ET
In focus: Echinacea
(Filed: 18/08/2001)
Jean Vernon on a beautiful plant that flowers until
the autumn
FEW plants rival the beauty, garden value and historical
interest of the purple coneflower. One of the stalwarts of
late-summer colour, it flowers from July right through to
the autumn.
Its flower buds change
shape over several
weeks, developing from
spiky green sprouts into
glorious flowers. Each
develops a central cone,
tightly packed with "disc"
florets. Its spiky look
explains the name
"echinacea", from the
Greek word for
hedgehog. The cone
oozes a soporific,
honeyed scent that sends
insects into a stupor.
Around it, the florets, or
petals, look like a pink
Hawaiian grass skirt on a
dancer.
Echinacea purpurea "Leuchstern"
Each flower can last for
several weeks, to be
quickly followed by
several more. No
wonder, then, that echinaceas have such a fervent
following. But there is more to these flamboyant flowers
than meets the eye. Native Americans revered the plant
as a cure for rattlesnake bites and other ailments.
It was often used in rituals and meditation by medicine
men and shamans. Today, its medicinal powers are
harnessed in herbal tinctures that are said to boost the
immune system.
Not every variety of purple coneflower has purple flowers.
There are pink, white, green-tinged and even yellow
members of the genus, a tiny group within the extensive
Compositae family, which also includes daisies, lettuces
and sunflowers. There are a mere nine species of
echinacea, of which five are rare.
Echinacea purpurea is a delight, exhibiting everything that
is wonderful about this genus. Several excellent hybrids
exist.
E. purpurea 'Robert Bloom' is a reliable plant with vibrant
purple flowers and rich orange cones.
E. purpurea 'Magnus' is particularly stunning, with its
swirling arrangement of sometimes double petals. The
dark-stemmed form is another interesting strain of E.
purpurea - it has rich, deep-purple stems and dramatic
purple-crimson flowers.
Modern breeding, particularly in Germany, has focused on
attaining ray florets that are less reflexed (angled back).
E. purpurea 'Leuchtstern' (the name means "bright star")
is a good choice.
Two new hybrids with a more compact habit are the pure
pink E. purpurea 'Kim's Knee High' and the white-flowered
E. purpurea 'Kim's Mop Head'. Both exhibit the more
natural "shuttlecock" flower shape.
There are several good white hybrids of E. purpurea.
'White Lustre' is an excellent garden plant: its ray florets
are plentiful and combine well with a golden-yellow
central cone.
The widely available and stronger-growing 'White Swan'
has a more orange brown centre, and E. purpurea 'Alba'
is another excellent example.
Of the other species, those you are more likely to come
across are the delicate tops of Echinacea pallida, which
has fairy-like flowers that appear to float above the
plants. The effect is magical when the flowers are seen
against a blue sky.
Echinacea tennesseensis is a rare and much sought-after
example of this genus. The ray florets are not reflexed,
but instead curl up like an inside-out shuttlecock.
Echinacea angustifolia is a smaller species, with shorter
petals in the characteristic pink hues. This plant has been
widely harvested in the wild for its medicinal powers and
is becoming scarce.
Growing tips
Echinaceas prefer well-drained soil in a sunny place,
though partial shade is tolerated. The plants are also quite
tolerant of drought.
Although often regarded as being free from pests and
diseases, the echinacea's early spring growth is often
destroyed by slugs and snails, so it is essential to provide
protection. Aphids can also be a problem. However, once
established, the more mature plants withstand the
onslaught of pests much better.
Propagate from root cuttings or by dividing established
clumps, or grow straight from seed. Seedlings take two to
three years to flower.
-- Anonymous, August 21, 2001
Wasm looking for info on home-made echinacea remedies and came up with
this:
http://bodysoul.chickclick.com//articles/11034p1.html
Just for the record, I am not a hippie.
That said, I have to admit that I know a lot of
hippie -- type
stuff -- including information on natural remedies
for everything
from cramps to the common cold.
And just because I love all you gals [OG rant: I
hate to be called a gal] so much, I thought I'd
pass on some of these cool facts to you.
It's pretty awesome to realize that you can help heal
your
body with plants and herbs from your own backyard (or
your
local health food store).
Next time you want to clear up your complexion or
lose that aching head, try a
dose of herbs instead of acne medication or aspirin.
For a clean shiny face
Wrap a handful of oatmeal in cheesecloth. Soak in
warm water, then apply to
your face as a mask. Oatmeal helps to draw out toxins
and to soften skin.
Feeling a little dried out? Mash half an avocado with
a fork and apply to your
face. [OG Note: Dunno about you folks,
especially BF, but avocados are 1.49 to $1.99 here.] Besides its
moisturizing benefits, avocado’s high oil content also helps to
soothe distressed skin.
If you're stressing about blackheads and big pores,
try
wiping your face with a cotton ball covered with
essential lemon oil. Not only does it smell yummy, it
also shrinks pores and clears blackheads.
Sun-Frazzled?
If sunburn's making it hard to live in your skin, try
shredding plantain leaves and applying them to your
red regions. The leaves help to cool sunburn.
Afterwards,
apply shea butter to the burn to moisturize. Arabians
have used shea butter to soothe sunburn for
centuries.
Another surefire remedy is the trusty aloe vera
plant.
You can always buy aloe vera gel at the store, but
try
raising one at home as well. Keep a potted aloe plant
nearby in case of a cut or stove burn. Just rip part
of a
leaf off and apply the sticky inside to your ouchy
parts. [OG, being sarky: "Ouchy"??? How old is this broad?]
For a great head of hair
Boil a handful of stinging nettles (yes, stinging
nettles),
and leave in a jar overnight. After shampooing, use
the
nettle water as a rinse. Stinging nettles add luster
to
your hair and also help to stimulate the scalp and
eliminate dandruff.
All stressed out?
Make a cup of tea with valerian root. Valerian root
has
been used for centuries to calm busy, troubled
people.
And who doesn’t need to sit down and have a cup of
tea?
Those lovable, troublesome nether regions [OG:
Snort! What a dipstick!]
If you’ve never had a yeast infection or an UTI
(urinary
tract infection) before and are experiencing itching
or
yeasty discharges, see a doctor to get a diagnosis.
But
if you’re an old hand to these discomforts and are
sick of
standard over-the-counter cures, try these natural
remedies instead.
Urinary tract infections are no fun. If you've
suffered
from them in the past and want to help prevent them,
try
eating blueberries or cranberries regularly. The
tannins in
both of these fruits help prevent E. coli bacteria
from
attaching to the urinary tract. But make sure to take
either cranberry pills or raw cranberries! Cranberry
juice
is too sugary and diluted to do any good and can
actually worsen your discomfort. Taking cranberry
pills
during a UTI can also cure the infection, but not in
all
cases.
As we veterans of messy cream and crossed legs know,
yeast infections are very, very annoying. Tubes full
of
goopy cream from the pharmacist are one way to cure
the yeasties, but there’s a cheaper D.I.Y. option.
Insert
one or two acidophilus capsules into your vagina
before going to sleep. Repeat for as many nights
needed
to clear the infection.
You can find bottles of acidophilus in the
refrigerated
vitamin section of your local health food store.
Eating
yogurt is a good way to prevent future yeast
infections
but don't rely on it to clear up the one you've got
or you
could be itchin' for weeks.
To soothe the itchiness associated with yeast
infections,
boil comfrey leaves until the water turns a deep
golden
color. Add this water to a hot bath and soak.
Fighting off a cold?
Boost your immune system by taking echinacea. You
can buy echinacea tablets or you can make your own
echinacea tea by boiling
the leaves or roots (more potent) of the purple
coneflower. Also try the Chinese
herb yin chiao to ward off the sniffles. However,
only take these herbs during the
first few days of an infection. After that, their
healing powers significantly
decrease.
Those general aches and pains
Make a pain relieving tea by steeping dandelion
blossoms in a cup of boiling water. Add honey to make
it taste yummier. This tea is good for all types of
aches
and pains, including cramps, headaches, and muscle
soreness.
And one more thing: Before you mix and match herbal
remedies with Western medicine, be sure to talk to
your
physician about drug interactions.
-- Anonymous, August 22, 2001