COMFREY

Symphytum officinale

A member of the borage family, comfrey has large, hairy broad leaves, black turnip-like roots and bell-shaped pale blue, purple, white or pink flowers.  It grows to a height of 4 feet and a width of 2-3 feet.  It will grow in full sun, but prefers part shade and benefits from a layer of mulch.  The seeds may be planted in spring or divisions or root cuttings made in autumn.  The plants should not be harvested the first years to allow the plants to become established, but mature plants may be harvested 4 or 5 times between April and September.  The best time to harvest is before flowering for the most potent nutrients, and the plants should be cut 2” above the ground.  It is difficult to remove comfrey once established because it has very deep roots and any fragments left in the soil will regrow.

Cultivated since 400 BC as a healing herb, comfrey, also called bruisewort or knitbone, is native to Europe and Asia.   Its name comes from the Latin con firma meaning “with strength” and the gummy root was once used to spread on muslin and wrap around a sprain, torn ligament or set broken bone because it stiffened into a cast.  The root contains allantoin which also increases the healing of wounds.  The leaves may be applied externally as a poultice to reduce inflammation and promote healing.  Comfrey oil and soothing salve can also be used for wounds, inflammations, rashes and just about any skin problem.

Comfrey is also an important herb to the organic gardener, having many fertilizer uses.  It is high in vitamins A, B12, C as well as calcium, phosphorus and potassium and its high moisture content help the leaves break down rapidly to enrich the soil.  The fresh cut leaves may be used as a mulch or as a soil amendment in planting holes, they may be added to the compost pile as an activator, and they may be used to make a liquid tea for a fertilizer or pest preventative.  Seven plants will provide for a continual supply of leaves for garden uses.

COMFREY BOTANICAL TEA
Harvest and chop comfrey leaves and fill a container half full. 
Add water to cover the leaves and steep for a few hours or a few weeks,
being sure to stir it every now and then. 
It smells foul, so brew away from sensitive noses! 
Strain and use full strength or diluted to the color of weak tea. 
It’s great for watering stressed plants. 


Other herbs may be added to the “tea” including:
chicory (potassium, calcium, vitamin A)
dandelion (vitamin A & C, calcium, potassium)
nettle (numerous nutrients)
parsley (vitamin A & C, iron, copper, manganese)
perilla (iron, calcium)
watercress (vitamins, calcium, manganese, iron)

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.”
Psalm 24:1-2

ROMAN CHAMOMILE

(Chamaemelum nobile)

‘Like a Chamomile bed –

The more it is trodden

The more it will spread,’

Native to Western Europe and North Africa, Chamomile is one of the most popular herbs in the world.  There are two plants known as chamomile which come from unrelated species, yet have similar daisy-like flowers, feathery foliage and a long history.  German chamomile is an annual, known especially for its use as an herb tea and Roman chamomile is a perennial, best known for its use as a fragrant lawn.  The common name Chamomile” came from the Greeks who were inspired by the plant’s distinct apple-like fragrance to name it kamai meaning “ground” and melon meaning “apple”.  The Spanish call it manzanilla or “little apple”.  The early Romans enjoyed the herb; however, the common name “Roman chamomile” actually comes from its discovery by a 19th century botanist growing in the Roman Coliseum!  In ancient Egypt, the daisy-like flower reminded them of the sun so it was used to honor the gods as well as embalm the dead and cure the sick.  During the Middle Ages, chamomile was used as a strewing herb to improve the atmosphere at gatherings and festivals as well as to create green seats in the garden and to the Anglo Saxons it was one of the “Nine Sacred Herbs” and known as Maythen.

Roman chamomile is hardy to Zone 4 and makes an excellent groundcover since it grows only 4-9 inches in height.  It thrives in most soils if kept moist, but well drained and although it prefers full sun, it will also do well in part shade.  Usually propagated by root division, this spreading herb can be trodden upon and therefore can be planted between stepping stones, but is also pretty in rock gardens or borders.  Often called the “Plant’s Physician”, chamomile makes a good companion plant and planting near a sickly plant often results in its recovery.  Especially good among vegetables, such as cabbage, cucumbers and onions, it deters pests and diseases plus helps to attract beneficials.  An infusion of chamomile can help prevent damping off of seedlings as well as revive cut flowers and make them last longer.

Use caution when ingesting Roman chamomile as it may induce allergenic reactions in especially ragweed-sensitive individuals.  However, its flowers make a distinctly soothing apple-like tea and its foliage can be chopped and stirred into butter or sour cream to top baked potatoes.  The edible petals can also be added to salads or used to decorate cakes.  Make sure you harvest the blooms when the petals are just turning back from the center to get the best flavor.  Chamomile can also be used alone or blended with other herbs for an overall feeling of well-being in sachets, bath products and shampoos to bring out the natural highlights in blond hair.  The leaves as well as the flowers may be dried upside down for potpourri or pressed to use in crafts such as note cards and gift tags.

GARDEN TIP
Plant Roman chamomile 4 inches apart
to form a fragrant lawn,
then weed regularly until establish
and keep mowed just like grass

“. . .All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of the Lord stands forever. . .”
I Peter 24-25

CHICORY

(Cichorium intybus)

A symbol of frugality, chicory is part of a small genus of about six species native to Eurasia, but transplanted and growing throughout North America.  It is often cultivated, especially in Europe for its edible leaves and its roots, and the dozens of cultivars scarcely resemble the scrawny roadside weed.  Its Latin name, Cichorium, has been traced back to the ancient Egyptians who were really fond of chicory. Identified as one of the bitter herbs in the Bible associated with Passover, chicory’s appreciation as a culinary herb dates back to at least Roman time, but even today it is eaten as a spring tonic in many cultures.  Used throughout history, Napoleon’s armies chewed raw ground chicory like chewing tobacco, Charlemagne demanded that chicory be one of the 75 herbs planted in his garden and Elizabeth I drank a broth made from chicory.  It came to the United States with the colonists as a medicinal herb, but Thomas Jefferson and others grew it as a forage crop as it is a favored food of livestock as well as wild game including deer, turkey and quail.  In recent years, chicory has received widespread attention in a number of countries due to its high yield, high mineral content and drought resistance.

A relative of the dandelion, they both have a deep tap root and a rosette of toothed basal leaves, however, chicory puts up a stiff hairy flower stalk clothed sparsely with small leaves and a height of 2-5 feet.  A very ornamental plant, it is in flower from July through October.  The flowers are an exquisite sky to cerulean blue 1 ½ inches wide.  Oddly enough, the blue color of the flowers is changed to a brilliant red by the acids of ants, so place a flower on an ant hill and watch the magic!  Although a perennial, chicory is usually cultivated as an annual, especially when being grown for winter salads and will tolerate very acid and very alkaline soils but must have full sun.  Easily started from seed, they may be sown in April for a summer crop of edible leaves or in June/July for a winter crop and if grown for their roots, sow in May or June.  The leaves can be harvested when they are large enough, the flower heads in July, but the roots are best harvested during rainy weather in late autumn before frost.  Bunch chicory roots to dry or to blanch the roots, store in sand in a dark room to produce tops that are more tender and less bitter.

A multi-purpose plant, chicory gives off the fragrance of fresh field greens in the garden and in the kitchen all parts of the plant may be used from a natural sweetener to a spring salad and even a caffeine free coffee substitute.  Both the stalks and the leaves have an asparagus-like flavor when young and may be eaten raw or braised.  Chicory leaves may also be boiled for a blue dye.  The flowers are an attractive addition to the salad bowl, dried for potpourri and the buds are often pickled.  The young roots can be boiled and eaten with butter like parsnip, roasted for a slightly bitter caramel flavor or used as a seasoning in soups, sauces and gravies.  The roots are most often roasted and used as a coffee additive or substitute especially C. intybus “Magdeburg” which is grown for its large roots.  A good source of folic acid, potassium and vitamin A, chicory has tonic properties and is beneficial in the diet of diabetics due to its high insulin content.

GARDEN TIPS

Chicory flowers open in the morning light

with regularity and close five hours later,

making them well-suited to display

in "floral garden clocks"

"Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you.
I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.”
Genesis 9:3

SWEET WOODRUFF

(Galium odoratum)

Traditionally used to flavor May wine poured over fresh strawberries in Germany to welcome the arrival of spring, sweet woodruff is native to Europe and also known as Master of the Forest.  “Woodruff” comes from the French ravelle, meaning wheel in reference to the leaves growing around the stem like spokes. Galium comes from the Greek gala for “milk” since the leaves were once used to curdle milk and odoratum is Latin for “fragrant,” since crushed the leaves have the odor of new-mown hay and vanilla which actually intensifies as the leaves dry.  Sweet woodruff has also been hung in bunches in springtime in homes and churches as well as strewn on the floor to give off its scent since Medieval times.  The back of pocket watches in the 18^th century even held sweet woodruff leaves that scented the air when it was opened.

A shade gardener’s delight, sweet woodruff thrives in full or semi-shade in a slightly acidic, loamy, well-drained soil and is also very cold-hardy.  Fast growing and quick to establish, it typically grows 8”-12” and has whorls of stiff, glossy green leaves with rough margins which are attractive all season.  It flowers in mid spring with clusters of tiny, white star-shaped blooms, which have a delicious vanilla-like fragrance and produce seeds with tiny hooked bristles which catch onto fur or feathers and are dispersed by self seeding as well as their creeping roots.  Where necessary it can be mowed back especially in spring or frequently pinched back to keep it low and bushy.  It is great for under-planting shrubs, along woodland edges or plant in a container of humus soil for an indoor dish garden or terrarium.  The larvae of numerous butterfly and moth species use the plants as a food source.  Easily propagated by root division in spring or fall, cutting can also be rooted in moist sand, but seeds are slow to germinate.  It can be harvested the second year by clipping to hang dry for crafts or the leaves may be placed in a flower press as they blend well with all flowers.

In wines, brandies and jellies, the leaves of sweet woodruff may be used as a flavoring and the sweet-scented edible flowers used as a garnish for sorbets and fruit salads or to float in drinks.  You can also use it as a natural plant dye since the leaves produce a light brown and the roots a light red when used with alum as a mordant.  When it is dried, the leaves smell like freshly-mown vanilla grass which is excellent in sachets for clothes, linens and potpourri.  Sweet woodruff maintains its scent for years due to the chemical coumarin which is also used commercially as a fixative for soothing perfumes that promote serenity.  Mixed with fodder, it even gives cow’s milk a delicious aroma!

  

Two other members of the Galium genus are Yellow Bedstraw (Galium verum) and Stickywilly (Galium aparine).  Yellow bedstraw or lady’s bedstraw has yellow flowers and provided a pleasant smelling stuffing for mattresses in medieval times.  Dyers use the roots for red dye and the tops for yellow dye. 

Stickywilly is an annual which is also called cleavers, goosegrass, catchweed and coachweed since the leaves, stems and seeds all stick like velcro to animals or clothing, ensuring the plant’s wide dispersal.  The seeds have been used as a coffee substitute, the stems used as a strainer and the whole plant used to stuff bedding.

GARDEN TIPS

Sweet woodruff is an ideal carpet for tall spring bulbs
such as daffodils and tulips to grow through
or plant in crevices or between flagstones along paths
but it does not withstand foot traffic

May Wine Punch
1 gallon white grape juice
6-8 sprigs sweet woodruff
1 lg can lemonade
1 lg pkg frozen strawberries
1 bottle ginger ale
               Steep sweet woodruff in heated grape juice for 5 minutes, strain and add lemonade and frozen strawberries and mix well.  Chill overnight. Add ginger ale and serve in punch bowl with sliced fresh strawberries, sliced orange and fresh sweet woodruff in an ice ring.

May Jelly
1/3c fresh sweet woodruff
2c white grape juice
3c sugar
rind of 1 orange
2tsp lemon juice
3oz liquid pectin
               Bring juice to a boil, pour over herbs and steep 30 mins.  Strain and return to pan, add sugar, orange rind and lemon juice.  Boil until sugar dissolves, stir in pectin and boil 1 minute.  Cool slightly, skim off foam, and pour into jars and water-process for 10 mins.

“. . .All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of the Lord stands forever. . .”
I Peter 24-25

RUE

 (Ruta graveolens)

Rue has a long history in Europe where it was used as a strewing herb, an anti-plague herb, a natural insecticide and to sprinkle holy water before high mass, which is where it received its common name “Herb of Grace”.  It was also used as an ingredient in herb wine during the Middle Ages and is still used in Spain and southern Italy to give aroma to brandy.  Rue is mentioned in several writings from the New Testament to the works of Shakespeare and was even the basis for the suit of clubs in a deck of playing cards.

Native to the Mediterranean and Western Asia, the name Ruta is from the Greek reuo, “to save or set free”, and the species name comes from the Latin gravis, “heavy” and olens “smell”.   Rue has strong smelling somewhat unpleasant scent, delicately cut blue-grey-green foliage with an open, airy, rounded habit and clusters of yellow scoop-like flowers in midsummer, followed by decorative seed capsules.  Hardy to zone 4, Rue grows well in poor soil and loves rocky, dry conditions in a sunny location.  A hard pruning in the spring will encourage new growth and keep it a compact 18-24 inches.  Rue is a good companion plant of roses and raspberries because it helps to deter Japanese beetles and its leaves are eaten by the black swallowtail caterpillar and therefore Rue is a good candidate for the butterfly garden.

Rue does have a culinary use if used sparingly.  It is a traditional flavoring used in Greece and other Mediterranean countries as well as in Jewish ceremonies, but it should be used with caution since it can cause irritation like poison ivy.  Rue has also been used in the past in medicine and to reduce inflammation from snakebites, insect bites, strains and sprains, but should be used today only under strict medical supervision and never when pregnant.  However, a combination of garlic, rosemary and rue infused in olive oil work together at killing ear mites in dogs and cats.  Since Rue is seldom used in cooking and the medicinal use should be approached with caution, the primary uses for this plant are decorative.  The seed heads are particularly attractive and may be used in dried flower arrangements and wreaths.  The leaves can also be used fresh in nosegays or dried as a moth repellant and the roots yield a reddish dye.

GARDEN TIP

Be cautious, the moist Rue foliage is an irritant to some, 

especially in the heat of summer, 

and handling it may cause an allergic reaction

“And God said, "See, I have given you every herb
that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth,
and every tree whose fruit yields seed;
to you it shall be for food.”
Genesis 1:29

AMARANTH

(Amaranthus tricolor)

Originating in South Central Mexico, amaranth was cultivated as a food crop as early as 7000 years ago.  It was a principal source of protein for the pre-Hispanic population and along with beans and corn was a fundamental part of the Mexican diet.  Today it is grown worldwide.  Ancient Greeks considered it a symbol of immortality and its name comes from the Greek word for “never-fading.”  It was a staple in the diets of pre-Colombian Aztecs.  In Africa, it is known as a “vegetable for all” and goes well with carbohydrate dishes.  Although still not a mainstream food, amaranth flour has been grown in the U.S. since 1975 and can be found in natural food stores.

A relative of lamb’s quarters, amaranth is a tender perennial which is hardy to zone 7 and does well into summer when other spring salad greens have bolted.  There are approximately 60 species but no definite distinction between those grown for the leaf and the seed.  The plant, which is grown in home gardens for its tender and flavorful foliage, produces large oval leaves which are medium green overlaid with a burgundy red star and large clusters of tiny greenish-white flowers.  The seeds are very small and black or reddish brown.  Easy to grow from seed planted in cool spring soil, amaranth grows 18”-20” tall and loves full sun and rich but well-drained soil.  It resists heat and drought plus has no major disease problems, but it does not transplant well.  Amaranth is more efficient at converting atmospheric carbon to biomass than most plants, as a result, it grows fast, is very productive and is adaptable.  Harvest the individual leaves once or twice a week and cut back the whole plant to 6” to encourage new growth and successive harvests.  The leaves may be frozen.  The seeds can also be harvested to be eaten as a grain and are best stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator to prevent them from becoming rancid and used within 3-6 months.

Amaranth leaves are incredibly versatile with a hearty flavor like spinach with a pinch of horseradish – slightly sweet but tangy.  Excellent in raw salads or as a steamed vegetable, the foliage is even more nutritious than spinach especially higher in iron, calcium and phosphorous, but is also high in vitamins A and C.  Amaranth combines well with garlic, ginger, soy sauce and lemons and may be stir-fried, sautéed, or mixed with sauces, soups, stews or wherever spinach is used in a recipe.  The amaranth grain is used worldwide as a complete protein and ground into flour with no gluten for tasty baked goods, cooked as a cereal or popped like popcorn.  The seeds may also be sprouted and used on sandwiches and salads or just munched on!

GARDEN TIP

With its coleus-like appearance,
amaranth is showy enough for flowerbeds,
borders and containers

An ornamental  strain of amaranth known as Joseph’s Coat
 bears larger leaves in brilliant shades of red, yellow, bronze and green on plants reaching 6 feet high

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
the world and all who live in it”
Psalm 24:1

ALOE

 (Aloe vera or Aloe barbadensis)

Commonly called “the burn plant”, aloe is native to Africa and is also known as “lily of the desert, the “plant of immortality”, and the “medicine plant”.  This high-sulfur member of the garlic family dates back 6,000 years, and has been well used by numerous cultures.  Egyptians used it in embalming, Alexander the Great carried the plant into battle to treat wounded soldiers, two of the most famous women in history, Cleopatra and Josephine, used it as one of their most important beauty secrets, and Columbus even carried it on board his ships during his ocean voyages.  It is so popular today that it is commercially cultivated in the United States, Japan, and countries in the Caribbean and Mediterranean.  Many individuals also grow it as a houseplant.

Aloe is a semitropical succulent – the plant is about 96% water! – with thick, fleshy blades with spiny teeth on the margins that range in size from one inch miniatures to 12-16 inch plants.  The sap is a thick, mucilaginous gel.  Older specimens (2-3 years) may bloom in mid-summer, producing a tall stock of coral colored flowers with nectar that is a favorite of hummingbirds.   It has a fibrous, shallow, spreading root system, so a wide planter is the best choice for container growing although in zones 10-11, it may be grown outdoors.  Aloe needs temperatures above 40 degrees as well as filtered light since their leaves turn brown when fully exposed to sun.  It is easiest to propagate by removing the offsets which form around the base of mature plants, but it can also be grown from seed.

The medicinal properties of Aloe have been known, and recorded since Biblical times.  It is used to soothe and heal skin conditions of all kinds: burns, including sunburn and radiation burns, insect bites, cuts, scratches, itchy irritated skin conditions, wounds and wrinkles.  Aloe is great for avoiding scarring after reconstruction and facial surgery.  It is also used to relieve fleabites on pets.  The clear gel puts a protective coating on an affected area, stimulating cell growth and speeding up the healing rate.  When you need to use it, just remove a lower leaf from the plant, slice it open, and apply the gel on the affected area.  Aloe also aids in keeping the skin supple and has been used in the control of acne and eczema.  It is one of the most widely used ingredients in skin care products and is also found in thousands of products for hair and overall beauty.

GARDEN TIPS
Plants may bloom after 2-3yrs,
producing a tall stock covered with bright colored coral flowers

Aloe flower nectar is a favorite of hummingbirds!

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.”
Psalm 24:1-2

SAFFLOWER

 (Carthamus tinctorius)

The botanical name Carthamus derives from the Arabic kurthum meaning “dye” in reference to the traditional use for safflower flowers for coloring food and making dyes for textiles.  The modern Arabic name of safflower, usfur, comes from asfar meaning “yellow”.  Safflower has been known since ancient times and is one of humanity’s oldest crop.  It has been cultivated as early as 4000BC, has been found in Egyptian tombs and has been in great demand as a coloring agent including its use to dye the robes of Buddhist monks and nuns alike.  However, today safflower is grown primarily for its oil in over 60 countries, including India which is responsible for the production of over half the amount produced worldwide.  Commercial production in the U.S. is concentrated in several Western states including Nebraska and Colorado.

This annual which grows one to two feet tall is a highly branched, herbaceous, thistle-like plant with many sharp spines on its leaves and is propagated by seed sown in spring.  Safflower develops a strong taproot and thrives in sunny, dry conditions especially during flower and seed production.  Its branches produce one to five globular flower heads with tiny yellow-orange-red florets which bloom in July.  The flowers are self-pollinating, but bees and other insects help achieve the highest yields.  The flowers are harvested in summer to be used fresh or dried for dye infusions, but they also dry well for arrangements.  The seeds are small and slightly rectangular like sunflower seeds and are generally cream or off-white.  They are enclosed in the head at maturity in September, which prevents shattering before harvest for extraction of the 35-45% oil they contain.

The whole safflower plant can be used for preparing a nutritious vegetable and also as fodder for animals, fuel for biomass gasifiers and char for soil conditioning.  The edible flower petals give a yellow to bright orange color to food products and cosmetics and have been used as a substitute for the expensive saffron.  Their value as a spice is nearly nil, but their staining capability justifies their usage in the kitchen.  The flower petals also produce a variety of colors from crimson to light pink to cotton yarn.  Extracts from the florets contain nutrients and are used in the treatment of many illnesses in Chinese medicine as well as in a tonic tea. The seeds produce the flavorless, colorless safflower oil which is nutritionally similar to sunflower oil and is used mainly for cooking, in salad dressing and in the production of margarine.  It is associated with lowering of blood cholesterol.

GARDEN TIP
Safflower seed is quite commonly
used as an alternative to sunflower seeds
in birdfeeders, since
squirrels do not like the taste of it

Golden Rice 

2Tbs butter
1 cup rice
2Tbs safflower petals
2½c boiling water
          Melt butter, add rice and slowly sauté over a low heat for several minutes, but do not let rice brown. Chop safflower petals and stir in with rice, then add boiling water and stir and cover.  Reduce heat and cook until all liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

“And God said, "See, I have given you every herb
that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth,
and every tree whose fruit yields seed;
to you it shall be for food.”
Genesis 1:29