I was just thinking that too!!
Medicine plant of the Day
- Thread starter Peanut
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Nope, not Virginia Creeper.
Scientific name is Bignonia capreolata. I'm blessed to live near a Nature Conservavncy preserve that publishes a species list. I use it as a spring board to double-check ID's - think I've got it right.
In my mind I was picturing this photo - but it turns out this photo was taken in March, not in the fall. So I'm wondering if it's the same plant as yours, but this bit further north the leaves remain over winter, but turn a deep purple during the cold months. Kinda like young eastern red cedar does here.
It's just interesting how the same plants can be a little different from place to place.
And also how common names can mean different plants in different places.
Scientific name is Bignonia capreolata. I'm blessed to live near a Nature Conservavncy preserve that publishes a species list. I use it as a spring board to double-check ID's - think I've got it right.
In my mind I was picturing this photo - but it turns out this photo was taken in March, not in the fall. So I'm wondering if it's the same plant as yours, but this bit further north the leaves remain over winter, but turn a deep purple during the cold months. Kinda like young eastern red cedar does here.
It's just interesting how the same plants can be a little different from place to place.
And also how common names can mean different plants in different places.
Your absolutely correct! That's crossvine! I have never seen it look like that. You're at a much higher elevation i believe and much further north.. Maybe it's from much colder nights?
Here it's this color in winter, a dark green. Because it grows all winter the old leaves will be much darker than new growth in summer.... new growth is much lighter in color... bottom
Old and new growth side by side.
So cool!
I've only hiked that part of the property during non-summer months - getting there is pretty overgrown. I'm going to have to get a look at it now and see how it's doing.
I've only hiked that part of the property during non-summer months - getting there is pretty overgrown. I'm going to have to get a look at it now and see how it's doing.
@goshengirl do you recognize the plant in the bottom right corner of this photo? I'm seeing it everywhere this year... I call it the most un-photogenic plant in america! 
There nothing to it but stems. It's almost always out of focus. my current camera can take a photo of it but not my old ones. It's vervain...
There nothing to it but stems. It's almost always out of focus. my current camera can take a photo of it but not my old ones. It's vervain...
Not very high in elevation, by the way - about 900 ft. But we're coming off the Ohio River valley and at the edge of the Appalachians, so we have pockets of places that behave differently. Growing zone 6b.
We're really very lucky here - at the southern end of northern growing plants, the northern end of southern plants, and the eastern end of western growing plants. The foothills of the unglaciated Appalachians to one side, but a short crow's flight from the moraines left by the glaciers. The more I learn about what's around me, the more I appreciate it.
We're really very lucky here - at the southern end of northern growing plants, the northern end of southern plants, and the eastern end of western growing plants. The foothills of the unglaciated Appalachians to one side, but a short crow's flight from the moraines left by the glaciers. The more I learn about what's around me, the more I appreciate it.
Vervain is fantastic for migraine type headaches. Mine get that bad often. Sweet leaf does a good job if i catch them early. They sneak up on me sometimes though.
I wish i'd known how good vervain was years ago! Kick myself for not trying it. Made tincture last year, great for very bad headaches. But, with any plant that powerful there are pitfalls. 3 drops sometimes, 2 usually. 4 were too much for me, Nervines can be tricky.
The blue one i usually see is an invasive, Brazilian vervain aka Verbena brasiliensis. It's what i used for tincture. There is another native blue species here i never see and a white vervain I see fairly often.
Yours looks very different.
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I have MUCH to learn about plant medicine...
It's a journey without end... I thought when i learned the first 10 plants i'd be okay. Just a few in case the hospital closed. But they weren't enough even for the minor issues in my life... So i thought i'd learn 100, but they weren't enough either!!!
The real education comes with using plants instead of prescriptions. I'm still learning things about plants I've used for a decade. The journey continues...
The real education comes with using plants instead of prescriptions. I'm still learning things about plants I've used for a decade. The journey continues...
I might have posted these plastic bottles recently. Here it is with more detail. Amber glass tincture bottles are expensive and they are fragile. I don’t charge folks for tincture, if I have something that’ll help them they are welcome. I ask that they bring back my amber bottles. People forget, I’ve lost quite a few bottles over the years.
A herb friend told me he switched to 60ml plastic bottles to replace 2oz amber bottles for sales. His were 5 hour energy bottles. They don’t break and not that expensive wholesale. About 60cents each but I have to buy 1000 bottles to get that price. I found someone selling 50 bottles for about $1.25ea. Still more than I wanted to pay.
I saw these knockoff energy drink bottles at a store recently, $1 ea. I brought a few home to test them. They do hold 60ml, just over 2oz. Best part, a medicine dropper fits, the cap threads match.
Today I was back at the same store, bought 15, w/tax $1.06 ea. Perfect for disposable tincture bottles and they don’t break! Just have to pour out the contents, strip off the label and wash them. Anyway, it's a good source if you need a few plastic bottles.
A herb friend told me he switched to 60ml plastic bottles to replace 2oz amber bottles for sales. His were 5 hour energy bottles. They don’t break and not that expensive wholesale. About 60cents each but I have to buy 1000 bottles to get that price. I found someone selling 50 bottles for about $1.25ea. Still more than I wanted to pay.
I saw these knockoff energy drink bottles at a store recently, $1 ea. I brought a few home to test them. They do hold 60ml, just over 2oz. Best part, a medicine dropper fits, the cap threads match.
Today I was back at the same store, bought 15, w/tax $1.06 ea. Perfect for disposable tincture bottles and they don’t break! Just have to pour out the contents, strip off the label and wash them. Anyway, it's a good source if you need a few plastic bottles.
SCORE! I found a new creek lined with yellowroot this afternoon. Even better I got permission from the owner to hunt plants on his farm. The last month I’ve been trying to find a place I saw a few years ago. I forgot how to get back there. I found a photo last week taken that day. It had a county road sign in the background so I had a place to start. The area is about 30sq miles, crisscrossed by gravel roads. I picked a road and started checking each creek I crossed.
At the first small creek I came to i thought I could see yellowroot about 50yds down stream. There was a hayfield along one side. I stopped at a house a couple hundred yards up the road to find out who owned the field. I was speaking to the owner. Turns out his brother drives a log truck for my cousin and I went to highschool with his sister. Never met the man but we knew lots of people in common.
When I explain what I’m looking for and why, people are intrigued. So this guy gave me permission to walk on his land. I found tons of yellowroot. Even harvested one plant and took it back to show him the plant I needed.
We exchanged phone numbers, said I’m welcome to come by anytime. I just have to call and let him know when I’m harvesting on his land.
Even better, his farm straddles a ridge, on each side there’s a creek. The original place I found a few years ago was where 2 creeks came together. I’m pretty sure those are the same creeks on his land, just further up stream than the location I was trying to find again.
This is a score on many levels. If I find one farmer in a new area like this guy… by fall all the farmers for miles will know about me. Word will spread, this guy will open lots of doors for me with his neighbors. By next summer I’ll be able to hunt most of that valley. It’s that simple… that’s how I manage to hunt plants over 400sq miles. I just stop and talk to people.
I’m always willing to show people what they have growing, even show them how to make a tincture, how to harvest what they need. I’m not making money off this, anyone is welcome if I have a plant that will help them, no charge. There are always a few disagreeable people but most are fascinated with plant medicine and give me permission to hunt their properties.
At the first small creek I came to i thought I could see yellowroot about 50yds down stream. There was a hayfield along one side. I stopped at a house a couple hundred yards up the road to find out who owned the field. I was speaking to the owner. Turns out his brother drives a log truck for my cousin and I went to highschool with his sister. Never met the man but we knew lots of people in common.
When I explain what I’m looking for and why, people are intrigued. So this guy gave me permission to walk on his land. I found tons of yellowroot. Even harvested one plant and took it back to show him the plant I needed.
We exchanged phone numbers, said I’m welcome to come by anytime. I just have to call and let him know when I’m harvesting on his land.
Even better, his farm straddles a ridge, on each side there’s a creek. The original place I found a few years ago was where 2 creeks came together. I’m pretty sure those are the same creeks on his land, just further up stream than the location I was trying to find again.
This is a score on many levels. If I find one farmer in a new area like this guy… by fall all the farmers for miles will know about me. Word will spread, this guy will open lots of doors for me with his neighbors. By next summer I’ll be able to hunt most of that valley. It’s that simple… that’s how I manage to hunt plants over 400sq miles. I just stop and talk to people.
I’m always willing to show people what they have growing, even show them how to make a tincture, how to harvest what they need. I’m not making money off this, anyone is welcome if I have a plant that will help them, no charge. There are always a few disagreeable people but most are fascinated with plant medicine and give me permission to hunt their properties.
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Got a surprise a couple days ago... Mtn Mint blooms the first week of august, always. The upper leaves turn white at the same time... until this year. I noticed it was already turning white.
Summer got here early. In may i had normal may temps. But in june I got august temps. I've never seen mtn mint bloom early before, not in 20yrs and we've had a lot of wacky weather.
https://www.homesteadingforum.org/threads/mountain-mint.6983/
Summer got here early. In may i had normal may temps. But in june I got august temps. I've never seen mtn mint bloom early before, not in 20yrs and we've had a lot of wacky weather.
https://www.homesteadingforum.org/threads/mountain-mint.6983/
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But, Bo Hog root is blooming on schedule right beside the mtn mint! Middle of July... Devils walking stick and several other plants are on schedule too.
This plant had me afraid to touch it for a couple years. It's a cousin and almost identical to water hemlock. The first one i saw I knew in my gut it wasn't hemlock but i didn't touch it. It's not a mistake anyone wants to make.
It took seeing a few dozen of these plants before i was comfortable... Hairy Angelica aka Bo' Hog root. But it is so similar to water hemlock it's almost spooky! Notice in these photo's it's dry ground on a hill, a place water hemlock would never grow.
https://www.homesteadingforum.org/threads/bo-hog-root.1887/
This plant had me afraid to touch it for a couple years. It's a cousin and almost identical to water hemlock. The first one i saw I knew in my gut it wasn't hemlock but i didn't touch it. It's not a mistake anyone wants to make.
It took seeing a few dozen of these plants before i was comfortable... Hairy Angelica aka Bo' Hog root. But it is so similar to water hemlock it's almost spooky! Notice in these photo's it's dry ground on a hill, a place water hemlock would never grow.
https://www.homesteadingforum.org/threads/bo-hog-root.1887/
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Knowing the territory is so important! And thank you for posting the link to your 2018 post!!
These plants are at the very same location as in 2018. Except... now there's two small patches. It spread across the road. I wouldn't harvest from either location though. They get runoff from the highway. Thinking about harvesting seed this year. Maybe i can get it growing in a good location.
Finally got around to finish processing tinctures with my new vegetable press. The press works great for this task, thanks @Grimm ! I have quarts of tincture from '23 and '22 that were ready ages ago. It doesn't hurt to leave plant material in them so I wait until I have a bunch of them to do. Finished 10quarts this afternoon, have about that many to go.
I line the perforated inner basket with 2 layers #9 cheese cloth. Empty my jars into the cloth till full, fold the excess cheese cloth over the top and press them. I buy the cheese cloth in a 50yrd box online.
I line the perforated inner basket with 2 layers #9 cheese cloth. Empty my jars into the cloth till full, fold the excess cheese cloth over the top and press them. I buy the cheese cloth in a 50yrd box online.
Big box of cheese cloth... I don't remember what it cost. Bought it a few years ago.
What could be more fun than a walk in the woods hunting plants? It was 103f on my porch when I left home. Humidity was about 65%. It was hot in the woods, no breeze either. I was at very bad places for cottonmouths. I didn’t even wear my snake gaiters. Rubber muck boots were hot enough, gaiters might have caused heat stroke.
But... I was harvesting my favorite plant, yellowroot, looked forward to it all week. I don’t destroy the plants. I cut them off about an inch above ground. The plant will put back up the next year. I give up harvesting the root to save the plant. I make up for it by harvesting in summer when its covered in leaves which are as potent as the root. So I get a stem and all its leaves. Until today…
In 20 years I’ve never seen anything like this… deer eating the leaves. Not one deer either. I harvested from 2 locations separated by 10miles. This plant is extremely astringent, bitter doesn’t begin to describe it. Imagine eating a green persimmon on steroids!!! Nothing eats this plant, till now.
The deer must be starving. Most of the plants look like this... Now i have to harvest more to get the tincture i need.
But... I was harvesting my favorite plant, yellowroot, looked forward to it all week.
I don’t destroy the plants. I cut them off about an inch above ground. The plant will put back up the next year. I give up harvesting the root to save the plant. I make up for it by harvesting in summer when its covered in leaves which are as potent as the root. So I get a stem and all its leaves. Until today…In 20 years I’ve never seen anything like this… deer eating the leaves. Not one deer either. I harvested from 2 locations separated by 10miles. This plant is extremely astringent, bitter doesn’t begin to describe it. Imagine eating a green persimmon on steroids!!! Nothing eats this plant, till now.
The deer must be starving. Most of the plants look like this... Now i have to harvest more to get the tincture i need.
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Well, they did nibble on my young figs, but went for my white potatoes, so I did not plant any sweet potatoes, they are like candy to a deer/rabbit.What could be more fun than a walk in the woods hunting plants? It was 103f on my porch when I left home. Humidity was about 65%. It was hot in the woods, no breeze either. I was at very bad places for cottonmouths. I didn’t even wear my snake gaiters. Rubber muck boots were hot enough, gaiters might have caused heat stroke.
But... I was harvesting my favorite plant, yellowroot, looked forward to it all week.
In 20 years I’ve never seen anything like this… deer eating the leaves. Not one deer either. I harvested from 2 locations separated by 10miles. This plant is extremely astringent, bitter doesn’t begin to describe it. Imagine eating a green persimmon on steroids!!! Nothing eats this plant, till now.
The deer must be starving. Most of the plants look like this... Now i have to harvest more to get the tincture i need.
View attachment 157381
If yellowroot were a favorite of deer I’d see this often. I’ve never seen it, not once. Thinking about it last night I think I’ve figured out why.
We’ve been having august heat since mid June, I’ve posted about it. Everything (critters) go to water during august heat waves. It does feel cooler in stream beds. And there’s not a lot to eat during late summer. Plants shrivel up and get tough. The tender plants of spring and early summer are gone.
I saw hundreds of deer tracks in the creek beds yesterday. Deer have clearly been hanging out in these stream beds to escape the heat. They’ve been nibbling on everything. Not just yellowroot. I saw plants they normally eat like 'saw briars' were stripped clean.
I usually stay out of the creeks in August and early september. Around here pit vipers like cottonmouths become a lot more active in late summer. The risk factor goes way up. If I do any plant hunting I use extreme caution and the location is carefully chosen.
So, I’m thinking deer nibble on yellowroot in august every year. I’m just not there to see it. In this case they’ve been in the creeks over a month. They’re running out of plants to nibble on.
We’ve been having august heat since mid June, I’ve posted about it. Everything (critters) go to water during august heat waves. It does feel cooler in stream beds. And there’s not a lot to eat during late summer. Plants shrivel up and get tough. The tender plants of spring and early summer are gone.
I saw hundreds of deer tracks in the creek beds yesterday. Deer have clearly been hanging out in these stream beds to escape the heat. They’ve been nibbling on everything. Not just yellowroot. I saw plants they normally eat like 'saw briars' were stripped clean.
I usually stay out of the creeks in August and early september. Around here pit vipers like cottonmouths become a lot more active in late summer. The risk factor goes way up. If I do any plant hunting I use extreme caution and the location is carefully chosen.
So, I’m thinking deer nibble on yellowroot in august every year. I’m just not there to see it. In this case they’ve been in the creeks over a month. They’re running out of plants to nibble on.
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Peanut, this is a great thread! You know so much about plants, so cool
I am afraid to poison myself picking the wrong plants LOL, wished I would know more about this.
Wished you could come to our property and identify all the plants...we have tons of them . We are supposed to even have wild ginseng in the woods, but I haven't seen any that I am aware of
I am afraid to poison myself picking the wrong plants LOL, wished I would know more about this.
Wished you could come to our property and identify all the plants...we have tons of them . We are supposed to even have wild ginseng in the woods, but I haven't seen any that I am aware of
I was thinking of something else that can be learned from this. The second place I harvested from yesterday is perfect. Snake risk is average, wide shallow stream (20ft) and the sands were covered in deer tracks. Deer have been nibbling on most plants, some more than others.
This creek is now an advanced class in what deer like to eat under stress. From plants stripped of all leaves to one’s with minor damage. It’d be easy to rate the plants. If I get time (a big if). I’d like to walk down the creek and take notes, write the plant names and amount of damage by species.
It might be good knowledge to have in the future. If nature is out of wack and I need meat… Knowing what deer like to eat under stress is a clear advantage.
This creek is now an advanced class in what deer like to eat under stress. From plants stripped of all leaves to one’s with minor damage. It’d be easy to rate the plants. If I get time (a big if). I’d like to walk down the creek and take notes, write the plant names and amount of damage by species.
It might be good knowledge to have in the future. If nature is out of wack and I need meat… Knowing what deer like to eat under stress is a clear advantage.
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Aralia spinosa aka Devils Walking Stick aka Tooth Ache Tree, it'll numb your mouth like a shot of novocaine.
It's been blooming for about a week now, see it everywhere. Very common bush here in the south. These are near the end of my garden.
https://www.homesteadingforum.org/threads/the-tooth-ache-tree.8668/
It's been blooming for about a week now, see it everywhere. Very common bush here in the south. These are near the end of my garden.
https://www.homesteadingforum.org/threads/the-tooth-ache-tree.8668/
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PEANUT, I need your help. I have a large kidney stone they are going to remove. How can I prevent any more kidney stones? What herbs or plants can help me? I REALLY need to drink more water.
