Underground wild foods and plant medicines
85 Oak Knoll Dr L8S 4C2 Hamilton, ON, Canada

New plant learnings for me here....

I have been dreaming of a bench in the shade of the cedars so on hot summer days all the lovely garden helpers will have a cool place to relax - and this week a wonderful volunteer made it happen! With his own home grown bamboo!!! Thankyou Dave!

Here is a hibiscus flower seen under the light of a UV flashlight - so awesome how the pollen glows! I'm at the apothecary garden on Wednesday mornings, 10am-noon and folks are welcome to visit to share in the wonder of plants and insects, harvest from the garden, learn gardening techniques and help me upkeep the garden.

On the Invasion of Japanese Knotweed Japanese knotweed was introduced as a garden flower in the 19th century. The rhizomes can reach 2m deep & it is incredibly... difficult to kill with herbicides. This has led some to excavate their yards to avoid having the plant damage their houses as the roots can grow right through cement. Excavation seems to be a lost cause considering the Plant can regenerate from tiny fragments left behind. Japanese Knotweed retains a substantial amount of nitrogen in its leaves & stems. One study found that it retained 75% of available nitrogen, compared to alder’s 2% & willow’s 38%. Some researcher believes this negatively impacts the environment; however, I think its important to look at where the herb tends to establish itself. Japanese Knotweed prefers areas with an abundance of wastewater runoff or pollution rather than natural habitats. They establish themselves in areas with high levels of nitrogen due sewage and agricultural run off. The Plant is able to absorb high levels of heavy metals from the soil. This shows us that the Plant is not simply trying to rob habitats of their nitrogen, but absorb the access due the colonial interference. Additionally, Japanese Knotweed is a great nectar producer & attracts many native pollinators. As a medicinal it is Bitter & Cold. It contains more resveratrol than any other Plant, trans-resveratrol, polydatin & emodin, which possess antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory & antioxidant. This can help the body rid itself of deep infections & toxins. It is also used for heart disease, cancer, diabetes & Alzheimer’s. Where the herb really shines is in the treatment of Lyme’s disease. It addresses the central nervous system & the neurological complications of infection, while killing of the Lyme. According to herbalist Stephen Buhner, the plant moves into infected areas 6 months to 1 year prior to the arrival of the disease. I know this is true to the area where I live & would love to hear if this is true for you. The young shoots are edible & a delicious substitute to rhubarb in recipes like pies, beverages, salads + fresh rolls. They are a great source of vitamins A+ C & contain potassium, zinc, phosphorus & manganese.