Shadow Void

Nature Weekends; When Is a Nut Not a Nut?

The coconut is said to have come from the South Pacific. Today, it is found in the tropics all around the world. It can even be in some semi-tropical locales such as California and Florida. The coconut is known as far back as Marco Polo. The coconut is used for the liquid it carries within it. It's used for both its meat and as I mentioned already for the milk. The tree is that the coconut grown on is actually a palm, a palm that grows 100 ft tall. Each palm has around 30 leaves. A tree can live for around 70 years. You might be surprised to know that the coconut is not actually a nut but a drupe such as a apricots or cherries. It can even be used to make rope, the leaves may be made to make up roofs and walls of homes, flowers are used for medicines, and a wine is even made from the sap from the flowers.

Well, know you know what's up with the coconut.

 

 

Nature Weekends

Common Camas - Camassia quamash

Common Camas can be found throughout western United States. It was eaten by numerous tribes throughout the west. The plant comes up from a bulb and has blue flowers. It's important to remember those blue flowers as this plant has a potentially lethal look alike. The bulbs are best harvested in the fall or early spring. It's safest to harvest this plant when the flowers are on so that you can distinguish between Common Camas and Death Camas, which has white flowers. The bulbs were roasted, boiled, or eaten raw. After roasting for several days, the bulbs take on a darker color and become sweeter. After roasting, the woman would mash the bulbs and then form them into cakes which were sun dried and formed into cakes for later use.

 

**** Warning time – Camas can cause gas and indigestion. If it in large quanities it can cause vomiting and diarrhea. It's easily confused with Death Camas. Common Camas flowers can range from blue to purple. Death Camas more often than not has white flowers but it can have yellow flowers as well.

http://www.elzorrocolorado.com/pacahealth/html/deathacamas.html

http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Camassia+quamash

http://www.paulnoll.com/Oregon/Wildflower/plant-Camas-Common-2.jpg

http://www.sfu.ca/archaeology/museum/peb/graphics/camas.jpg

Nature Weekends

Purslane – Portulacca oleracea

In the United States this plant is an alien species. It was introduced in the United States during the 18^th centry. Purslane is both an edible plant and an medinical plant. It can be found in rich sandy soils and waste places. As always we will look at the plant as an edible first. The stems and leaves are eaten raw and boiled. The stems are pickeled. The black seeds can be made into flour. The leaves and stem are high in iron, vitamins A & C, calcium, and phosphorous. It's best eaten in the summer. As a medicinal plant, this plant has many uses. When the leaves are made into a tea, it can be used for diarrhea. The Cherokee used the plant juices to cure earache. The Iroquois used the plant as poultice for bruises and burns. The Navajo used this plant for pain and stomach-ache. Traditionally, this plant has been used for painful urination, headaches, insomnia, gout, and sore gums. In Chinese medicince this plant is used to stop bleeding.

http://landscaping.about.com/cs/weedsdiseases/a/purslane.htm

http://www.canadiangardening.com/plants/native-plants-and-wildflowers/purslane-an-edible-groundcover/a/31791

http://www.plant.photos.net/images/6/63/Purslane.jpg

Nature Weekends; A Sweet Gum

Sweetgum – Liquidambar styraciflua

This tree is native to the United States. It can grow to be 120 feet tall and can reach 5 ft. in diameter. It's found growing in wet bottomlands and flatwoods, but it is also grown as an ornamental. It's fruit is a spiky brown ball on which hangs from a stem. The leaves are aromatic when crushed. It's leaves have autumn colors of yellow, red, and purple. It's lumber is sold as red gum. It's sap used as storax is used in meds and also in perfumes. In the south, the sap was used as a chewing gum. The sap could also be chewed for coughs, colds, ringworm, and used externally for sores, wounds, and piles. The sap is known to have antiseptic properties. The inner back was bouled into a tea which was used for cholera.

One of the things that I love about doing this sort little pieces on different species is that, I get to learn just as much as you do. I've found the most effective ways of learning is to first read about a species or to view a picture of the animal or plant. I'm able to learn quite a bit about an animal by looking at the body. Certainly, I can only make guesses as too the uses of adaptions, but I can learn about the ecosystem from which that animal might come from. With plants, I can tell a little bit about it's flowers if shown and thus, get some idea of how that plant might be fertilized. Second way to learn is to actually experience that animal or plant in person. Being able to see it in the wild or sadly in a zoo gives me the opportunity to see behaviors that maybe were not shown in a book or in a photo. Third way, I've learned about a species is to experience it within my home. Certainly, I've learned a lot by being around my animals. I've also learned a little bit about the plants that I've kept as house plants. While I don't encourage you to go beyond your comfort level in learning about the world around you, I do wish that you find your way of learning about the world around us.

http://rangeview.arizona.edu/images/sweetgum_leaves.jpg

The above link shows off some of the colors found in the sweetgum leaves.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mimbrava/75175586/

This link shows a beautiful example of a dried sweetgum seed.

Nature Weekends; The Vine That Ate The South

Kudzu – Pueraria lobata

Kudzu was introduced into the United States in 1911. It was brought to this country to help fight the effects of erosion and to help restore nitrogen to our soils. Kudzu had other things in mind. Like so many other introduced organisms, Kudzu took over. Sometimes, it engulfed trees, houses, and businesses. It literally took over the south. Kudzu can reach a length of 30 to 100 feet. The rootstalk is edible, so are the young leaves, flowers, and unripe seed pods. Older leaves can be made into a tea. The starch from the root can be made into a thickener which could be used in place of corn starch. The bark fibers are tough and can be used to make paper and other different items. A root tea can be used for headaches, diarrhea, intestinal obstructions, and deafness. A tea made from the flowers can be used to combat stomach acidity, and to expel drunkenness. Seeds are used to fight dysentery.

 

As a country and as citizens in this country, we need to be very careful with what we allow into this country. I'm not attacking the pet trade by any means. There are times, when we've brought in an animal or a plant with a certain task in mind only to have the organism escape. We've seen it with the walking catfish, big-headed carp, and the Asian snakehead to name a few. Some parts of the country have seen irresponsible pet owners releasing their pets into climates that allow for them to thrive. Other introductions are accidently but have still cost the country millions. Creatures like zebra mussel and the ash borer are just a couple of example.

http://www.jackanthonyphotography.com/yahoola/kudzu/houses.html

From The Office of Evan Bayh

As you may know, I have always been dedicated to the preservation and conservation of our fragile environment.  I believe that maintaining the integrity of our environment helps to improve our quality of life, protect rare and endangered species, and preserve natural links to our common heritage.  

 

               You may be interested to know, Senator Richard Lugar and I have secured over $5 million for the Hoosier National Forest and $2 million for the Patoka refuge over the past four years.  This funding will help acquire additional lands from willing sellers, provide a habitat for wildlife, improve water quality in southwest Indiana and allow for outdoor recreation and environmental education.  Also, I have consistently opposed efforts to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to drilling, voted to protect federal lands, fought for the preservation and conservation of endangered and domestic species, and supported adequate funding to ensure that our natural resources are preserved and protected.

 

I remain vigilant in my efforts to protect public lands and conserve natural resources, promote a cleaner, safer environment and accelerate investments in technology that reduce the environmental impact of energy consumption. Please rest assured, should legislation regarding these important issues come before the full Senate, I will keep your thoughts in mind.

 

Nature Weekend; The Honey Locust

This tree is related to the pea and while it is a legume it doesn't fix nitrogen into the soil. It's a native tree which can grow to heights of 70 to 80 ft. it can reach a diameter of 2 to 3 ft. It has even been known 6 ft in diameter. I have learned to be careful around this tree has it has some pretty wicked thorns on it. The thorns can reach 3 inches in length. These long spines have been used for pins, spear points, and for animal traps. It's wood has been used for railroad ties, and fence posts. A tea made from the pod has been used to treat indigestion and the measles. A tear made from the inner bark has been used for sore throats. Juice extracted from the pod is has antiseptic properties. All parts of this plant may contain potentially toxic compounds. The pod and only the pod can be nibbled but you should only eat the thin pulp of the unripe pods.

 

** Remember these plant articles are only for educational purposes only. I do not suggest that you go out and try any of the medical uses. You should not attempt to eat this species without contacting an expert in your area.

http://www.permies.com/permaculture-images/1664_291/thorn_honeylocust.jpg

 

 

Nature Weekends; The King of Berries

Wild Strawberry – Fragaria virginiana

If you ask many foragers their favorite wild berry, I like to bet that their answer would be the wild strawberry. So yeah, let's find out more about it shall we. What's edible on this plant? Let's start with the leaves, yes the leaves. The young leaves are edible raw or cooked. Older leaves can be used to make a pleasant tea that contains vitamin C. The flowers are also edible. We can't forget about the fruits. For starters, they are healthy. They contain vitamins A, B, C, E, and K. They also contain a sugar called levulose that is easily digested by diabetics. Another chemical found in the fruits is salicylic acid. The berries can be used just like their domesticated brethren. The berries can be found on the plants from May to July with June being prime strawberry time. Wild strawberries can be found in open woodlands, the margins of forests, and fields oh and sometimes backyards. There is one species F. chiloensis ( I hope that is right ) that can be found sand dunes and bluffs along the Pacific coast. So now you know a little bit about their edible qualities, let's jump to the medicinal qualities.

We are going to start are look at the strawberry first with the berry. The berry is a depurative, a diuretic, and a refrigerant. They are also said to remove tartar from teeth. They were also used as a remedy for gout. The leaf tea is said to be good for diarrhea.

That is the end of that!

Nature Moments; Something Amiss

        

This picture is a reminder that nature isn't just about plants and animals. It takes the complete picture to make up nature. I happen to love scenery. This clip speaks to me.

This poor tree will never be the same. It will carry these carvings until it turns to dust. What these poor misguided people didn't know that the bark of a tree serves the same purpose as our skin. It keeps the bugs and germs out. When we break the bark, we can set death in motion.

Blurred Black eyed Susan; Bloom Challenge