wild ozark ™ herbs
DESCRIPTION
Wild Ozark ™ presents a 101-slide show on the wild herbs of the Ozarks of northwest Arkansas. This slide-show presentation is an introduction to the beauty and appreciation of the wild herbs of the Ozarks, with bonus photos of a Ozark plants and scenes. The next title “Wild Ozark Herbs of the Van Winkle Trails” will be produced in 2014 and is intended to be a guide to the plants that can be found at that specific trail, with GPS location information so viewers can find it themselves when they hike it. Other trails will be catalogued and formatted for DVD soon.To learn more about future releases from Wild Ozark, please sign up for our mailing list at http://eepurl.com/B1veD.If you'd like this slideshow on a DVD ($1 + shipping while supplies last), please email me at madison(at)wildozark(dot).com!TRANSCRIPT
Useful and Beautiful Plants of the Ozarks
Wild Ozark Herbs
An Ancient Earth Wisdom virtual herb walk with Madison Woods
Introduction
Books
Edible
Beautiful
Unusual
Medicinal
Woodland
Harvest
Plant Spirit Medicine
Conclusion
Contents
Magical Realm
Plants catch my
attention. They
wave me down
even as I am
driving by on the
highway, but most
often when I am
creeping down
the dirt roads
around home.
The following is
an introduction to
some of my
favorites.
BOOKSMy three favorites:
1. A Modern Herbal, by Mrs. M. Grieve2. Edible and Medicinal Plants, by Wildman Steve
Brill3. Ozark Wildflowers, a Falcon Guide
Edible
Redbud Tree(Cercis canadensis)
Native Americans
used the flowers,
seedpods and
seeds.
I love them for
their beauty in
early spring when
not much else is
showing color.
Note: With all wild edible or medicinal plants, just as with domestic food products like peanuts and shellfish, allergic reactions are possible. Always do your own research to verify identity or edibility of any plant.
Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis)
Some uses are
obvious. Black
raspberries are
delicious and
nutritious – a
treat on a hot
summer hike.
Wild strawberries
(Fragaria virginiana)
late May
Edible and tasty,
wild strawberries
are much
anticipated!
Red Raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.)
Red raspberries
offer themselves
up as both food
AND remedy. Not
only are the
berries delicious
and nutritious, but
the leaves have
long been used to
strengthen the
uterus of pregnant
women, to make it
ready for labor.
Gooseberry (Ribes Missouriense )
Gooseberry
grows in shade
under trees and
are fairly
common, but I
never hear of
anyone making
pies and jams
anymore.
Aesthetics – the Beautiful Ones
American Bellflower (Campanula americana)
American
Bellflower
frequents the
shady and moist
spots under trees
and alongside
creeks.
They grow to be
about 4’ high,
sometimes with
several stems on
one plant.
Milkweed(Asclepias spp.)
A few different
varieties of
milkweed grows
in the area where
I give herb walks.
This is one of my
favorites.
Purple Milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens L.)
Another, very
colorful milkweed
that grows in my
area.
I love milkweed
for the butterflies
they attract, and
for the insulating
quality of their
seed fluff.
Wild Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens L.)
Growing along
moist creek beds
and against
limestone bluffs,
this flower is
barely
reminiscent of
the big globes of
pink and blue
sold in nurseries.
Unusual or RareSome plants appeal to me just because they are different in appearance, or unusual to my area. The Dutchman’s Breeches and Ninebark are included here because they aren’t very plentiful around my house.
Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)
One of the first
flowers to bloom
in spring after the
bloodroot.
It occurs in only
one short stretch
along my dirt
road and I
haven’t found it
elsewhere yet.
Downy Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera pubescens)
Not really a
plantain, but an
orchid.
Madison county is
one of only a few
areas where this
plant is found in
Arkansas.
Indian Pipes(Monotropa uniflora)
Rising like
ghostly
apparitions from
the fall leaves,
these parasitic
plants are just
intriguing to me.
Native Americans
used it for an
eyewash to treat
inflammation of
the eyes. Also
once considered a
substitute for
opium.
Giant Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)
This is one of the
most unusual and
attractive
woodland plants .
This photo shows
the flowers, but
the leaves belong
to wild
hydrangea.
The zigzag stem
and leaves
provide an
interesting
feature to the
woodland garden.
Giant Solomon’s Seal
How the leaves
look from above.
This herb is
useful across all
my categories:
edible, beautiful,
unusual and
medicinal.
Giant Solomon’s Seal
The plant dies
back in winter
and the shoots
arise in early
spring. Here’s
how they look in
mid-April.
Nine bark (Physocarpus opulifolius)
Uncommon in my
area, interesting in
its history and a
striking shrub to
use in
landscaping.
It was once used
to treat a plethora
of illnesses
ranging from
‘women’s issues’
to TB, but it has
fallen from
popular medicinal
use .
Medicinal Plants
Always take responsibility for your own well-being by researching the herbs you intend to use
medicinally.
Some have side-effects or can interact with other medications .
The notes on these slides are in no way intended to treat, diagnose or advise.
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)
Red clover, found
in fields around
our area, has
phytoestrogenic
properties, is
anti-inflammatory.
Common, small
and unassuming,
it packs a lot of
medicinal punch.
All-heal (Prunella vulgaris)
Prunella grows all
around my
property, so it is a
commonly used
component to my
herbal mix.
As many of our
often used
medicinals are ,
prunella is common
in Great Britain and
is where much of
the anecdotal
information is
derived.
Spotted Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)
Long held in high
esteem as a
poison-ivy
remedy.
Grows in shady
moist areas.
It’s fun to bring
children to gather
seeds because the
pods explode on
touch.
Mullein (Verbascum thaspus)
Mullein is an old
standby for
congested
coughs. It helps
to liquefy phlegm
and at the same
time quiets
coughs.
To use it, I make
a decoction of the
leaves and then
add honey and
Vitamin C
powder.
Beebalm (Monarda didyma)
The wild ones that
grow around our
area are lavender
colored, (M.
fistulosa) but I
haven’t had any luck
getting those to
grow at my place.
So I planted these,
which are equally
useful in my teas to
provide good flavor
and antiviral and
immune stimulating
properties.
Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
This is probably
one of the best
known medicinal
plants.
Once commonly
occurring in our
area, it was nearly
eradicated by herb
diggers selling it
to root buyers.
Now it has been
re-established on
roadside.
Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)
Almost all of the
research
information on
elderberry will be
from S. nigra, the
British variety of
elderberry.
Our variety is S.
canadensis and it
has the same
properties.
Passionflower
Passiflora Incarnata
Long used as a
remedy to calm
the nerves,
passionflower is
one of the most
beautiful and
unusual flowers I
know. The scent
is equally
intriguing. The
fruits are called
maypops and are
also filled with an
edible gelatinous
coating that
surrounds the
seeds.
The Woodland HerbsThese plants all require specific habitat: dense shade, moist soil, and certain companions.
Shade is best if from mature trees, a mix of oak, maple, beech, hickory for over story . Under story includes dogwood, pawpaw and redbud.
These companions all tend to occur in the same areas because they all enjoy the same habitat. If a few are found, then it is likely the others can be found there also.
Some are more tolerant of sunlight than others, so a marginal habitat might house the partial list but not all.
Bloodroot (Sanguinera canadensis)
A folk medicine of
the Ozarks with
properties
believed by
healers to cure
cancerous
tumors. It does
kill cells, but can
be very painful
and disfiguring,
and not reliable
at removing all
cancer cells from
a tumor.
Bloodroot(Sanguinaria canadensis)
Bloodroot is one of the
earliest flowers to bloom
in spring.
The sap of the root is
bright red and when
snapped in half, appears
to “bleed”.
Bloodroot has a long
history of use in skin
cancer, but the treatment
is harsh, dangerous and
not recommended.
Bloodroot leaves after flowering has finished. The leaves will grow larger.
Goldenseal(Hydrastis canadensis)
Goldenseal isn’t one
of the herbs I add to
my jar throughout the
year because it is very
bitter.
The root of goldenseal
is an excellent
remedy for sinus
infections, especially
in combination with
cayenne.
Historically, it has
also been used as an
eyewash, among
other things.
Black Cohosh (Cimifuga racemosa)
A ginseng
indicator plant
with plenty
medicinal history
of its own.
Used to treat
women’s issues, it
is anti-
inflammatory and
estrogenic.
American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius)
Ginseng is my
favorite Ozark herb.
It grows only in a
very specific
habitat, marked by
moist soil, tall trees
and a soil profile
low in pH, yet high
in calcium.
Certain plants
indicate good
growing conditions
for ginseng.
American ginseng 2-prong emerging in spring
American ginseng 3-prong, flower stalk beginning
American ginseng 3-prong with green berries
Indicator Plants
What are “indicator plants”? It’s a term used by ginseng hunters. When you’re walking in the woods, in a certain kind of habitat, you’ll see certain plants.
The ones that “indicate” the area is a good place to find ginseng (or a good place to plant it) include christmas fern, black cohosh, bloodroot, wild ginger, pawpaw trees, grape ferns and maidenhair ferns.
Some of these plants tolerate more sun, like the bloodroot and cohosh, and some tolerate more shade, like the maidenhair fern. But if you spot these plants, chances are good if the shade is right, you’ll find ginseng there.
Christmas fern fiddleheads (Polystichum acrostichoides)
Companion plant
to ginseng,
easiest to notice
at a glance.
Rattlesnake Fern (Botrypus virginianus) and Grape Ferns (Botrypus virginianus)
Indicator plant
for ginseng.
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
Pawpaw is the host
plant for the zebra
swallowtail.
The fruit is a
calorie dense food,
but coons ,
possums and bears
love them, so we
don’t often get to
have any.
The seeds of the
pawpaw make a
very effective
insecticide for
headlice.
Also an indicator
plant for ginseng.
Tools of the trade for planting woodland herbs.
End of Season
Plants harvested
earlier in the
year will be dried
now and
tinctures started
are ready to
strain. Cold
winter days are
perfect for
making salves.
Spring Harvest
Prunella, wild
strawberries, red
clover and mint –
all gathered in
one morning’s
walk.
Once dried and
blended together,
they make a tasty
tea good for
warding off a
cold.
Plant Spirit MedicineSome remedies don’t use the actual plant tissue to produce a tincture, but the essence of the plant. Some are made by floating the flower or plant in a clear bowl of water to capture the spirit of the plant.
Alternatively, a person can come to know other aspects of plants by photographing them, sketching them, and especially by sitting with and meditating near them.
This allows the user to interact with the plant on more than a physical level.
It isn’t necessary to make the remedies themselves if you are interested in this form of relationship with plants. True benefit can be found just by being in the presence of the spirit of a plant.
Prudence
This plant in
particular teaches a
harsh lesson.
I call it ‘Prudence’
because people who
aren’t cautious
suffer severe
consequences when
it is mistaken for
wild carrot, or
Queen Anne’s Lace.
It’s hemlock, and
it’s deadly.
Trout Lilly
She teaches
suffering with
grace and
strength.
Elderberry
Her blossoms are
delicate yet lay
the groundwork
for strong
medicine in her
berries.
She teaches
dedication to
excellence and
universal
abundance.
All Plants can
teach us
something if we
are open to
listening.
Personally, I
interact with
plants on all levels,
but generally only
share the
traditional during
herb walks.
This has been an Ancient Earth Wisdom virtual herb walk with Madison Woods.
http://madison-woods.com
Thank you!
The following are some random photos from some of my hikes around the woods to look for plants. I hope you enjoy them!
A Little More
by Madison Woods
Photo Album
If curiosity is overwhelming you, go to my website (click on the Virtual Herbwalk tab at the top of the page to find out
what this is. (www.madison-woods.com)
The end.
To be notified when new products are available, email [email protected]. I’m happy to answer any
questions you have about the photos. Either send it in an email or comment at my blog. Have an awe and wonder-
filled day!
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