Herbalistics Plant Blog

A Guide To Keeping It Green

   Apr 22

Ross River Fever

By daz
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I contracted Ross River Fever (RRF,) also called Ross River Virus, in early March (the virus takes 3-11 days to show) this year and thought I’d share a little bit of info and my experience with the virus, also some herbs and treatments that helped me along the path to recovery.

RRF is a virus that is transmitted from infected animals, via female mosquitoes, to humans. Symptoms include a rash, fever, chills, headaches and particularly (for me anyway) swollen and inflamed joints and muscles. Some good info is available in a quick search for RRF, see the one below.

http://access.health.qld.gov.au/hid/InfectionsandParasites/ViralInfections/rossRiverVirus_fs.asp

Initially it started for me with achy joints. Then all of a sudden after being bitten by a wasp on a walk, a rash developed on limbs and trunk of my body that night, along with a night fever and incredibly painful joints, such that I could hardly walk. Rolling over in bed was a painful task! My partner who is a physiotherapist and acupuncturist tried acupuncture on me the following morning but I was hypersensitive and this was quite painful. Phenergen (antihistamine) and some codeine based painkillers (i hate them but use only in times of need) brought about the relief I needed for a better sleep and a bit more movement. Early morning waking was a problem and I felt sleep-deprived for a few weeks. Ibuprofen tablets just before bed also helped for the first two weeks. A blood test a few days after developing symptoms confirmed RRF.

The rash that develops in RRF but disappears after a day or two, in my case.

Wanting to ditch the tablets quickly we settled on some acupuncture treatments and light yoga and gentle exercises. If I felt better and did some more rigorous excessive, I found I would be uncomfortable and have various painful joints and muscles for up to a week afterwards. So gentle exercise was best!

Ganoderma sp. from the Sunshine Coast, not yet specifically identified by me.

Ganoderma sp. from the Sunshine Coast, not yet specifically identified by me.

Herbs that helped along the way were Andrographis paniculata (King of Bitters), Ocimum sanctum (Purple Tulsi), Eletheurococcus senticosus (Siberian Ginseng), Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra and G. uralensis which is Chinese Licorice), Cinnamon aromaticum (Cassia) and a local Ganoderma sp. (QLD Reishi mushroom). In the mornings for 3 weeks or so I would prepare a tea of QLD Reishi, Tulsi, Siberian Ginseng, Licorice and Cassia. Bring the Reishi (5g) to a boil first, reduce heat and only barely simmer for 5-10min, add a teaspoon of Siberian Ginseng, continue to simmer and add half a teaspoon each of both Licorice species and a small 2cm piece of Cassia bark and a few tops of Purple Tulsi leaves and turn heat off. Leave to decoct for 10 minutes or more and then strain and drink. No need to add sweetener when using Licorice which is a new favourite herb of mine. This treatment felt good for me with no side-effects.

The magic tea blend I used for Ross River Fever.

Seven or so weeks after developing the first symptoms, the illness has receded and I feel pretty much back to normal. I occasionally get a sore joint or muscle but that’s to be expected. I understand it’s quite different for everyone who gets it, but a few things to remember; you will get better, take it easy and don’t overdo work or sport/activity, don’t drink alcohol, eat healthy and take immune stimulating and anti-inflammatory medicine/herbs.

CHEERS TO GOOD HEALTH :)

 

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   Jan 26

Cane Toads in Compost

By daz
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After the first decent rain of the warmer seasons here on the Sunshine Coast, there is an inevitable deluge of tiny toadlets of the Cane Toad (Bufo marinus) that swarm out of the dam and head for higher ground and safety. While they are still young and before they have developed parotid glands on their shoulders, they are edible to birds and other creatures, i used to feed them to my chickens for many years with no ill effects. It is easy to visibly identify once they have developed the parotid glands; these contain a number of compounds collectively known as bufotoxin. One of the constituents is bufotenin, a scheduled compound in Australian State and Federal law (ha), a compound also found in the plant world, including Anadenanthera colubrina (Cebil), whose seeds are prepared as an hallucinogenic snuff in parts of South America.

Anyway! Apart from the usual freezing and then adding back into the compost bin or burying dead toads under plants (to give them a nice kick start) or feeding non-poisonous toadlets to fowl, there aren’t too many other uses for them yet. Well, I guess there are the wallets, etc. made out of stuffed, dead toads that are sold to tourists.

Wondering what to do with toadlets, I chucked a few in my compost bin and thought nothing more of it. They couldn’t get out and it was a bit of an experiment. That was over a month and a half ago and the two toadstools have grown well by feeding on insects in the bin. They are often showered with kitchen refuse and horse manure but the next time I visit the bin, they are happily sitting on top of the heap catching bugs and a little bigger than last time I saw them. They have reduced the number of vinegar flys, etc. down to almost nothing! They have grown extremely fast in such a warm environment and on a good diet. Once the compost bin is full the toads will be retired to the freezer and returned to the soil. This I found is a good way to keep insects in check inside the compost bin and is at least a good use of this creature that is now firmly a part of the Australian fauna.

Cane toads living happily in the compost bin, eating insects. Note the light coloured parotid gland visible on the left shoulder.

 

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   Nov 22

Heath walk Sunshine Coast

By daz
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I like to get out and explore plant communities when I move to a new area. The Sunshine Coast has some amazing heathland reserves, though sadly like most other vegetation types in Australia, the majority has been destroyed and disturbed since European Settlement. Add to that incorrect fires regimes and these beautiful and inspiring landscapes are under serious threat in many places.

Life is tough in the heath!

There are many amazing plant species in heath, many interesting bushfoods, to name a few I saw; Persoonia spp. (Geebung), Leucopogon spp., Haemodorum spp. (Bloodroot), Trachymene incisa (Native Parsnip), Duboisia myoporoides (Corkwood) and there will be many more interesting medicinal and aromatic species as well.

Corkwood (Duboisia myoporoides) in flower and fruit!

So I urge you, get a good plant ID book for your local area and get out and explore you local flora, there’s plenty to discover! Even better, join a local bush regeneration group and help preserve what we have left.

Leucopogon pimeleoides fruit - they taste good!

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   Aug 04

Moved!

By daz
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Moving is never easy and moving house and nursery to a location 2.5hrs away on the Sunshine Coast has been a long grind, but enjoyable! Adapting to the new climate and seeing opportunities and realising limitations is the current realisation!

Being closer to the coast has its benefits, the night time temperature is generally 5 degrees or so warmer at night than in the Lockyer Valley. The humidity is higher, which is good for some species and not for others. Soil moisture at this time of the year is greater. The soil has a 2-3 inch topsoil and clay subsoil, with the ubiquitous small rocks, 20-50mm. Gypsum being added to the soil to improve structure. The drainage is already very good considering the type of soil, but gypsum will improve it more without affecting the pH.

The area appears to have been an old Lychee farm, approx. 15-20 years ago, many large Lychee trees are dotted about our backyard and throughout the neighbourhood. It is promising for tasty fruit, but dealing with fruit bats will be an issue, they are already active in a Eucalypt above the shed. I am hoping there is enough to share for all the species.

 

Lychee Tree in background, native ginger with Native Bee hive in fore.

Lychee Tree in background, native ginger with Native Bee hive in fore.

Adding soluble humates to the vege garden yesterday, improving the drainage and structure, increasing biological activity is the name of the game before planting some staples for the kitchen: coriander, Calendula, parsley, That Basil, Lemongrass, Stevia, Cardamom, Lemon Balm, et al.

Starting to resemble a vege patch!

Starting to resemble a vege patch!

The future is looking bright, bright green!

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   May 22

Drunken Lorikeets?

By daz
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I saw this recently on the news, flocks of Lorikeets acting strange after feeding on the flowers of certain native trees. The simple explanation was that they are drunk, from nectar in flowers fermenting and producing ethanol in quantities large enough to ‘stone the crows’ or at least get a Lorikeet drunk. Anyway, it reminded me of something I can across years ago, a reference to Melicope bonwickii in the Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants key, which states:

The flowers of this species are very popular with nectar or pollen feeding birds particularly parrots. The noise emanating from flocks of these birds feeding in flowering trees suggests that there may be components in addition to simple nectar and pollen in their fare.

and then:

Occurs in North East Queensland and southwards to coastal central Queensland. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 800 m. Grows in well developed lowland and upland rain forest but probably reaching its best development on soils derived from basalt. This species is favoured by disturbance and as it is a fast growing species it can compete quite successfully with the regrowth species. When this species flowers, large numbers of birds are attracted and the noise emanating from the assemblage suggests that there may be an ingredient in the nectar which modifies their normal behaviour.

Now i’m not sure how long the flowers last but for them to have nectar that is infected by the right fungi to produce ethanol long enough to start fermentation they would have to remain about 2-3 days open or on the tree, you know what I mean. They would also have to compete with the Lorikeets licking up the nectar and bacteria. It just doesn’t sound possible or feasible. I would suggest it is something else and if there is anyone growing this species, I encourage you to experiment with the flowers, make a drink!

A member of the Rutaceae family. Synonym Euodia bonwickii.

 

Melicope bonwickii © B. Gray

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   May 07

Cold Changes

By daz
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The colder part of the year is gradually getting here, increasing cold snaps letting us know to wind some things back in the garden and also that it is time to start sowing other plants. This change is not something to avoid but to embrace! Apart from being the lifeless, cold, grey or rest period of the year for the garden, it is often a time for the garden to heal itself from the vigours of summer and all the associated trials, for example the 2011 big flood in SE Qld and for other slower forms of life to take over the shift.

Plants that I should (!) be sowing include:

  • Autumn green manure mixes (this is great for the soil and also habitat for frogs and beneficial insects. Also a great source of winter salad leaves when things like endive, beetroot or radish are sown)
  • Kanna (Sceletium tortuosum and S. emarcidum) The low temps are ideal for germinating and you will see established plants sending out new shoots.
  • Yellow Horned Poppy (Glaucium flavum)
  • Maca (Lepidium meyenii)
  • Opium Lettuce (Lactuca virosa) though this tends to self seed around the garden anyway, preferring shady moist spots against the southern side of the house for example.
  • Winter growing Phalaris aquatica cultivars.
  • Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum)

That’s just the plants that sprang to mind, there are dozens, hundreds, literally thousands of other species that can be sown, grown, divided and multiplied through the colder months of the year. See what other gardeners are growing in your local climate at this time of year to get some hints. Up here in the Lockyer Valley it is perhaps the best part of the year to grow vegetables and many other herbs, the pest pressure is minimised, temperatures are much kinder on the top end and there are many frost free areas around to grow without hesitation.

Talk a walk in the garden, pull that jumper off and suck up the cold air while you fork over the garden!

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   Mar 29

Jicama and Corn

By daz
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A promising way to grow Jicama or Yam Bean (Pachyrhizus erosus) is with corn as a companion. While growing climbing beans with corn is nothing new, perhaps growing Jicama with corn is! I planted the Jicama seeds in late summer and once they were up, i planted some corn seeds in rows between the rows of Jicama. Now the corn is almost 1 meter tall, the Jicama is climbing up happily without strangling the corn, so far. I had bad germination with the corn as I was just going through a cold spell in late winter, cold as in chilly, not ice or snow. Anyway, they are pretty happy growing together, great companions, in fact, i reckon they are in love. If the Jicama is doing better than the corn, you could keep it trimmed until the corn is large enough to handle it climbing.

Jicama is a very useful plant, the above ground parts including the seeds, contain rotenone, an insecticidal compound that is the active ingredient of derris dust you commercially buy in garden centres. It is allowed for use in organic systems. Rotenone is also toxic to fish as they absorb it through their gills much easier than mammals can absorb it through their gastrointestinal tract. Care should be taken when handling above ground parts i guess :)

One reason I thought i’d try to grow Jicama with corn was to see if the rotenone in the Jicama keeps away or kills corn earworm (Helicoverpa spp.).

http://www.herbalistics.com.au/shop/product_info.php?products_id=665

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   Mar 25

Hello www!

By daz
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And……we’re live! just having a lovely cup of Tulsi tea, blended with a pinch of Boldo leaf, ginger and chamomile, a little honey and inspiration, we’re away!

I am sort of hoping this may be a regular sort of update about what’s going on at Herbalistics or at least a little info here and there on what I am up to in the nursery, whether that be propagation techniques, a rave, a rant, a rave and a rant about all things to do with medicinal plants. At the very worst, this could be the first and last post made :)

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   Mar 25

Damiana

By daz
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Harvesting some Damiana from my trial plantation patch today and listing it on the store led me to search the web for Damiana pictures, initially it was for a picture of Damiana Liqueur, a spirit which comes in an amazing bottle, like a pregnant lady or Buddha ;) anyway i came across a fair few sites that had used my picture and just cropped out the Herbalistics link. I like having photos of products that are hard to find on the web so i don’t generally mind sites using them as long as they keep the link to Herbalistics intact, take note!

Anyway, Damiana, especially harvested freshly from your own bush, is an awesome herb! I use it in teas and have been adding it to roast veges! Goes well along with thyme, rosemary and oregano, gotta be good for you!

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