Taraxacum

Dandelion (Taraxacum) is a genus of the family Asteraceae (Asteraceae). Its best-known representative of the local Common Dandelion, the "Dandelion".

The representatives of the genus are perennial herbaceous plants, the height of (rarely up to 5) is usually 30-40 (rarely achieved during the fruiting up to 60) cm. They contain in all plant parts with a white latex. The tap roots are in short, strong stems squeezed over on the fan leaves are dense in basal rosettes. The leaves are ovate to lanceolate and slightly to strongly lobed, incised and toothed.

Many of the features are plastic and can be very different. Thus even a single plant, the leaf shape varies greatly depending on rainfall, solar radiation and the season in which the leaf is formed.

The leaf axils arise Blütenstandstiele hollow bearing at the upper end of each one individual, körbchenförmigen inflorescence (flower appearance) over densely spirally standing bracts. The floral baskets have a diameter of 80-40 mm. Two (or rarely three) whorls with a total of seven to 25 bracts enclosing initially open the bud, and then align themselves with inflorescence. The Blütenstandboden is flat, plate-shaped. An inflorescence contains only (rarely to 15) usually 20-150 florets. The color of the florets ranges depending on the kind of yellowish white to yellow-orange, sometimes greenish, often with purple exterior and gray stripes. The anthers are yellow to cream-yellow, sometimes darker. The pencil is yellow or greenish, sometimes grayish to blackish.

The four-to twelve-(15 -)-ribbed achenes are pale to olive, brown, red, light to dark gray. Your Pappus holds a wreath from 50 to over 105 white on cream-colored to yellow, feathery bristles. The furry flying gliders, the achenes are spread by the wind (kite flying).

Source: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%B6wenzahn_(Taraxacum)
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Leonotis nepetifolia

Leonotis nepetifolia, also known in Brazil as Cord's ear and in English "Klip Dagga" is a plant species of the genus Leonotis and family Lamiaceae (Mint). While most species of this genus is native to Southern Africa, L. nepetifolia is native to tropical Africa and southern India. It grows to a height of 3 meters and has flowers that are usually orange but may vary for red, white and purple. It has toothed leaves that can grow up to 10 cm.

Related species
The Leonotis nepetifolia ('Cordon's ear) is very similar to Leonotis Leonurus ("Rabo-de-lion" or in English "Wild Dagga.") Both species are often smoked because its entheogenic properties. The main difference between them is that the leaves of Leonotis nepetifolia spring from a prickly ball. It is also said that the leaves of L. nepetifolia are more powerful and much less bitter when smoked than those of L. Leonurus.

Although more than thirty other plants of the genus Leonotis, L. nepetifolia and "Leonurus L." shall have the entheogenic or psychoactive properties.


Source: http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonotis_nepetifolia
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Lamium album

Lamium album (White Deadnettle) is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native throughout Europe and western Asia, growing in a variety of habitats from open grassland to woodland, generally on moist, fertile soils.

It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 50-100 cm tall, with green, four-angled stems. The leaves are 3-8 cm long and 2-5 cm broad, triangular with a rounded base, softly hairy, and with a serrated margin and a petiole up to 5 cm long; like many other members of the Lamiaceae, they appear superficially similar to those of the Stinging nettle Urtica dioica but do not sting, hence the common name "dead nettle". The flowers are white, produced in whorls ('verticillasters') on the upper part of the stem, the individual flowers 1.5-2.5 cm long.

Cultivation and uses
The young leaves are edible, and can be used in salads or cooked as a vegetable. The plant is also used in herbal medicine, for example as a dermatological remedy.

Bees are attracted to the flowers which contain nectar or pollen, hence the plant is sometimes called the Bee Nettle.

It was introduced to North America, where it is widely naturalised.


Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamium_album
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Kacip fatima

Kacip fatima (Labisa pumila) is the female version of Tongkat Ali. Kacip Fatimah is a small woody and leafy plant that grows and can be found widely in the shade of forest floors. The leaves are about 20 centimetres long, and they are traditionally used as a kind of tea by women who experience a loss of libido.

Uses
Extract from these herbs are usually ground into powder substances and are made into capsules and pills. A concoction made from boiling the plant in water is given to women in labour to hasten delivery of their babies. After childbirth, it may still be consumed by mothers to regain their strength. In other medicinal preparations, it can treat gonorrhoea, dysentery and eliminate excessive gas in the body.

Traditionally, it is used in Borneo for enhancing vitality, overcome tiredness and help to tone vaginal muscles for women.

The claimed uses of Kacip Fatimah include:

* Helps establish a regular menstrual cycle when periods fail to appear for reasons like stress, illness or when the pill is discontinued
* Prevents cramping, water retention and irritability for those with painful periods.
* Balances, builds and harmonizes the female reproductive system to encourage healthy conception
* Supports healthy vaginal flora to prevent irritation and infections.
* Alleviates fatigue, smooths menopausal symptoms and promote emotional well being.
* Prolong energy during Playtime.
* Helps to solve the problems related to constipation
* Tightens vaginal skin and walls.
* Anti-dysmenorrhoea; cleansing and avoiding painful or difficult menstruation
* Anti-flatulence, drive away and prevent the formation of gas.
* Firming and toning of abdominal muscles.

As the plant contain phytoestrogen, it is not to be taken by pregnant women and periods of menstruation.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kacip_fatima
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Greater burdock Culinary use

Greater burdock was used during the Middle Ages as a vegetable, but now it is rarely used, with the exception of Japan where it is called gobō (牛蒡 or ゴボウ), Taiwan (牛蒡), Korea where it is called ueong (우엉), Italy, Brazil and Portugal, where it is known as bardana. Plants are cultivated for their slender roots, which can grow about 1 meter long and 2 cm across.

Immature flower stalks may also be harvested in late spring, before flowers appear. The taste resembles that of artichoke, to which the burdock is related.

In the second half of the 20th century, burdock achieved international recognition for its culinary use due to the increasing popularity of the macrobiotic diet, which advocates its consumption. The root contains a fair amount of gobō dietary fiber (GDF, 6g per 100g), calcium, potassium, amino acids, and is low calorie. It contains polyphenols that causes darkened surface and muddy harshness by formation of tannin-iron complexes.

The root is very crisp and has a sweet, mild, and pungent flavor with a little muddy harshness that can be reduced by soaking julienned/shredded roots in water for five to ten minutes. The harshness shows excellent harmonization with pork in miso soup (tonjiru) and takikomi gohan (a Japanese-style pilaf).

A popular Japanese dish is kinpira gobō, julienned or shredded burdock root and carrot, braised with soy sauce, sugar, mirin and/or sake, and sesame oil. Another is burdock makizushi (rolled sushi filled with pickled burdock root; the burdock root is often artificially colored orange to resemble a carrot). In Kyoto, gobō can also be found as a snack food similar to potato chips. The root is eaten cooked and the young sprout can be eaten just like asparagus. Gobo is also used in Tempura.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_burdock
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Greater burdock

Greater burdock, Edible burdock, or Lappa Burdock is a biennial plant of the Arctium (burdock) genus in the Asteraceae family, cultivated in gardens for its root used as a vegetable.

Greater Burdock is rather tall, reaching as much as 2 metres. It has large, alternating, cordiform leaves that have a long petiole and are pubescent on the underside.
The flowers are purple and grouped in globular capitula, united in clusters. They appear in mid-summer, from July to September. The capitula are surrounded by an involucre made out of many bracts, each curving to form a hook, allowing them to be carried long distances on the fur of animals. The fruits are achenes; they are long, compressed, with short pappuses.
The fleshy tap-root can grow up to 1m long.

Use in traditional medicine
Folk herbalists consider dried burdock to be a diuretic, diaphoretic, and a blood purifying agent. Various parts are used to prevent baldness and to treat rheumatoid arthritis, skin infections, acne, boils, bites, eczema, herpes, impetigo, rashes, ringworm, sore throat, sciatica, poison ivy and poison oak, as a tonic, diuretic and mild laxative, to stimulate bile production and to induce sweating. The seeds of greater burdock are used in traditional Chinese medicine, under the name niupangzi (Chinese: 牛蒡子; pinyin: niúpángzi; some dictionaries list the Chinese as just 牛蒡 niúbàng.)

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_burdock
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Equisetum arvense

Equisetum arvense, commonly known as the Field Horsetail or Common Horsetail, is a rather bushy perennial with a rhizomatous stem formation native to the northern hemisphere. These horsetails may have sterile or fertile stems. Sterile stems start to grow after the fertile stems have wilted. The sterile stems tend to be much taller and bushier, with the jointed segments being around one inch (2.5 cm) long with a diameter of about 1/20th of an inch (1 mm). These segments contain one set of whorled, slender, erect branches each. Some stems can have as many as 20 segments and be as tall as 2-24 inches (5–60 cm). The fertile stems tend to be half as tall as the sterile stems and also tend to be more succulent.

This plant also has a very high diploid number - 216 (108 pairs of chromosomes) - which is roughly 5 times greater than the human diploid number (46).

Uses
The plant contains several substances which can be used medicinally. It is rich in the minerals silicon (10%), potassium, and calcium, which gives it diuretic properties. It is prescribed to care for (cartilage, tendons, and bones) and also polyps, epistasis, and bleeding. The buds are eaten as a vegetable in Japan and Korea in spring time. All other Equisetum species are toxic. In polluted conditions, it may synthesise nicotine.

It was also once used to polish pewter and wood (gaining the name pewterwort) and to strengthen fingernails. Also as an abrasive: it was used by Hurdy-Gurdy players to dress the wheels of their instruments by removing resin build up.

In herbalism it is used to treat kidney and bladder problems, gastro-enteritis, and prostate and urinary infections, and is particularly indicated for enuresis in children. Externally it is used for chilblains and wounds.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equisetum_arvense
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Echinopsis peruviana Cultivation

Propagation from cuttings
Like many other plants, Echinopsis peruviana can be propagated from cuttings. The result is a genetic clone of the parent plant. For example, the top 15 cm end of a cactus column can be cleanly removed with a knife. The cutting can be left to heal for about two weeks in the scattered or indirect light, by laying it upon its side. Be aware that it should be kept away from excessive moisture that will encourage growth of an opportunistic infection and receive good airflow at this time. The plant will heal by forming a calloused seal to withstand bacterial and fungal attack such as mold. The unrooted cutting can be either kept upright in a propped up position for an extended period of time (2+ years) without harm . Often roots will emerge from the lowest point of the plant between 3–6 months time. Rooting hormone is not required and its use may damage the soft tissues of the plant, giving rise to bacterial or fungal rot that may kill the clone.
Cuttings may be planted after the formation of a callous and before the emergence of roots in either a small pot or directly n the ground. Cuttings should be set far enough below the surface of the soil to ensure stability until the root network is formed as well as access to moisture.

Light requirements
While a cutting is establishing its root system, it should be kept protected from extremes in both light and heat. New growth will generally signal the development of a root system and the need to start making the reintroduction into more direct light. Insufficient light will result in undesirable narrow and elongated growth from the tip while too much direct light (especially noonday direct sun) may result in a burning of the new growth at the center apex and the deforming of the plant. Proper light will mimic the mountain sides native to this and other Echinopsis species. 5 hours of direct sunlight with several hours of bright indirect light seems to strike a good balance between growth and excessive hardening or yellowing due to stress.

Soil
Depending upon the local environmental conditions soil should well draining and able to hold enough moisture for a week or more without drying out. Any soil used should never be "rich" in nitrogen. These are easily identified as being dark in color and / or high in manure content. A good basic soil mixture will consist of a basic "cactus soil mix" supplemented with 25% washed sand and 35% perlite. Pots must be well draining and do not need to be large in order to support a extensive root network. Most beginning growers experience plant loss by root rot from using a composted soil mix that is high in nitrogen from manure in a heavy wood or peat moss matrix. This will usually compact with time. Watering will cause the microflora to turn to anaerobic respiration resulting in a change in soil Ph, killing the root system and eventual root rot.

Watering
Once established these plants will be able to handle large amounts of watering compared to other cacti genera. Like other plants warm temperature and sunlight will result in rapid growth. Watering should take on a cycle between watering and keeping the soil moist (but not damp) with a short "drying out" period to keep soil microflora in check once every 10–14 days/ 5 days watering should be stopped or severely limited in the winter months when plant's go dormant.

Feeding
These cacti respond well to balanced feeding that can be augmented depending upon the growers desires. Overfeeding is not suggested as it will often result in burning the plant and microflora blooms.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echinopsis_peruviana
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Modern commercial usage of Castor oil plant

Global castor seed production is around 1 million tons per year. Leading producing areas are India (with over 60% of the global yield), China and Brazil, and it is widely grown as a crop in Ethiopia. There are several active breeding programmes.
Other modern uses
In Brazil, castor oil (locally known as mamona oil) is now being used to produce biodiesel. In rural areas, the abundant seeds are used by children for slingshot balls, as they have the right weight, size, and hardness.

The attractive castor seeds are used in jewelry, mainly necklaces and bracelets. This practice is highly dangerous, due to the extreme toxicity of the seeds, especially if the seedcoat is drilled for stringing.

Castor oil in a processed form, called Polyglycerol polyricinoleate--or PGPR, is currently being used in chocolate bar manufacture as a less expensive substitute to cocoa butter.

Historical usage
Castor seeds have been found in Egyptian tombs dating back to 4000 BC; the slow burning oil was used mostly to fuel lamps. Herodotus and other Greek travelers noted the use of castor seed oil for lighting, body ointments, and improving hair growth and texture. Cleopatra is reputed to have used it to brighten the whites of her eyes. The Ebers Papyrus is an ancient Egyptian medical treatise believed to date from 1552 BC. Translated in 1872, it describes castor oil as a laxative.

The use of castor bean oil in India has been documented since 2000 BC in lamps and in local medicine as a laxative, purgative, and cathartic in Unani, Ayurvedic and other ethnomedical systems. Traditional Ayurvedic medicine considers castor oil the king of medicinals for curing arthritic diseases.

Castor seed and its oil have also been used in China for centuries, mainly prescribed in local medicine for internal use or use in dressings.

It was used in rituals of sacrifice to please the gods in early civilizations.

Castor oil is known to have been used as an instrument of coercion by the paramilitary Blackshirts under the regime of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. Dissidents and regime opponents were forced to ingest the oil in large amounts, triggering severe diarrhoea and dehydration, which could ultimately cause death. This punishment method was originally thought of by Gabriele D'Annunzio, the Italian poet and Fascist supporter, during the First World War. (See also: Castor oil: Use as a means of intimidation in Fascist Italy)

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castor_oil_plant
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Pulasan

The pulasan, Nephelium mutabile Blume (family Sapindaceae), is a tropical fruit closely allied to the rambutan and sometimes confused with it. It has various common names, including pulasan in English, Spanish and Malay, kapulasan in Indonesia, ngoh-khonsan in Thailand, and bulala in the Philippines.

Usually eaten fresh, it is sweeter than the rambutan and lychee, but very rare outside Southeast Asia.

The name pulasan comes from the Malay word pulas (twist). The fruit is opened through the act of twisting the fruit with both hands, thus the name pulasan.

The pulasan tree is an ornamental. It attains a height of 10-15 m and has a short trunk to 30-40 cm thick. The branchlets are brown and hairy when young. The alternate leaves, pinnate or odd-pinnate, are 17-45 cm long, have 2 to 5 pairs of opposite or nearly opposite leaflets, are oblong or elliptic-lanceolate, 6.25-17.5 cm long and up to 5 cm wide; slightly wavy, dark-green and barely glossy on the upper surface; pale, and somewhat bluish, with a few short, silky hairs on the underside. Very small, greenish, petalless flowers with 4-5 hairy sepals are borne singly or in clusters on the branches of the erect, axillary or terminal, panicles clothed with fine yellowish or brownish hairs.

The pulasan is ultra-tropical and thrives only in very humid regions between 360 and 1,150 ft (110-350 in) of altitude. In Malaya, it is said that the tree bears best after a long, dry season.

The fruit is ovoid, 5-7.5 cm long, dark red, with its thick, leathery rind closely set with conical, blunt-tipped tubercles or thick, fleshy, straight spines, which are up to 1 cm long. There may be one or two small, undeveloped fruits nestled close to the stem. Within is the glistening, white or yellowish-white flesh (aril) to 1 cm thick, more or less clinging to the thin, grayish-brown seedcoat (testa) which separates from the seed. The flavour is generally much sweeter than that of the rambutan. The seed is ovoid, oblong or ellipsoid, light brown, somewhat flattened on one side, and 2 to 3.5 cm long.

While very similar to rambutan, the fruit lacks the hairy spines. The flesh is very sweet and juicy, and separates easily from the seed, much more easily than the rambutan. In addition, unlike the seed of the rambutan, the seed of the pulasan is readily edible raw. It has a flavour somewhat similar to that of almonds.

Source:
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Further of Pineapple

History
The natives of southern Brazil and Paraguay spread the pineapple throughout South America, and it eventually reached the Caribbean. Columbus discovered it in the Indies and brought it back with him to Europe. The Spanish introduced it into the Philippines, Hawaii (introduced in the early 19th century, first commercial plantation 1886), Zimbabwe and Guam. The fruit was cultivated successfully in European hothouses, and pineapple pits, beginning in 1720. Commonly grown cultivars include 'Red Spanish', 'Hilo', 'Smooth Cayenne', 'St. Michael', 'Kona Sugarloaf', 'Natal Queen', and 'Pernambuco'.

The pineapple was introduced to Hawaii in 1813; exports of canned pineapples began in 1892. Large scale pineapple cultivation by U.S. companies began in the early 1900s on Hawaii. Among the most famous and influential pineapple industrialists was James Dole, who started a pineapple plantation in Hawaii in the year 1900. The companies Dole and Del Monte began growing pineapple on the island of Oahu in 1901 and 1917, respectively. Maui Pineapple Company began pineapple cultivation on the island of Maui in 1909. In 2006, Del Monte announced its withdrawal from pineapple cultivation in Hawaii, leaving only Dole and Maui Pineapple Company in Hawaii as the USA’s largest growers of pineapples. Maui Pineapple Company markets its Maui Gold brand of pineapple and Dole markets its Hawaii Gold brand of pineapple.

In the USA in 1986, the Pineapple Research Institute was dissolved and its assets were divided between Del Monte and Maui Land and Pineapple. Del Monte took 73-114, which it dubbed MD-2, to its plantations in Costa Rica, found it to be well-suited to growing there, and launched it publicly in 1996. (Del Monte also began marketing 73-50, dubbed CO-2, as Del Monte Gold). In 1997, Del Monte began marketing its Gold Extra Sweet pineapple, known internally as MD-2. MD-2 is a hybrid that originated in the breeding program of the now-defunct Pineapple Research Institute in Hawaii, which conducted research on behalf of Del Monte, Maui Land & Pineapple Company, and Dole.

Nutrition
Pineapple contains a proteolytic enzyme bromelain, which breaks down protein. Pineapple juice can thus be used as a marinade and tenderizer for meat. The enzymes in raw pineapples can interfere with the preparation of some foods, such as jelly or other gelatin-based desserts. The bromelain breaks down in cooking or the canning process, thus canned pineapple can generally be used with gelatin. These enzymes can be hazardous to someone suffering from certain protein deficiencies or disorders, such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.Raw pineapples also should not be consumed by those with hemophilia or by those with kidney or liver disease, as it may reduce the time taken to coagulate the consumer's blood.

Consumers of pineapple have claimed that pineapple has benefits for some intestinal disorders, and others believe it serves as a pain reliever; still others claim that it helps to induce childbirth when a baby is overdue.

Pineapple is a good source of manganese (91 %DV in a 1 cup serving), as well as containing significant amounts of vitamin C (94 %DV in a 1 cup serving) and vitamin B1 (8 %DV in a 1 cup serving).

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pineapple
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Syzygium malaccense

Syzygium malaccense, commonly known as Malacca Apple, is a species of flowering tree that is native to Malaysia and Indonesia (Sumatra and Java).[1] It has been introduced throughout the tropics, including many Caribbean countries such as Jamaica, Suriname, Dominican Republic, and Trinidad and Tobago. It is also known as jambu bol (Indonesian, meaning "ball guava"), Malay Rose Apple, Otaheite Cashew and Pommerac (derived from pomme Malac, meaning "Malaysian Apple" in French). Highly ambiguous terms, such as "rose apple", "water apple", "mountain apple", "pomarrosa" or "plum rose" are sometimes used for this plant or its fruit; they can refer to almost any species of Syzygium grown for its fruit. The name "Otaheite apple" is used too (in Jamaica), but should better be used for the Tahitian Apple (Spondias dulcis); "Otaheite" is an obsolete transcription of "Tahiti". Its Hawaiian name is ʻōhiʻa ʻai, meaning "edible Metrosideros polymorpha".

The fruit is oblong-shaped and dark red in color, although some varieties have white or pink skin. The flesh is white and surrounds a large seed. Jam is prepared by stewing the flesh with brown sugar and ginger.

Malacca Apple trees thrive in tropical climates with an annual rainfall of 152 cm (60 in) or more. They can grow at a variety of altitudes, from sea level up to 2,740 m (8,990 ft). The trees themselves can grow from 12–18 m (39–59 ft) in height. They flower in early summer, bearing fruit three months afterward. In Costa Rica they flower earlier, with ripe fruit in June.

In Hawaii Syzygium malaccense is called Mountain apple, and was brought to the islands by Polynesians probably 1000 to 1700 years ago. The Polynesians reached the Hawaiian islands bringing plants and animals that were important to them. Mountain apple was one of the 'canoe plants'.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malay_Apple
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Jatobá

Jatobá or Guapinol (Hymenaea courbaril), is a tree common to the Caribbean, Central, and South America. It is a hardwood that is used for furniture, flooring and decorative purposes.

Although Jatoba is sometimes referred to as Brazilian Cherry or South American Cherry, it is not a cherry tree and it is in no way, botanically or otherwise related to the Black Cherry (Prunus serotina), a very common American hardwood. Depending on the locale, Jatoba is also known as Brazilian Copal, South American Locust, the West Indian Locust Tree, or Stinking Toe, Old Man's Toe or Stinktoe (because of the unpleasant odor of the edible pulp inside its seed pods) and various other names.

Jatoba produces an orange, resinous, sticky gum that converts to amber through a chemical process that requires millions of years. Amber of million year old Hymenaea trees have provided scientists with many clues to its prehistoric presence on Earth as well as to the often extinct insects and plants encased in it. (As shown in the Jurassic Park movies.)

Jatoba is a very hard wood measuring 5.6 on the Brinell scale or 2350 lbf on the Janka scale, approximate measurements of hardness. For comparison, Douglas Fir measures 660 lbf, White Oak 1360 lbf, and Brazilian Walnut 3800 lbf on the Janka scale.

Jatoba wood features a tan/salmon color with black accent stripes that over time turns to a deep rich red color.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jatob%C3%A1
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Damson

The damson or damson plum (Prunus domestica subsp. insititia, or sometimes Prunus insititia) is an edible drupaceous fruit, a subspecies of the plum tree. Sometimes called the Damask Plum, damsons are commonly used in the preparation of jams and jellies. The plum spirit slivovitz is made from fermented damson fruit.
The name damson derives from the Latin prunum damascenum, "plum of Damascus". Damsons were first cultivated in antiquity in the area around the ancient city of Damascus, capital of modern-day Syria, and were introduced into England by the Romans. Remnants of damsons are often found during archaeological digs of ancient Roman camps across England, and ancient writings describe the use of damson skins in the manufacture of purple dye. Prugne damaschine figure in the long list of comestibles enjoyed by the Milanese given by Bonvesin de la Riva in his "Marvels of Milan" (1288).

The damson was introduced into the American colonies by English settlers before the American Revolution and are regarded as thriving better in the eastern United States than other European plum varieties.

The damson is identified by its oval shape (though slightly pointed at one end), smooth-textured yellow-green flesh, and skin from dark blue to indigo. It is similar to the "bullace", also classified as Prunus domestica, which is a smaller, round plum with purple (or yellow) skin. Other types of Prunus domestica are also similar, and can have purple (or yellow or red) skin.

The tree blossoms with small, white flowers in early April in the Northern hemisphere and fruit is harvested in late August or early September.

The skin of the damson can be heavily acidic, rendering the fruit unpalatable to some for eating out of hand. Because of this acidic, tart flavour, damsons are commercially grown for preparation in jellies and jams. A range of varieties of damson are available, with some such as 'Merryweather' and 'President Plum' being more appropriate for eating when ripe straight from the tree while varieties such as 'Farleigh' benefit from cooking.

Other uses
Damson wine is a favourite among some people. Damson gin is made like sloe gin, although less sugar is necessary as the damsons are sweeter than sloes. Damson is used to make slivovitz, a distilled plum spirit made in slavic countries.

Source:
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About the State Flower of Montana, United States

Bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva Pursh) is a small, low plant with a pink to white flower. It is the state flower of Montana, United States.

The plant is a low-growing perennial plant with a fleshy taproot and a simple or branched base. The flower stems are leafless, 1–3 cm tall, bearing at the tip a whorl of 5-6 linear bracts which are 5–10 mm long. A single flower appears on each stem with 6-9 oval shaped sepals. They range in color from whitish to deep pink or rose during May and June. The petals (usually about 15) are oblong in shape and are 18–35 mm long in length.

At maturity, the bitterroot produces egg-shaped capsules with 6-20 nearly round seeds.

The plant grows on gravelly to heavy, usually dry soil, in scablands or foothills areas. It is found on sagebrush plains to the lower mountains, in western and south central Montana. It ranges in the north from British Columbia to southern California, and on the east side of the Cascade Range to Colorado and Arizona.

The roots were consumed by local tribes such as the Shoshone and the Flathead Indians as an infrequent delicacy.

The bitterroot was selected to be the Montana State Flower on February 27, 1895. Three major geographic features, the Bitterroot Mountains (running north-south and forming the divide between Idaho and Montana), the Bitterroot Valley, and the Bitterroot River (which flows south-north, terminating in the Clark Fork river in the city of Missoula), owe the origins of their names to this flower.

The Lemhi Shoshone believed the small red core found in the upper taproot had special powers, notably being able to stop a bear attack.




Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitterroot

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Giant granadilla

The Giant Granadilla, Giant Tumbo or Badea (Spanish pronunciation), Passiflora quadrangularis, is the largest of the passionfruits, plants of the genus Passiflora. It is a perennial native of tropical America, having smooth, cordate, ovate or acuminate leaves; petioles bearing from 4 to 6 glands; an emetic and narcotic root; scented flowers; and a large, oblong fruit, containing numerous seeds, imbedded in a subacid edible pulp.

The badea is sometimes grown in greenhouses. The fruits of several other species of Passiflora are eaten. P. laurifolia is the Water lemon, and P. maliformis the Sweet calabash of the West Indies.

The fruit juice of the badea is used as a beverage.

It is known as Barbadine in Trinidad. A tea is made from the leaves which is used for high blood pressure and diabetes. A drink and ice-cream are made from the fruit.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_granadilla
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Glechoma hederacea

Glechoma hederacea (syn. Nepeta glechoma Benth., Nepeta hederacea (L.) Trevir.) is an aromatic, perennial, evergreen creeper of the mint family Lamiaceae. It is commonly known as Ground-ivy.

Glechoma hederacea is native to Europe and southwestern Asia but has been introduced to North America and is now common in most regions other than the Rocky Mountains. Its common names include Alehoof, Creeping Charlie (or Charley), Catsfoot (from the size and shape of the leaf), Field Balm, Run-away-robin, Ground Ivy, Gill-over-the-ground, and Tunhoof.

It is also sometimes known as Creeping Jenny, but that more commonly refers to Lysimachia nummularia. It can be identified by its round to reniform (kidney or fan shaped), crenate (with round toothed edges) opposed leaves 2–3 cm diameter, on 3–6 cm long petioles attached to square stems which root at the nodes. It is a variable species, its size being influenced by environmental conditions, from 5 cm up to 50 cm tall.

Glechoma is sometimes confused with common mallow or Malva neglecta, which also has round, lobed leaves; but mallow leaves are attached to the stem at the back of a rounded leaf, where ground ivy has square stems and leaves which are attached in the center of the leaf, more prominent rounded lobes on their edges, attach to the stems in an opposite arrangement, and have a hairy upper surface.

In addition, mallow and other creeping plants sometimes confused with ground ivy do not spread from nodes on stems. In addition, ground ivy emits a distinctive odor when damaged, being a member of the mint family.

The flowers of Glechoma are bilaterally symmetrical, funnel shaped, blue or bluish-violet to lavender, and grow in opposed clusters of 2 or 3 flowers in the leaf axils on the upper part of the stem or near the tip. It usually flowers in the spring.

Glechoma thrives in moist shaded areas, but also tolerates sun very well. It is a common plant in grasslands and wooded areas or wasteland. It also thrives in lawns and around buildings, since it survives mowing. It spreads by stolons or by seed.

Part of the reason for its wide spread is this rhizomatous method of reproduction. It will form dense mats which can take over areas of lawn, and thus can be considered potentially invasive or aggressive weed.



Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glechoma_hederacea


See Also: Bouquet, Roses, Floral

Understanding labels

Like most other labels, the Scotch whisky label combines law, tradition, marketing, and whim, and may therefore be difficult to understand. Because of variations in language and national law, the following is a rough guide:

If a label contains the words “single malt” (sometimes split by other words e.g., “single highland malt”), the bottle contains single malt Scotch whisky.

"Vatted malt", "pure malt", or "blended malt" indicates a mixture of single malt whiskies. In older bottlings pure malt is often used to describe a single malt (e.g. “Glenfiddich Pure Malt”).

The label may identify the distillery as the main brand or as part of the product description. This is most likely the case for single malt. Some single malt whisky is sold anonymously or with a fictitious brand name. This can be at the request of the distillery or producer to protect their brand. An example of this is single cask whiskies independently bottled by companies such as The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, who use a numbering system as a part of their agreement with distillers. This does not indicate quality, but successive bottles may be completely different as each individual cask imparts unique qualities to the spirit. The only reliable way to identify the distillery is to use a reference.

Alcoholic strength is listed in most countries. Typically, whisky is between 40% and 46% abv. A lower alcohol content may indicate an “economy” whisky or local law. If the bottle is over 50% abv it is probably cask strength.

Age is sometimes listed as well. For example, if a bottle is labelled as 12 years old the youngest whisky in the bottle has been matured in cask for at least 12 years before bottling.

A year on a bottle normally indicates the year of distillation and one cask bottling, so the year the whisky was bottled may be listed as well. Whisky does not mature once bottled, so the age is the difference between these two dates; if both dates are not shown the age cannot be known from the bottle alone.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotch_whisky

See Also: Florist, Florists, Flower

Verbascum thapsus

Verbascum thapsus (Great or Common Mullein) is a species of mullein native to Europe, northern Africa and Asia, and introduced in the Americas and Australia.

It is a hairy biennial plant that can grow to 2 m or more tall. Its small yellow flowers are densely grouped on a tall stem, which bolts from a large rosette of leaves. It grows in a wide variety of habitats, but prefers well-lit disturbed soils, where it can appear soon after the ground receives light, from long-lived seeds that persist in the soil seed bank.

It is a common weedy plant that spreads by prolifically producing seeds, but rarely becomes aggressively invasive, since its seed require open ground to germinate. It is a very minor problem for most agricultural crops, since it is not a very competitive species, being intolerant of shade from other plants and unable to survive tilling.

It also hosts many insects, some of which can be harmful to other plants. Although individuals are easy to remove by hand, populations are difficult to eliminate permanently.

It is widely used for herbal remedies with emollient and astringent properties. It is especially recommended for coughs and related problems, but also used in topical applications against a variety of skin problems. The plant was also used to make dyes and torches.

Verbascum thapsus is a dicotyledonous plant that produces a rosette of leaves in its first year of growth.The leaves are large, up to 50 cm long. The second year plants normally produce a single unbranched stem usually 1–2 m tall.

In the East of its range in China, it is, however, only reported to grow up to 1.5 m tall. The tall pole-like stems end in a dense spike of flowers that can occupy up to half the stem length.

All parts of the plants are covered with star-shaped trichomes. This cover is particularly thick on the leaves, giving them a silvery appearance. The species' chromosome number is 2n = 36.

Flowers are pentamerous with five stamen that are fused to the petals, a 5-lobed calyx tube and a 5-petalled corolla, the latter bright yellow and an 1.5–3 cm (0.5–1 inch) wide. The flowers are almost sessile, with very short pedicels (2 mm, 0.08 in).

The five stamens are of two types, with the three upper stamens being shorter, their filaments covered by yellow or whitish hairs, and having smaller anthers, while the lower two stamens have glabrous filaments and larger anthers.

The plant produces small ovoid (6 mm, 0.24 in) capsules that split open by way of two valves, each capsule containing large numbers of minute brown seeds less than a millimetre (0.04 in) in size, marked with longitudinal ridges. A white-flowered form, V. thapsus f. candicans, is known to occur.

Flowering lasts for up to three months from early to late summer (June to August in northern Europe), with flowering starting at the bottom of the spike and progressing irregularly upward; each flower opens for part of a day and only a few open at the same time around the stem.



Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbascum_thapsus


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Portulaca oleracea

Portulaca oleracea (Common Purslane, also known as Verdolaga, Pigweed, Little Hogweed or Pusley), is an annual succulent in the family Portulacaceae, which can reach 40 cm in height. About 40 varieties are currently cultivated.

It has an extensive old-world distribution extending from North Africa through the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent to Malesia and Australasia.

The species status in the New World is uncertain: it is generally considered an exotic weed; however, there is evidence that the species was in Crawford Lake deposits (Ontario) in 1430-89, suggesting that it reached North America in the pre-Columbian era.

It is naturalised elsewhere and in some regions is considered an invasive weed. It has smooth, reddish, mostly prostrate stems and alternate leaves clustered at stem joints and ends. The yellow flowers have five regular parts and are up to 6 mm wide.

The flowers appear depending upon rainfall and may occur year round. The flowers open singly at the center of the leaf cluster for only a few hours on sunny mornings.

Seeds are formed in a tiny pod, which opens when the seeds are ready. Purslane has a taproot with fibrous secondary roots and is able to tolerate poor, compacted soils and drought.

Although purslane is considered a weed in the United States, it can be eaten as a leaf vegetable, providing sources can be found which have not been poisoned deliberately.

It has a slightly sour and salty taste and is eaten throughout much of Europe, Asia and Mexico. The stems, leaves and flower buds are all good to eat.

Purslane can be used fresh as a salad, stir-fried, or cooked like spinach, and because of its mucilaginous quality it is also suitable for soups and stews. Australian Aborigines used to use the seeds to make seedcakes.

As a companion plant, Purslane provides ground cover to create a humid microclimate for nearby plants, stabilizing ground moisture.

Its deep roots also bring up moisture and nutrients that those plants can use, and some, including corn, will actually "follow" purslane roots down through harder soil than they can penetrate on their own. It is known as a beneficial weed in places that don't already grow it as a crop in its own right.



Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portulaca_oleracea



See Also: flowers sydney, Floral, florist sydney, florist melbourne