Herbology

[antitype27]

One of my main hobbies that I enjoy doing is learning about plants and what certain medicinal qualities they might have, or any other form of usefullness(making rope. etc.) I usually look into the more invasive plants, that some might call weeds and also other less invase, but grow wild, and that can survive in my climate zone. Gathing Ehinacea flowers and making tea out of it. Echinacea helps boost your immune system. A plant called golden rod is known for its virus fighting capabilities. Dandelion is chalk full of many different vitamins and minerals. Ginko helps increase blood circulation to the brain, and is the only tree of its kind... I could honestly go on and on, and I dont believe I know that much stuff. I find that being around nature is very fullfilling for me. I feel content and at peace. I find that all this knowledge about plants is very crucial and very useful information to have...

[hyphaenation]

Your not alone ...

http://www.medicinehunter.com/plant_medicine.htm

Plant medicines are the most widely used medicines in the world today. A full eighty-five percent (85%) of the world's population employs herbs as their primary medicines. And while drugstore shelves in the US are stocked mostly with synthetic remedies, in other parts of the world the situation is quite different. In Germany, pharmacies dispense herbs prescribed by physicians.


For 5.1 billion people worldwide, natural plant-based remedies are used for both acute and chronic health problems, from treating common colds to controlling blood pressure and cholesterol. Not so long ago, this was true in the US as well. As late as the early 1950's, many of the larger pharmaceutical companies still offered a broad variety of plant-based drugs in tablet, liquid and ointment forms.



Plants are the original source materials for as many as 40% of the pharmaceuticals in use in the United States today. This is to say that either the drugs currently contain plant-derived materials, or synthesized materials from agents originally derived from plants. Some medicines, such as the cancer drug Taxol (from Taxus brevifolia) and the anti-malarial quinine from Cinchona pubescens and are manufactured from plants. Other medicinal agents such as pseudoephedrine originally derived from ephedra species, and menthol and methylsalicylate, originally derived from from mentha species and wintergreen (gaultheria procumbens) respectively, are now synthesized.

The rest of the article is interesting to.

[antitype27]

I also pay attention to their growth habits, and how they propagate. How hardy they are in cold climates. What specific soil conditions do they prefer? Acidic soil, or alkaline? I pay attention to their specific flowering period. Whether its early/late spring, summer, fall. Their sun requirements.. I have a relationship with these plants that offer me their healing properties.

So, I guess my other hobby is horticultury.