Thursday, June 17, 2010

[Article] Wild Medcinal Plants [Desert] Edition 2

Silk Tassel
For Menstrual Cramps

Common Names: Silktassel, Bear Brush, Quinine Bush, Fever Bush

Botanical Name: Garrya spp.



Taste: Bitter, bitter, bitter

Properties: Very Strong Relaxant (anti-spasmodic), uterine stimulant, febrifuge, anodyne, excellent for menstrual crmaps

Parts Used: Twigs & Leaves

Preparations: Tea, if you can stand how bitter it is. Tincture is often done. May be capsulized. Fresh plant 1:2 95% Dried plant 1:5 50%

Dosage: 1 capsule, or a small amount in one cup of tea. Or around twenty 'drops.' Try a small amount and wait for forty minutes to an hour to gauge effects.

This plant will affect blood pressure, so want to be sure not to over do it. The bark is more potent than the leaves, so you probably want to simply stick with those.


It's important to plant, use, and appreciate your native plants, wherever you live. The plants growing in your area are there for you. They have built up antibodies to local bacteria. They have built up strength in the local climate. They drink in the same amount of sun and feel the same climate that you do.

Your local plants, especially the ones growing in your neighborhood, are the best plants for you. You attract to you what you need. Often people find that the medical cure they need most is growing right outside their door.

It's also important to grow local plants if you're a gardener or farmer (or a raw foodist, or anybody) as this short excellent article points out.


Manzanita
For urinary infections

Common name: Manzanita

Botanical name: Arctostaphylos

Manzanita is not to be confused with Silktassel. They look very similar, but Manzanita has a distinctive red bark which sets it apart.



Manzanita is a common name for many species of the genus Arctostaphylos. They are evergreen shrubs or small trees and are characterized by smooth, orange or red bark and stiff, twisting branches. There are 106 species of manzanita, 95 of which are found in California, ranging from ground-hugging coastal and mountain species to small trees up to 6m tall. Manzanitas bloom in the winter to early spring and carry berries in spring and summer. The berries and flowers of most species are edible.

Locations: Red Rock Canyon of Nevada

"Manzanita is found in the area surrounding the escarpment in the rocky canyons and on the walls. Vegetation is found only on areas where soil has accumulated. The most limiting factor in this area is availability of soil. Precipitation usually ranges from eight to ten inches annually. Manzanita is the most dominant plant."

They are present in the chaparral biome of western North America, where they occur from southern British Columbia, Washington to California and New Mexico in the United States, and throughout much of northern and central Mexico.

More Wild Plants

If you want to learn about more wild dessert plants, read my first post about these amazing plants; Wild Medcinal Plants [Desert] Edition 1

  • Yucca Schidigera & Joshua Tree

  • Chaparral Herb

  • Scarlet Globemallow Herb


    Want to learn more and start learning from one of the best sources there is? Visit Markus Rothkranz's site and discover the many sources available there.

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