Natures Lore Page 2

Calamintha grandiflora species………. Showy Savory Varieties

A native to Europe, this unusual perennial has leaves that produce a pleasant tangerine-mint fragrance. The plant reaches about 14-inches in height, and will flourish with exquisite magenta-colored flowers during mid- to late-summer. Its characteristic mound shape will spread during growth, yet retain its distinctive shape. The leaves can later be dried for use in potpourri or tea. A poultice of fresh leaves can be used in a compress to treat bruises.

Variegated Showy Savory, a variegated form of showy savory, is an absolute stunning variety of grandiflora with the same attributes but speckled white on green leaves. More compact in growth, this plant makes an adorable species especially with its magenta blooms.

Cymbopogon citratus ………. Lemon Grass

This native perennial of Southern India and Ceylon is a culinary jewel with a distinct and refreshing taste of lemon. It is especially prized in South Asian dishes, and is known as Sereh in Indonesia. The lower 6" of the fresh succulent stalk offers the best flavor. To harvest, remove the side shoots and allow the main plant to continue growing. The hearts are eaten with rice as a vegetable, and the chopped stalks are used for sauces, curries, and pastes, as well as fish, poultry, and pork dishes.

A refreshing hot or cold tea is made from the leaves and is recognized for its antiseptic properties and for the treatment of flu, fevers, headaches, diarrhea and upset stomach. The essential oil of Lemon Grass contains citral and is employed by the food, cosmetic and perfumery industry. Medicinally the essential oil is used to treat acne. Its bulbous stems, leek-like in appearance, produce light-green leaves approximately 1/2" wide which form a graceful clumped appearance and can reach heights up to 6 feet in its native environment. A tender perennial to frost prone areas, it reaches 2 - 3' in one growing season and excels on a sunny windowsill. This herb is valuable whether in the kitchen, garden, or medicine chest.

Equisetum hyemale ………. Common Horsetail

In prehistoric days, this plant grew to tree heights, but today this native North American reaches only a few feet in height with stems 1/4 to 1/2" in diameter. From dry sand to swampy land, horsetail grass thrives in any soil type. Not particular about light conditions, this herb can be considered a living fossil. The invasive nature of this plant requires that you give it a lot of growing room.

Horsetail's unusual reed stems contain silica crystals which gives them an abrasive quality, similar to fine emery cloth. Horsetail is superb for fine sanding of wood or metal, and can even be used to file fingernails. The reeds for instruments such as the clarinet, saxophone and oboe are shaped and finished by sanding them with horsetail grass. Early cabinetmakers also used horsetail on their prized works, which gave the wood a fine finish and a patina.

The folk name for horsetail grass is "pewterwort," for it was used in cleaning and polishing pewter and other metals. Irish women discovered that sanding their famous meerschaum pipes with horsetail grass under water produced a glass-like finish.

Eryngium foetidum ………. Cilantro

This highly esteemed Mexican herb grows like a low thistle with long serrated leaves and prickly flowers. It prefers to grow in full sun with good fertile soil. Because it is a tender perennial, it must be protected from freezing. Cutting off the seed heads will ensure a bounty of leaves - the prized part of this herb.

Cilantro is the "true" coriander, the leaves are stronger and more pungent in flavor than regular coriander, but not as potent or as productive as the Vietnamese Coriander. The fresh or dried leaves of cilantro are used for making soups, curries, and rice dishes. When dried, this herb retains its flavor and color well for cooking.

Galium odoratum ………. Sweet Woodruff

The pretty little white flowers of this creeping perennial, combined with its tight mat of whorled leaves, make it an excellent ground cover for shade. The leaves of this herb contain coumarin and when dried, its scent of "new mown hay" intensifies and remains for years. Used as a fixative for perfumes, dream pillows, and closet sachets, Sweet Woodruff is also considered a medicinal herb. It is reported that it has been used for dressing wounds or cuts and for treating stomach problems. This herb is also an important ingredient in May wine. Add a few sprigs to a White Rhein wine; let set for a few days to a week. Chill before serving and add a few fresh strawberries. Simply delicious!

Pink Woodruff, Asperula cynanchica of the white's former genus, is a shade loving perennial ground cover that we recently introduced to our collection. Featuring lower growth and dainty pink flowers, this plant is faster spreading compared to the white. It performs nicely in the rock garden or those difficult to grow spots.

Home		Calamintha grandiflora species………. Showy Savory Varieties A native to Europe, this unusual perennial has leaves that produce a pleasant tangerine-mint fragrance. The plant reaches about 14-inches in height, and will flourish with exquisite magenta-colored flowers during mid- to late-summer. Its characteristic mound shape will spread during growth, yet retain its distinctive shape. The leaves can later be dried for use in potpourri or tea. A poultice of fresh leaves can be used in a compress to treat bruises. Variegated Showy Savory, a variegated form of showy savory, is an absolute stunning variety of grandiflora with the same attributes but speckled white on green leaves. More compact in growth, this plant makes an adorable species especially with its magenta blooms. Cymbopogon citratus ………. Lemon Grass This native perennial of Southern India and Ceylon is a culinary jewel with a distinct and refreshing taste of lemon. It is especially prized in South Asian dishes, and is known as Sereh in Indonesia. The lower 6" of the fresh succulent stalk offers the best flavor. To harvest, remove the side shoots and allow the main plant to continue growing. The hearts are eaten with rice as a vegetable, and the chopped stalks are used for sauces, curries, and pastes, as well as fish, poultry, and pork dishes. A refreshing hot or cold tea is made from the leaves and is recognized for its antiseptic properties and for the treatment of flu, fevers, headaches, diarrhea and upset stomach. The essential oil of Lemon Grass contains citral and is employed by the food, cosmetic and perfumery industry. Medicinally the essential oil is used to treat acne. Its bulbous stems, leek-like in appearance, produce light-green leaves approximately 1/2" wide which form a graceful clumped appearance and can reach heights up to 6 feet in its native environment. A tender perennial to frost prone areas, it reaches 2 - 3' in one growing season and excels on a sunny windowsill. This herb is valuable whether in the kitchen, garden, or medicine chest. Equisetum hyemale ………. Common Horsetail In prehistoric days, this plant grew to tree heights, but today this native North American reaches only a few feet in height with stems 1/4 to 1/2" in diameter. From dry sand to swampy land, horsetail grass thrives in any soil type. Not particular about light conditions, this herb can be considered a living fossil. The invasive nature of this plant requires that you give it a lot of growing room. Horsetail's unusual reed stems contain silica crystals which gives them an abrasive quality, similar to fine emery cloth. Horsetail is superb for fine sanding of wood or metal, and can even be used to file fingernails. The reeds for instruments such as the clarinet, saxophone and oboe are shaped and finished by sanding them with horsetail grass. Early cabinetmakers also used horsetail on their prized works, which gave the wood a fine finish and a patina. The folk name for horsetail grass is "pewterwort," for it was used in cleaning and polishing pewter and other metals. Irish women discovered that sanding their famous meerschaum pipes with horsetail grass under water produced a glass-like finish. Eryngium foetidum ………. Cilantro This highly esteemed Mexican herb grows like a low thistle with long serrated leaves and prickly flowers. It prefers to grow in full sun with good fertile soil. Because it is a tender perennial, it must be protected from freezing. Cutting off the seed heads will ensure a bounty of leaves - the prized part of this herb. Cilantro is the "true" coriander, the leaves are stronger and more pungent in flavor than regular coriander, but not as potent or as productive as the Vietnamese Coriander. The fresh or dried leaves of cilantro are used for making soups, curries, and rice dishes. When dried, this herb retains its flavor and color well for cooking. Galium odoratum ………. Sweet Woodruff The pretty little white flowers of this creeping perennial, combined with its tight mat of whorled leaves, make it an excellent ground cover for shade. The leaves of this herb contain coumarin and when dried, its scent of "new mown hay" intensifies and remains for years. Used as a fixative for perfumes, dream pillows, and closet sachets, Sweet Woodruff is also considered a medicinal herb. It is reported that it has been used for dressing wounds or cuts and for treating stomach problems. This herb is also an important ingredient in May wine. Add a few sprigs to a White Rhein wine; let set for a few days to a week. Chill before serving and add a few fresh strawberries. Simply delicious! Pink Woodruff, Asperula cynanchica of the white's former genus, is a shade loving perennial ground cover that we recently introduced to our collection. Featuring lower growth and dainty pink flowers, this plant is faster spreading compared to the white. It performs nicely in the rock garden or those difficult to grow spots.
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