Herbs

Rohdia Rosea

Astragulus

Edible Medicinal and Non Medicinal Plants

LUOKITTELU: http://www.fimea.fi/valvonta/luokittelu

EU:n lääkemonografiat, joista selviää päiväannos lääkkeeksi katsottavalle valmisteelle, joka sisältää tiettyä rohdosta. http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/index.jsp?curl=pages%2Fmedicines%2Flanding%2Fherbal_search.jsp&mid=WC0b01ac058001fa1d&searchkwByEnter=false&alreadyLoaded=true&isNewQuery=true&startLetter=H&keyword=Enter+keywords&searchType=Latin+name+of+the+genus&taxonomyPath=&treeNumber=

Eksoottisia rohdoksia ei saa käyttää ravintolisissä ilman uuselintarvikearviointia. Linkki Uuselintarvike katalogia Eussa.

http://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/novel_food/catalogue/search/public/index.cfm

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GINSEGNG

Ginseng is sometimes a difficult plant to grow. It is a plant that requires commitment for the fact that roots are best when left to maturity for 5-10 years. It is a committed gardener that decides to plant a crop, waiting 5-10 years to harvest the best and most potent roots is a task filled with risk, patience, and an eye to the distant future.

Long used as an herbal remedy, Ginseng Panax brings the mystique of the Orient to your patio, backyard, perennial garden or woodland plot. Stunning in bloom, this conversation piece is particularly attractive when massed beneath a grove of shade trees, or cascading down a forested hillside toward a rocky stream.

Ginseng did not get its reputation as a tonic and healing herb for nothing. The quest to grow wild simulated ginseng can be more than a hobby. It can be a reconnection with having faith in Nature's ability to provide cures in things that are healthy for us. Growing in the deep woods, it is not naturally a plant of the cultivated field. To grow it in its natural habitat is to remain connected to the forest, for the trees are your allies.

You can recreate the shady environment and conditions to grow ginseng in a flower pot, or locate the perfect spot in your yard or garden. If you have nice woods on your property you might consider a crop (see wild simulated).

We can ship you stratified seeds. Ginseng seeds will only sprout after two years natural storage (stratified seed).

Many folks prefer our roots which are two or three year old entire roots (the ginseng root must remain whole to grow, unlike the goldenseal root which can be cut into sections/rootlets). We send you directions on growing, all you have to do is be ready to plant when you get them.

It is best to transplant the rootlets in spring and fall. Usually March and April just before they begin to bud. In the fall after the berries have fallen off is also a good time. Handle root delicately, taking care not to disturb the root during all transplanting procedures. Plant it in the fall and leave it alone until it comes up in the spring.

Ginseng requires 80 percent shade to thrive and prefers a deep rich loamy soil. Organic humus works well. It also requires good drainage.

The Wild-Simulated Method

A Method called wild-simulated can be used to grow ginseng without fungicide sprays and expensive establishment costs. The prices paid for genuine wild-simulated roots approach that of wild roots. It takes an expert to really tell them apart.

Ginseng cultivation is risky The crop can be stolen or eaten by rodents. The chosen site may not be right. Plant diseases will certainly occur. On the other hand if the right conditions can be found, wild-simulated cultivation can provide supplemental income and expose us to a form of agriculture that is in harmony with the forest. It is a completely natural process.

The first step is site selection. Favorable soil and moisture conditions are most often associated with north or east facing slopes with at least 75 percent shade canopy. This is dense shade we're talking about. The best shade is provided by deep rooted, deciduous trees such as Poplar and Oaks. Ginseng grows best in a moist well drained soil. That is a contradiction, but these soils do exist. Successful growth of ginseng most often occurs in sites where herbaceous woodland plants such as Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Bloodroot, Solomon's Seal and ferns are thriving. If no herbaceous plants are growing on the forest floor, ginseng will probably not grow there. Excellent soil drainage is essential and swampy or clay soil must be avoided.

In the wild-simulated method, stratified ginseng seed is planted in the fall when the trees lose their leaves. In some locations, clearing of undergrowth will be necessary. If the site is sufficiently shaded, there should not be a great deal of competitive weed growth. Avoid dense patches of weeds, and disturb the site as little as possible to reduce the spread of fungal disease.

It is recommended that only stratified seed be planted. Freshly harvested seed that is placed in the sand is known as 'green seed'. Planting stratified seed means that the seed is only vulnerable for a very short time period (as opposed to 18 months in natural conditions) and survival rates are much greater.

The only tools needed to plant wild simulated ginseng are a rake and a garden hoe. It is a good idea to plants seeds in generally defined beds that are five feet wide and up to fifty feet long. The beds can be separated by three foot walkways. The beds should run up and down the slope rather than across the slope for better air and water drainage around the plants. Rake the leaves on the forest floor away from the bed right down to the topsoil. Using the hoe, make three narrow furrows 18 inches apart, all the way down the length of the bed. Plant seeds by hand, three inches apart in each furrow. About one ounce or 500 seeds will be needed to plant three furrows at this spacing in a bed that is five feet wide and fifty feet long.

Cover the seeds with 1 1/2 inches of topsoil. After planting, carefully step down each row to firm the soil around the seeds. To finish planting, rake one inch of leaves back over the bed as mulch. After a couple of rainstorms no one will be able to detect that any planting has occurred. The site should look completely natural.

The stratified seed will germinate next spring. The plants will look like three small strawberry leaves on a stem about an inch tall. Some of the seeds will not germinate, and some will be eaten by rodents. Over the next seven years, the plant population in each bed will be reduced every year by various natural forces. The final stand will most likely be a thin healthy population of wild ginseng plants.

In the wild-simulated method, after planting, little or no work is required until harvest 7-10 years later. The ginseng plants are left to the mercy of nature. Weeds will compete with the plants for water and nutrients, the plants will struggle to grow in barely cultivated soil. These stressful conditions result in the wild appearance of the roots that are eventually harvested. Digging the roots is difficult because the roots are entangled with other woodland plants. Harvested roots should be air dried in the shade.

A half acre will require 10 pounds of seeds and will yield anywhere from 0 to 200 pounds of dried root in 6 to 10 years.

The greatest threat is theft and crops should not be grown in areas where people dig wild ginseng. It is best to plant on controlled land and to keep quiet about the enterprise. Growing ginseng away from the mountains where most ginseng hunters search is also a good way to keep the crop safe. Someone may come across it but probably would not know what it was.

Ideal growing conditions for ginseng are more difficult to find in low-lying regions than they are in the mountains. The forest floor in most woodland areas is too hot and dry during the summer for ginseng to thrive. (Moist environments may be found that are good, if not perfect, places to grow ginseng.) Small pockets of cooler soil may be found very often on a north facing hillside above a stream or river. Many landowners with the right conditions are successfully growing ginseng well out of the mountains.

Stratified Ginseng Seed We harvest the plants and collect the seed, and then we put the seeds in moist sand for one year. This process helps protect the seed from predators and mother nature while the embryo develops and grows. After one year we remove the seed from these special seed boxes and it is ready to be planted. Stratified seed should be planted throughout the fall and into early spring (September through March). Seeds sprout in spring.

Amomum Subulatum

http://www.seedaholic.com/cardamon-amomum-subulatum.html Amomum subulatum, the Cardamon or Cardamom plant is an interesting herbaceous perennial plant, native to damp, forested valleys from the eastern Himalayas to central China. This member of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae produces an underground rhizome that gives rise to clusters of evergreen, leafy shoots to about 100cm (36in) tall. Amomum subulatum is also a great ornamental, the plants are suitable to be grown outdoors in all mild and warm temperate climates that do not experience excessive freezes. The plant needs an average temperature of at least 10°C (50°C) to thrive and is hardy to around 2°C (35°F). In areas prone to frosts they are cultivated as a container plant, grown indoors or kept in frost free greenhouse through the winter.

Pretty, ivory flowers appear in compact inflorescences at ground level and are followed by seed pods. The seeds are contained in the pods in three double rows with about six seeds in each row. In dried condition, they are widely known as Black cardamom or Nepal cardamom and are very popular in Indian cuisine. It is the world's third-most expensive spice, outstripped in price per weight only by saffron and vanilla. While a single cardamom plant won't ever yield enough pods for a bountiful crop of the spice, the plant has an economic lifespan of 10 to 15 years, it makes an interesting conversation piece and a satisfying challenge for the adventurous gardener.

Position: Cardamom is a plant in the ginger family native to tropical regions. In order to grow cardamom, its native tropical environment should be duplicated as closely as possible. The plant needs moist soil in a warm environment with filtered sunlight. In hot areas of the world the plants need shade and moisture. They will not survive in cool environments, but they are easily adapted to growing in containers placed in warm locations. These plants do best in locations with temperatures at a constant 22°C (72°F). They can survive in slightly warmer temperatures, but they do not tolerate cooler environments. In order to grow a cardamom in cooler locales, it should be planted in a container that is kept indoors. An ideal location for a cardamom plant is in a bathroom, where it will benefit from the warmth and high humidity. The container should be placed in an area that receives filtered or indirect sunlight as cardamom plants will not thrive in direct sun. When planting a cardamom outdoors, it needs a location that is constantly shaded. The best soil in which to grow a cardamom is a rich soil that holds moisture as these plants like their roots to be constantly wet. The soil should be mildly to strongly acidic.

Sowing: Sow indoors at any time. Amomum seed should be sown in pots or trays and placed in a dark position. They need to be kept moist, but not soggy until germination. A warm period of 25 to 30°C (77 to 86°F) and moist conditions after sowing for about four to five weeks neutralises the germination inhibition. The phytohormones which inhibit germination will then break down. At this point the sowing needs very cool conditions, approximately 2°C (36°F). Initial germination lasts for about 80 days under these conditions. During this period keep in dark cold storage chamber. Then temperature and lighting must be increased gradually.

Cultivation: Transplant seedlings when they reach about 5cm (2in) in height to containers and continue to transplant to successively larger containers as necessary. Seedlings should be planted in the soil at the same depth they were previously grown. The soil should be thoroughly moistened after planting. The soil needs to be watered often and should never be allowed to become dry. Foliage growth can be encouraged by fertilising the plant with a high-nitrogen, low-potassium fertiliser. Indoor plants should be fertilised less often than outdoor plants.

Harvesting: The leaves, sometimes used for wrapping foods, can be harvested at any time. The cardamom plants must be three years old before they begin producing their signature seed pods. The seeds are removed from the pods after the pods have dried. The pods can be left on the plant to dry or removed and placed on paper towels to dry more quickly. Keep cardamom seed in its seedpods as husked seed and ground seed loses its flavour quickly. Always store it in an airtight container.

Culinary Uses: Black cardamom was historically used in Chinese cooking, at least back to the Yuan. It’s usually called tsaoko or tsaoko cardamom (sometimes caoguo) in recipe translations. In the US and Great Britain the seeds are employed as an ingredient of curry powder and used as a flavourant in liqueurs, while in Russia, Sweden, Norway and parts of Germany they are largely used for flavouring cakes. In Egypt and other Arabic cultures they are ground and used to flavour coffees and teas.

Medicinal Uses: In the East, the plant is used medicinally, for digestive ailments. In Western medicine it is merely a flavourant or other additive to medicines, typically those for indigestion and flatulence. In traditional Chinese medicine, black cardamom is used for stomach disorders and malaria. The Arabs attributed aphrodisiac qualities to it (it features regularly in the Arabian Nights), and the ancient Indians regarded it as a cure for obesity. The seeds contain yield an essential oil containing cineol as a principle constituent. Biological activity is found to be stomachic, astringent, antibilious, and antiemetic. It provides tonic properties to the heart, liver and spleen. A decoction of seeds is used as a gargle in affections of teeth and gums. In combination with the seeds of melon, it is used as a diuretic for kidney stones. In France and America the oil is also used in perfumery.

Origin: Amomum is a genus of plant in the family Zingiberaceae. It includes several species of cardamom, especially black cardamom Amomum subulatum but also the green cardamom, Elettaria cardamomum. Plants of this genus are remarkable for their pungency and aromatic properties. Amomum subulatum is native to the eastern Himalayas and cultivated in Nepal, northern West Bengal, Sikkim and Assam. Today, the largest commercial producer of black cardamom is Nepal.

A cardamom plantation is begun be clearing a site leaving a few trees for shade. The rhizomes are planted among the trees sending up six to eight foot leafy shoots which give the plant a bushy appearance. When mature the plants send up flower spikes that produce the cardamom capsules. It takes up to four years to obtain a full cardamom crop from such a planting. Cardamom is the world's third-most expensive spice, outstripped in price per weight only by saffron and vanilla. In its native areas it grows to be a large plant with thick stocks and huge leaves. It often grows on the steep cliffs and mountain hillsides throughout the jungle and is harvested by hand. So, the next time you wonder why something is so expensive you can ask yourself, where does this come from …. and, would I be willing to climb up a mountain to collect it?

Nomenclature: The genus name Amomum derives from the Greek momum meaning 'unblemished' (literally or figuratively) or 'faultless'. The species name subulatum is based on the Latin subula meaning 'awl-shaped' or 'tapering to a point', in reference to the shape of the leaves. Its common name is spelt in a number of ways, Cardamom, Cardamon or Cardemon and occasionally Cardamum. Also known as Black Cardamom, Greater Cardamom or Nepal Cardamom and occasionally as Bengal Cardamom, Winged Cardamom and Indian Cardamom. It has the synonym of Amomum aromaticum.

Thymus Citriodorus Mosquito

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JINLONG & AMARANTINE

How to Grow a Green Tea Plant

A green tea plant is identical to a black tea plant -- the only difference is the manner in which tea growers process the leaves. After harvesting, tea processors use heat to inactivate the enzymes responsible for turning the leaves dark, which preserves chlorophyll, the component that imparts the characteristic green color. Tea plants grow best in temperatures ranging from 65 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit; they will not grow in temperatures below 55 degrees or above 95 degrees. Instructions 1 Select a healthy nursery plant. Check for signs of insects or disease, and inspect the trunk of the plant for wounds. Avoid buying large plants in small containers, as the restricted space may have impeded root growth. 2 Choose a planting site 10 to 15 feet distant from other plants, trees and structures to allow room for the bush to grow. Pick an area in full sun or light shade and that has good soil drainage. If the area is prone to flooding, create a mound of soil that is 3 to 4 feet high and 4 to 10 feet in diameter in which to plant the tea bush. 3 Test the soil's pH level. Tea plants grow best in acid to neutral conditions. For soils that are too alkaline, reduce the pH by adding compost and topsoil. 4 Dig a hole three to four times wider than the diameter of the plant container and three times as deep. Remove the plant from the container and place the root ball in the hole. Back fill with soil and tamp it down lightly. Water the soil until it is wet but not saturated. 5 Place a 2- to 6-inch layer of mulch around the plant, keeping it 6 to 12 inches distant from the trunk. Use mulching material such as bark or wood chips. 6 Apply 1/8 to 1/4 pound of dry fertilizer mix to young plants, raising the amount to 1 to 2 pounds as the bush grows. Use a mixture of 6 to 10 percent nitrogen, 6 to 10 percent phosphoric acid, 6 to 10 percent potash and 2 to 6 percent magnesium. Apply fertilizer every 60 days during the summer. 7 Apply ferrous sulfate to acidic or neutral soils or a mixture of iron and water to soils with high pH levels. Make three to four iron applications during the warm months. 8 Water the plant frequently during dry periods. 9 Harvest the tea leaves from the mature plant and process into green tea. Place the tea leaves in a pan and heat to 480 to 570 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 15 minutes; stir the leaves or agitate the pan to prevent burning. Let the leaves cool, then place in a sealed container.

AMARAMTIME