Seen Growing Wild in Southern Ontario

Acer saccharinum (silver maple) --along the sides of highways

Acer saccharum (sugar maple) --GTA ravines

Achillea millefolia (yarrow) --GTA ravines

Allium schoenoprasum (wild chives) --GTA ravines, Ridgetown

Allium tricoccum (ramps) --Niagara region escarpments

Amaranthus retroflexus (redroot amaranth) --fallow areas in the GTA

Ambrosia artemisiifolia (ragweed) --fallow areas in the GTA

Ambrosia trifida (giant ragweed) --parks in the GTA

Amelanchier spp. (saskatoon/serviceberry) --GTA ravines

Arisaema triphyllum (Jack-in-the-pulpit) --GTA ravines

Aronia melanocarpa (black chokeberry) --ravines and parks in the GTA

Asarum canadense (Canada ginger) --GTA ravines

Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) --fallow areas, ravines, and parks throughout southern Ontario from Windsor to GTA

Asplenium trichomanes (maidenhair spleenwort) --Niagara region escarpments

Betula spp. (birch) --ravines and parks throughout southern Ontario from Windsor to GTA

Bidens spp. (beggar ticks) --GTA ravines

Caulophyllum thalictroides (blue cohosh) --GTA parks

Ceratophyllum demersum (hornwort) --GTA ravines (native in freshwater across the globe anyway)

Circaea lutetiana (enchanter’s nightshade) --fallow areas in the GTA

Commelina spp. (dayflower) --fallow areas in Windsor

Cornus alternifolia (Pagoda dogwood) --GTA wooded areas

Cornus sericea (red osier dogwood) --GTA ravines and in Windsor riverside parks

Crataegus spp. (hawthorn) --GTA ravines and parks

Echinocystis lobata (wild prickly cucumber) --GTA ravines

Elaeagnus commutata (silverberry) --GTA parks and fallow areas

Epilobium ciliatum (fringed willowherb) --fallow areas in the GTA

Equisetum spp. (horsetail/scouring rush) --GTA ravines and fallow areas

Erigeron spp. (fleabane) --GTA parks and fallow areas, Ridgetown

Erythronium americanum (trout lily) --GTA ravines and parks

Eutrochium maculatum (Joe-Pye weed) --GTA parks

Fragaria virginiana (wild strawberry) --fallow areas in the GTA

Geranium maculatum (wild geranium) --Windsor green spaces

Geranium robertianum (herb robert) --Windsor green spaces

Geum aleppicum (yellow avens) --GTA fallow areas

Geum canadense (white avens) --GTA fallow areas

Geum macrophyllum (large-leaved avens) --GTA fallow areas

Gymnocladus dioicus (Kentucky coffee tree) --GTA ravines

Helianthus spp. (sunflower) --GTA fallow areas and parks

Heracleum maximum (cow parsnip) --GTA ravines

Hordeum jubatum (foxtail barley) --GTA fallow areas

Humulus lupulus (hops) --GTA ravines

Hydrophyllum virginianum (Virginia waterleaf) --GTA ravines

Impatiens capensis (jewelweed) --GTA ravines and in Windsor riverside parks

Juglans nigra (black walnut) --GTA ravines

Lactuca canadensis (Canadian lettuce) --GTA fallow areas

Lilium michiganense (Michigan lily) --GTA ravines

Lupinus perennis (sundial lupine) --GTA parks

Maianthemum canadense (Canada mayflower) --GTA ravines

Maianthemum racemosum (starry false solomon’s seal) --GTA ravines and parks

Maianthemum stellatum (starry false solomon’s seal) --GTA ravines

Matteuccia struthiopteris (ostrich fern) --GTA ravines

Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot) --GTA ravines and parks

Morus rubra (red mulberry) --fallow areas in Windsor, GTA parks

Myosotis laxa (smallflower forget-me-not) --GTA fallow areas

Oenothera biennis (evening primrose) --GTA fallow areas

Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern) --GTA ravines

Oxalis stricta (yellow wood sorrel) --fallow areas and ravines throughout southern Ontario from Windsor to GTA

Parietaria pensylvanica (Pennsylvania pellitory) --GTA fallow areas

Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper) --Windsor fallow areas and GTA ravines and parks

Persicaria lapathifolia (curlytop smartweed) --GTA fallow areas

Podophyllum peltatum (mayapple) --GTA ravines and parks

Portulaca oleracea (purslane) --fallow areas throughout southern Ontario from Windsor to GTA (native globally anyway)

Potentilla norvejica monspeliensis (ternate-leaved cinquefoil) --GTA fallow areas

Prunella vulgaris (selfheal) --fallow areas and ravines throughout southern Ontario from Windsor to GTA

Prunus virginiana (chokecherry) --Windsor fallow areas, GTA ravines and parks, Niagara region escarpments

Pteridium aquilinum latiusculum (western bracken fern) --GTA parks

Quercus spp. (oak) --wooded areas throughout southern Ontario from Windsor to GTA

Rhus typhina (staghorn sumac) --parks and fallow areas throughout southern Ontario from Windsor to Collingwood

Ribes spp. (currants) --GTA ravines and parks

Ribes spp. (gooseberries) --GTA ravines

Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust) --GTA ravines and parks

Rosa spp. (roses) --GTA ravines, parks, and fallow areas

Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry) --ravines, parks, and fallow areas in Hamilton and GTA

Rubus odoratus (purple-flowered raspberry) --GTA ravines and parks

Rubus strigosus (American red raspberry) --GTA parks

Rudbeckia hirta (black-eyed susan) --GTA parks

Salix spp. (willow) --GTA ravines

Sambucus canadensis (common elderberry) --Windsor riverside parks, GTA ravines

Sambucus racemosa (red elderberry) --GTA ravines and parks

Smilax spp. (greenbrier) --GTA parks

Solidago canadensis (Canada goldenrod) --parks and fallow areas throughout southern Ontario from Windsor to GTA

Sorbus spp. (mountain ash) --GTA ravines and parks

Streptopus spp. (twistedstalk) --GTA parks

Symphoricarpos spp. (snowberry) --GTA parks

Symphyotrichum ericoides (heath aster) --fallow areas throughout southern Ontario from Windsor to GTA

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (New England aster) --fallow areas throughout southern Ontario from Windsor to GTA

Symplocarpus foetidus (skunk cabbage) --GTA parks

Tilia spp. (linden) --GTA ravines

Trillium grandiflorum (white trillium) --parks throughout southern Ontario from Windsor to GTA

Tsuga canadensis (eastern hemlock) --GTA parks

Typha latifolia (broad-leaved cattail) --marshes in Essex county and GTA

Urtica gracilis (slender nettle) --GTA ravines

Uvularia spp. (bellwort) --streams in Windsor green spaces

Verbena hastata (blue vervain) --GTA ravines

Viburnum lentago (nannyberry) --GTA parks and Ridgetown ravine

Viburnum trilobum (highbush cranberry) --Ridgetown

Viola sororia (wood violet) --fallow areas and wooded areas throughout southern Ontario from Windsor to GTA

Vitis riparia (riverbank grape) --GTA fallow areas, ravines, and parks

Waldsteinia fragarioides (barren strawberry) --GTA ravines and parks

Xanthium strumarium canadense (Canada cocklebur) --GTA parks and fallow areas

I’ve likely seen many others and just couldn’t identify them, but there are a lot I’ve never seen growing wild. What I’m hoping is that some of the native species I have in my garden will make their way to the nearby ravine. If I get around to it, though, I might just take a walk with some Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed) seeds in the fall. They certainly seem to successfully germinate in my garden whether I want them to or not (don’t have space for them to go crazy). Can’t see why they wouldn’t in a natural swamp area.

[grimmstar-grimmoire]

Herbal Properties [E-H]

E Ebony : Protection, Power Echinacea : Strengthening Spells Edelweiss : Invisibility, Bullet-Proofing Elder : Exorcism, Protection, Healing, Prosperity, Sleep Elecampane : Love, Protection, Psychic Powers Elm : Love Endive : Lust, Love Eryngo : Travelers Luck, Peace, Lust, Love Eucalyptus : Healing, Protection Euphorbia : Purification, Protection Eyebright : Mental Powers, Psychic Power F Fennel : Protection, Healing, Purification Fenugreek : Money Fern : Rain Making, Protection, Luck, Riches, Eternal Youth, Health, Exorcism Feverfew : Protection Fig : Divination, Fertility, Love Figwort : Health, Protection Flax : Money, Protection, Beauty, Psychic Powers, Healing Fleabane : Exorcism, Protection, Chastity Foxglove : Protection Frankincense : Protection, Exorcism, Spirituality Fumitory : Money, Exorcism Fuzzy Weed : Love, Hunting G Galangal : Protection, Lust, Health, Money, Psychic Powers, Hex-Breaking Gardenia : Love, Peace, Healing, Spirituality Garlic : Protection, Healing, Exorcism, Lust, Anti-Theft Gentian : Love, Power Geranium : Fertility, Health, Love, Protection Ginger : Love, Money, Success, Power Ginseng : Love, Wishes, Healing, Beauty, Protection, Lust Goats Rue : Healing, Health Goldenrod : Money, Divination Golden Seal : Healing, Money Gorse : Protection, Money Gotu Kola : Meditation Gourd : Protection Grain : Protection Grains of Paradise : Lust, Luck, Love, Money, Wishes Grape : Fertility, Garden Magic, Mental Powers, Money Grass : Psychic Powers, Protection Ground Ivy : Divination Groundsel : Health, Healing H Hawthorn : Fertility, Chastity, Fishing Magic, Happiness Hazel : Luck, Fertility, Anti-Lightning, Protection, Wishes Heather : Protection, Rain Making, Luck Heliotrope : Exorcism, Prophetic Dreams, Healing, Wealth, Invisibility Hellebore, Black : Protection *TOXIC Hemlock : Destroy Sexual Drive TOXIC Hemp : Healing, Love, Vision, Meditation Henbane : Love Attraction TOXIC Henna : Healing Hibiscus : Lust, Love, Divination Hickory : Legal Matters High John the Conqueror : Money, Love, Success, Happiness Holly : Protection, Anti-Lightning, Luck, Dream Magic, Balance Honesty : Money, Repelling Monsters Honeysuckle : Money, Psychic Powers, Protection Hops : Healing, Sleep Horehound : Protection, Mental Powers, Exorcism, Healing Horse Chestnut : Money, Healing Horseradish : Purification, Exorcism Horsetail : Snake Charming, Fertility Houndstongue : Tying Dog's Tongues Houseleek : Luck, Protection, Love Huckleberry : Luck, Protection, Dream Magic, Hex Breaking Hyacinth : Love, Protection, Happiness Hydrangea : Hex Breaking Hyssop : Purification, Protection

[sicksucculentz]

Littlest treehorn headcannons

This one has a lot to do with Jay

If it flies in the skies, walks the earth, or swims the waters Jay will study it. He’s even gotten the chance to study the keepers of the amulet. He’s spent a lot of time studying Zane, internal and external as well as mentally.

Jay was actully the one to find out WHY it is Zane acts the way he does. It’s not his personailty but an embedded programming from spending so many years living with treehorns. He also found that Zane is pretty much controlled by this programming like a puppet and he willingly lets that happen. Pushing back against the programming just causes mental pain and identity crisis. Zane’s true personality is calm and mute yet goofy and excited to make others laugh or even playfully tease others. He can be a little mischievous but it’s never harmful.

Jay never actually knew how to properly interact with Zane when they first met so he just kind of referred to what he knew best….treating Zane like a dog. I don’t mean in a rude demeaning way but more along the lines of head pats, head petting, chin scratch, and asking questions in that tone one has with an excited dog. He fixed a lot of that as time went one but the petting stuck as a goofy form of affection and just ended up being their friendship language. After Zane died and he recreated a new body he made sure to make the hair pettable for the others.

Pixal loves him but good god she wants to kick his ass sometimes. She never would, she would feel so guilty for ever hitting him. Instead she does the mom move and calls him by his full name. As soon as he hears “Zane Julian!!” In that tone we all know his shenanigans stop, he knows she’s not fucking around.

He’s a great boyfriend and he’s thinking about one say marrying Pixal. Pixal is the muscle in the relationship despite how aggressive Zane can get from time to time. He thinks she’s just the most attractive women he’s ever seen, and yes he tells her this in many different ways. Pixal thinks of Zane as a little freak with great big doe eyes but she loves him with all her heart as well. SOMETIMES and only sometimes does she compare Zane’s qualities to another nindroid and realize the other nindroid is a better choice but she stays with Zane. She can’t see a life without him and despite the things that piss her off she can put up with them because he treats her right and makes her own heart flutter. She will die for him and his friends just as he did for her once.

Zane is SUPER affectionate with those close to him. He will cuddle frequently as well as fawn over the well being of his friends

Zane is a little more crabby than cannon Zane. He really gets nasty when he’s woken up from a nap before he needs to and even when he needs to get up he’s grumpy. He’s yelled a couple of times in frustration. Every time the person waking him up will jump and back away. He will sometimes pull his lips away from his teeth in a snarl, something he only does in this situation. He dosent even actively make a noise when he does this just shows his teeth and glares, his friends call it ‘the slumber grumper’

He cannot feel pain but the disrespect of an attack or blow from someone or something else causes him fight back. A little bit of it is programming. Just becasue he cannot feel pain dosent mean he isn’t aware other creatures feel pain. He’s genteil in his play fighting and sparring and does feel guilt when he hurts someone, accident or not. Defending himself is a different, in a case such as that he’s using pain as a deterrent so he would want to hurt someone or something. It’s pretty effective even if it’s not the best reaction in different situations.

Zane eats mostly scraps and snippets of food. He dosent eat very much and mostly does it for taste. He’s always liked fruits, veg, and other plant material. He even loves to eat flowers, stating that different flower types have different tastes. Weeds like dandelions and horsetail or ivy don’t have the greatest taste. Dandelions taste the worst, Zane says they taste like over powering green beans and lawn clippings. Bell shapped flowers are said to not really have a taste, like a not yet ripe melon but the crunch of them is what he’s looking for. Sunflowers are pretty saught after but nothing compaired to cactus flowers or maple tree leaves. Apparently it’s not called a maple tree for no reason, tastes just like maple syrup and a little like toasted marshmallows but not quite. He explains maple tree leaves as a rustic yet sweet flavor. Passion flowers are sour and wild field flowers are bitter. Tree flowers taste more like unidentified fruit.

Zane has a fan made plushie of himself on his bed. He treasures that thing. It’s shaped a little funny at the moment because he’s been holding it in one hand when he sleeps.

He gets the zoomies when someone farts. He’s like a goofy dumb dog and starts getting all riled up. It makes everyone laugh so he’s not gonna stop. He acts all startled then just starts running all over the place for a couple seconds then just goes back to minding his own.

He wont hurt anything thats clearly a baby and that includes toddlers as well as baby animals. He actually protects them or gets them what they want. He kept trying to overfeed Wu when Wu had been turned into a baby.

Jay is actually the one that drugs Zane up and takes him to meet ups are science demonstrations. He uses a quarter of his own melatonin meds, this keeps Zane sated and calm without outright knocking him on his ass with it. Pixal always tags along to the science demonstrations witch are sometimes in a classroom or sometimes at an event. She is the one students or event customers can touch and get an up close personal look at a nindroid while Zane is ONLY shown and or used behind roped off sections. In a classroom setting all students must be seated and remain seated during and after Zane is brought into the room.

Zane's scars are not a sore subject at all. He rather enjoys the way the scars make him look as he wont shy away when his friends run their fingers over them. The one on his face was a rather deep wound caused by a young male treehorn trying to strut his stuff and show off. It's a crooked U shape that loops around his right eye with clear tooth indentations, no questions that he'd been bitten in the head. Zane can still point out witch treehorn did it to him years later, even when the treehorn is larger than it used to be. His scars are kind of course and bumpy.

After his death he recreates a new tituam body just as the cannon Zane does only this Zane's design is different. Etched and burned into his mental skin are fantastical designs like tattoos. His eyebrows have synthetic short hairs that flare out like a rock hopper penguin and he even represented his scars on his old body through the etched designs. His tummy area is a slightly lighter color then the rest of his body. When Cole saw him for the first time on Chen's island he froze in a bit of fear but then quickly began complementing Zane on his designs. When the rest of the team caught sight of Zane they cheered and swamped him in hugs; petting his head, rubbing his back, squeezing him tight, etc. Pixal smacked him across the face for killing himself then cried in his chest. She missed him so much her emotions got the best of her, something that rarely happens with her.

When Zane meet is father and creator Dr. Julian he found his own father was scared of who'd he'd become!. Of course Julian still loved Zane with all his heart and was over the moon to see his son again but he couldn't help but feel intimated by the scars and look in his sons eye. Zane was also over the moon to see his father again.

[adz]

Which leaves should be tasted and which leaves should be left alone.

Taste this leaf: Thyme leaf Bayberry leaf Baobab leaf Bearberry leaf Neem leaf Ashoka leaf Saw palmetto leaf Patchouli leaf Annatto leaf Oregano leaf Coconut palm leaf Kaffir lime leaf Plum leaf Anise leaf Soursop leaf Cranberry leaf Damiana leaf Indigo leaf Wild lettuce leaf Turmeric leaf Comfrey leaf Bamboo palm leaf Indian gooseberry leaf Cilantro coriander leaf Black walnut leaf Black currant leaf Holy basil leaf Curry tree leaf Sassafras leaf Green tea leaf Lime leaf Gardenia leaf Cotton leaf Licorice leaf Watercress leaf Horsetail leaf Raspberry leaf Fern leaf Stevia leaf Lavender leaf Tamarind leaf Elephant ear leaf Chamomile leaf Aloe vera leaf Coriander leaf Carob leaf Kigelia leaf Pomegranate leaf Burdock leaf Lemon balm leaf Coral tree leaf Eyebright leaf Nettle leaf Papaya leaf Five-finger leaf Eucalyptus globulus leaf Eucalyptus citriodora leaf Banana leaf Avocado leaf Indian long pepper leaf Catnip leaf Cilantro leaf Cherry leaf Watermelon leaf Epazote leaf Ground ivy leaf Papyrus leaf Bougainvillea leaf Henna leaf Hemp leaf Grape leaf Uva Ursi leaf Cubeb pepper leaf Bell pepper leaf Zucchini leaf Daylily leaf Galangal leaf Almond leaf Bee balm leaf Mustard leaf Bergamot leaf Coleus leaf Camellia leaf Ivy leaf Graviola leaf Rose leaf Clove leaf Gotu kola leaf Kalmegh leaf Kiwi leaf Corn leaf Kudzu leaf Blackberry leaf Sugarcane leaf Wheatgrass leaf Kratom leaf Khat leaf Bay leaf Yarrow leaf Butterfly pea leaf Bael leaf Sycamore leaf Jasmine sambac leaf Lemon thyme leaf Cacao leaf Fenugreek leaf Rice paper plant leaf Astragalus leaf Yellow dock leaf Chia leaf Chive leaf Bitter melon leaf Plantain leaf Yerba mate leaf Mulberry leaf Fennel leaf Honeysuckle leaf Palm leaf Elderberry leaf Bloodroot leaf Horseradish leaf Jackfruit leaf Pineapple sage leaf Devil's claw leaf Pomegranate tree leaf Hops leaf Durian leaf Passionflower leaf Cumin leaf Italian parsley leaf Dill leaf False indigo leaf Lemon myrtle leaf Valerian leaf Jasmine tea leaf Cowslip leaf Cinnamon basil leaf Chickweed leaf Lemongrass leaf Ginseng leaf Hyssop leaf Teak leaf Bishop's weed leaf White sage leaf Tulsi leaf Pothos leaf Betel leaf Tomato leaf Coltsfoot leaf Vetiver leaf Clary sage leaf Curry patta leaf Prickly pear leaf Moringa leaf Pandan leaf Allspice leaf Gymnema leaf Cassava leaf Ajwain leaf Breadfruit leaf Calendula officinalis leaf Dragonfruit leaf Ylang-ylang leaf Dong quai leaf Cascara sagrada leaf Sage leaf Feverfew leaf Cardamom leaf Black cohosh leaf Angelica leaf Basil leaf Calabash leaf Guava leaf Goldenrod leaf Acacia leaf Amaryllis leaf Cinnamon fern leaf Indian bay leaf Lingonberry leaf Ginkgo leaf Lemon verbena leaf Buchu leaf Barbados nut leaf Rue leaf Japanese knotweed leaf Cinnamon leaf Borage leaf Cleavers leaf Carom leaf Yucca leaf Arugula leaf Mango leaf African violet leaf Agave leaf Coffee leaf Persimmon leaf Cat's whiskers leaf Hawthorn leaf Rosemary leaf Fo-ti leaf Red clover leaf Hibiscus leaf Blueberry leaf Jamaican dogwood leaf Guarana leaf Kinnikinnick leaf Kelp leaf Cress leaf Spinach leaf Rubber tree leaf Chrysanthemum leaf Fig leaf Kava leaf Balloon flower leaf Spearmint leaf Elderflower leaf Citronella leaf Strawberry leaf Peppermint leaf Ashwagandha leaf Olive leaf

Never taste this leaf: Curly parsley

[alivehouse]

something so beautiful 2 me about how horsetails are 200 million years old or whatever and people still complain about how much it spreads and how nothing theyre doing to get rid of it is working on weed control sites. cheers bro may u enjoy 200 million more years of being hard to kill

[anemxvisions]

teyvat literally has rainbow flowers to make a pride bouquet

Red - Windwheel aster/Silk Flower Orange - Calla Lily/Snap Dragon Yellow - Sweet Flower Green - Mint Blue - Lampgrass/Glaze Lily Purple - Naku Weed/Violet Grass/HorseTail  White - Inteyvat

[nonlovesongoftheday]

Horsetail - A Stick and a Stone

Horsetail, comfort me The ones that we call human are crumbling Horsetail, ancient weed Teach me your resiliency

[halomancer]

Thursday vs Friday community garden plot! Where possible I tried to transplant the stuff inside (so the horsetails, lemonbalm, and suchlike got moved to the perimeter). I did go scorched earth on all the buttercup tho, the only stuff left is where there’s a bunch of harvestmen living in the roots. Love those guys but also they freak me the fuck out. I also put some poppy seeds and yarrow transplants on the outside. Planning to put up a fence for the deer and to support the climbing plants

I heavily planted the inside with sunflowers, bush and pole beans, carrots, beets, bok choy, kale, arugula, spinach, something called epazote, various herbs, and a sweet potato. I’m also going to add nasturtiums, tomatoes, onions, and a summer squash.

Really most of my time was spend weeding the really aggressive stuff and putting down wood chips, I can be more hands-off now and let the soil re-establish itself

[hexjulia]

when you water a garden during a hot dry summer you can see the plants perk uo in two hours or so. If you were there all along because your garden keeps being overtaken by horsetail and needs hours of weeding you will physically see them go from sad hanging little things to firm bright green plants and that is a vety nice feeling. I did this! I'm happy to care for them. It's not like caring for an animal but not less rewarding or responsive.