NASTURTIUMS - EDIBLE FLOWERS: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF NASTURTIUMS: HOW TO MAKE NASTURTIUM SALAD

NASTURTIUMS, TROPAEOLUM MAJUS

Nasturtiums originally came from Peru and perhaps are also native to Chile. The original nasturtiums were brought to Europe (to Spain) by the conquistadores in the 16^th century, who were also responsible for introducing Europeans to the cacao bean from which we get chocolate. These first nasturtiums were Tropaeolum minus, having a semi-trailing vine and orange-yellow flowers, with leaves in the shape of a shield. The taller variety Tropaeolum majus which had darker orange flowers and rounder leaves was introduced by a Dutch botanist much later. Today there are nasturtiums of various colours from off-white through to a dark burgundy colour.

  The official name of watercress is Nasturtium officinale, and nasturtiums were named so because they have a peppery taste like the watercress. The name nasturtium means “nose twisted” (from the Latin nasum, nose and torquere to twist), probably referring to the pungent smell of the flowers or the mustard – like oil that is released from the leaves when they are chewed. The whole above ground parts of the plant are edible, and can be used for medicinal purposes.

  The Incas knew about the medicinal value of these flowers and used them in salads, as can be done today. Like kachnar, marigold, violet and viola flowers, nasturtium blooms are edible and are a good addition to salads.

  The nasturtium is called by many names including ‘nasties’, Indian Cress, Monk’s cress and Capuchin cress, which is a reference to the shape of the flowers which resemble a Capuchin monk’s hooded cloak. I had the misguided idea that there name was “nasty urchins” and I took a long time to put this right. I used to plant seeds in my part of the garden when I was young along with sweet peas. They grow easily and reseed if left to do so, and are very decorative plants and useful too if you plant them between vegetables as they attract blackfly so sparing vegetables from this pest. They also repel aphids, ants and flies.

  The seeds contain fatty oil which is used as varnish like linseeds oil, and this is composed of unsaturated fatty acids (good ones). The mustard-like oil permeated the whole plant and contains Benzyl isothiocyanate which is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. The plant is used for respiratory infections and clears phlegm from the chest in bronchial infections. It is also good for the liver, kidneys and bladder, and has diuretic properties. It is also used for skin problems, with an infusion or decoction made from the whole plant (not roots).

  Nasturtiums contain flavonoids such as kaempferol and iso-quercitrin, carotenoids, vitamin C, the minerals iron, sulphur, manganese and amino acids. They have antiseptic properties and act as a diuretic and mild laxative, (not as strong as senna pods or jamalgota).In the past they were used to promote menstruation, and purify the blood. An infusion of the leaves can be made into sap flakes and can be used as insecticide. An infusion or decoction of the leaves and flowers can help combat skin problems including acne. They were useful for their vitamin C content to prevent scurvy in the past when people tended to suffer from a vitamin C deficiency in winter.

  Nasturtiums have featured in many paintings including “La Ronde” by Henri Matisse, and just by looking at the pictures here you will no doubt see why they have been a feature in so many paintings. Monet had them in his garden at Giverney of course.

  The flower buds may be used as a substitute for capers, although you shouldn’t eat too many of them as they contain oxalic acid which is toxic. The flowers are delicious stuffed with cream cheese and the petals can be added to salads. You can make pickles with the seed pods in autumn too, and nasturtium and lemon butter to make a change from garlic butter, as it is good with fish and chicken.

NASTURTIUM SALAD

Ingredients

2 nasturtium flowers per person, washed and dried

cream cheese (depending on how many flower heads)

black pepper, freshly ground

2-3 cloves garlic

1 small Kos lettuce

½ red radicchio lettuce

4 tomatoes, roughly chopped

4 spring onions cut thinly into slivers

1 tbsp capers

black olives

fresh parsley sprigs to decorate

white wine vinegar

olive oil

Method

Mix the cream cheese with the garlic and freshly ground black pepper, then stuff the flowers with it.

Use whole leaves of the lettuces and decorate with other salad ingredients.

Mix 2 parts olive oil to 1 part white wine vinegar, add herbs or a little red chilli powder, or cayenne or paprika according to your preference, shake well and use as a salad dressing. Top with the stuffed flowers.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

COFFEE ( COFFEA ARABICA) - HISTORY AND MEDICIAL RESEARCH: COFFEE IS GOOD FOR YOU: HOW TO MAKE GREEK OR TURKISH COFFEE

COFFEE, COFFEA ARABICA

Coffee grows on bushes or small trees, and the beans ripen in pods called cherries. You probably know the story of how an Ethiopian goat herder noticed his goats were friskier than usual after eating the red berries on a bush. He ate some too and realized the stimulant qualities of what we now call coffee. This is a similar tale to the way Cordyceps sinensis otherwise known as the caterpillar fungus, was found by yak herders in Tibet.

  By AD 1000 coffee had found its way into the Arabian Peninsula and was a well-kept secret among Muslims, who at first used it for its stimulating qualities, allowing them to stay awake all night during special prayer times. Later coffee shops opened and it was drunk for pleasure as it is now.

  No fertile bean grew outside of the Muslim world, and it took Baba Budan to smuggle some out of Mecca, or so the story goes. The Turks had coffee and this was introduced to Europe in 1615. The Europeans adored it and the race was on to establish a coffee trade. The Dutch were the first to have a plantation owned by Europeans, on Java, Indonesia. The beans were given away by the Dutch to European royalty and from the plant given to Louis XIV around 1714, other plantations sprung up, notably in the West Indies. Arguably one of the best (and most expensive) coffees in the world is Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.

  A Brazilian Colonel was sent to French Guiana ostensibly to settle a dispute, but in fact to steal fertile coffee beans which he did, although he didn’t exactly steal them, they were a gift for his ‘services’ from the governor’s wife, hidden in a bouquet when he left and so his mission was successful, as Brazil is now one of the biggest coffee exporters in the world.

  The coffee bean has a rather lurid history to be sure, and has been reviled because it was once said by scientists to be cancer forming. This was actually retracted by the researchers a day after publication in the world’s press, but the general public only remember the ‘fact’ that coffee caused cancer and not the retraction.

  One coffee plant can produce one pound of coffee beans, and unfortunately the plant is subject to blight which can decimate crops and cause prices to rocket. Banking on coffee futures is often not a good investment. The coffee plant is a member of the Rubiaceae family along with Kadamb.

   2011 was a good year for coffee, as researchers at the University of Bristol, UK conducted a study which showed that women performed memory tests better after drinking coffee, and reacted more quickly than usual to stressful situations. On the other hand men were slower and not as responsive as the women in the study.

  Harvard research later in the same year found that if a man drank coffee (more than 6 cups a day was optimal) then they lowered the risk of getting prostate cancer, and if they contracted it, it was less likely to be terminal.

  Yet another Harvard study showed that coffee drinking did not increase the risk of having a second stroke nor did it adversely affect people with cardio-vascular problems. If you have a heart problem the researchers say, you don’t have to give up drinking coffee.

  If you start drinking coffee at thirty then you will have health benefits, such as staving off Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. These were the results of two separate studies. Four to five cups a day are deemed to be moderate. The coffee should be caffeinated but decaff will do scientists think.

  As yet they have not identified the substance or compound in coffee that has such beneficial effects on our health, so studies into coffee are ongoing.

 In Italy and Greece people don’t just eat lots of tomatoes, with olive oil, but they also consume a lot of coffee. It has potent antioxidant properties along with chocolate, red wine and green tea. Greeks will take hours over a small cup of coffee and a glass of water in their cafeneions (traditional coffee houses). In both Greece and Turkey fortunes are told by reading the coffee grounds; you upturn the cup when you have finished and the sludgy coffee will plop onto the saucer, after a few minutes. The cup is then turned up the right way and the outlines on the sides of the cup are interpreted for you, in much the same way as people read tea leaves in Britain. In Greece frappé coffee is the norm in summer made form instant coffee. You take a spoonful of it and mix with sugar and a tiny amount of water. Whisk this to a froth then add water and ice and milk if you like.

 Below is the recipe for Greek or Turkish coffee, traditionally made in a briki or long-handled pot. You can use a small saucepan if you don’t have one. Crushed green cardamom seeds may be added to the coffee if you wish or a whole pod for several cups of coffee. You can also add a small piece of cinnamon or cassia to the pot and boil it with the coffee. For a chocolate and coffee mousse see our chocolate post.

GREEK OR TURKISH COFFEE

Ingredients

1½ -2 tsps ground Arabica beans

1½-2 small coffee cups water

sugar to taste

Method

 Put all the above ingredients into the briki and stir well then slowly bring to the boil.

Quickly remove it from the heat and turn the heat down to low. Allow the coffee to boil again, it will be very frothy.

Pour into the cup and drink.

Makes 1 cup

This has Taste and is a Treat.

CORDYCEPS SINENSIS ( CATERPILLAR FUNGUS) - HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS

THE CATERPILLAR FUNGUS, CORDYCEPS SINENSIS

The story of the caterpillar fungus is a lot like the one of how the Ethiopian goat herder discovered coffee, and how salajeet was discovered by the English. In the case of coffee a goat herder noticed that after eating the fruit from a bush, his goats became livelier, while an Englishman traveling in the Himalayas saw monkeys eating a black sticky substance, and thought that this may have been why older monkeys had more hair than the ones in the plains. In the case of the caterpillar fungus Tibetan yak herders watched as their yaks became very lively and scoured the grass they had been grazing on and found this fungus.(I can’t imagine what a yak does when it becomes lively!) The fruiting head of this fungus looks a little grass-like and I guess it would be hard to spot, if you weren’t looking carefully for it.

  The original find was soon a matter for the Chinese Emperors who discovered that the fungus had invigorating qualities, and so it was seen as an anti-ageing invigorating “herb” for centuries. Of course like cacao in Mayan culture and later in Spain, only the wealthy could afford this “magical mushroom” because it was so expensive due no doubt to its rarity. At one time it was worth four times its weight in silver.

  The West discovered it when a French Jesuit priest, Jean Baptiste du Halda was introduced to it by the Chinese Emperor, whose guest he was. It first appeared in Tibetan medical writings in the 15^th century and in later European Materia Medica in the 18^th century.

  As it is a parasite C. sinensis can grow on caterpillars, insects and other fungi among other things. The picture of it looking distinctly like a caterpillar is the fungus that grew on one of these creatures and devoured its flesh. One of the things with this fungus is that although there have been hundreds of studies done on it most are questionable for one reason or another. For example, we don’t know which host the fungus grew on in some studies, and the constituents of the fungus would depend on the nutrients taken from the host. Other studies have not been translated entirely from Chinese, so the quality of the research is in doubt. In still other studies the researchers have had a vested interest in promoting the fungus because they work for the health supplement companies.

  Now cultivated C. sinensis are used in the US but no comparative studies have been done on the properties of these compared to their wild relatives.

  What is certain is that it has been used in Chinese traditional medicine for centuries to rejuvenate the aging and to boost energy levels. It has also been used to promote the health of the lungs, heart and immune system. It is said to improve male sexual functions too.

  It can increase oxygen capacity in the lungs, and boost energy levels, banishing fatigue and aching muscles in athletes. It is said to have helped athletes win many events, and sometimes set new world records. It has been proved to have anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties, and it may have potent antioxidant qualities. It enhances blood circulation and lowers cholesterol levels, it is believed from some studies. C. sinensis also supports the functions of the lungs, kidneys and liver, as well as boosting the immune system. It may have anti-cancer properties.

  Some of the specimens of C. sinensis which have been analyzed contain all the essential amino acids and others, vitamins E, K, an assortment of minerals and the fatty acids, oleic, linoleic, palmitic and stearic.

  Before you are tempted to buy a supplement containing this herb, try to make sure that it is genuine. Alternatively find other herbs that are native to your area to do the work you want this one to do.

WHAT IS SAMOSA? HOW TO MAKE SAMOSA: EASY AND TASTY RECIPE

SAMOSA RECIPE

Samosas are very popular street food in Pakistan and you can buy them almost anywhere, in special samosa shops where you can sit and eat them, covered with a delicious imli (tamarind) sauce, or with a different sauce (called ‘chutney’ here) such as a mint sauce.. They are one of the foods served to break the fast during Ramadan and are frequently served with pakoras.

  What are samosas? They are stuffed savoury pastries and may be stuffed with potatoes, which is most common and the recipe given here, or they can be stuffed with minced (ground) beef and peas, or with chicken, or a mixture of vegetables.

Ingredients

Pastry

2 cups fine flour (maida), sifted

2 tsps oil

1 tsp ajwain or thyme

warm water to mix

salt to taste

1 egg, beaten to seal pastry

Filling

3-4 potatoes depending on size

3 green chillies, finely chopped

1 onion chopped into small pieces

½ tsp ginger root, finely chopped

1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, shredded finely

1 tbsp mint leaves, finely shredded

1 tbsp anar dana (dried pomegranate seeds), soaked for 15 mins before using

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp turmeric

chilli powder and salt to taste

oil for deep frying

Method

Mix flour with salt ajwain or thyme and the oil then add water slowly as needed to make a dough. Shape into 4 balls of equal size, cover in cling film and leave to chill for ½ an hour as this makes it easier to roll out the pastry.

Now roll them into rounds of 6 inches and cut in the middle.

Filling: -

Boil the potatoes peeled and whole then leave them to cool and mash them with all the other ingredients.

Beat the egg and use to seal two sides of each cone of pastry. Fill the cone with the filling and seal the end with the egg again.

Heat the oil for deep-frying and when hot enough to fry chips or French fries, lower the samosas into it a batch at a time so that they cook evenly.

Fry until the pastry is golden brown, remove from the oil and drain on absorbent paper.

Serve with chutney (sauce).

This has Taste and is a Treat.

ASHOKA TREE ( SARACA INDICA) - ASSUAGES GRIEF: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF ASHOKA TREE

ASHOKA TREE, SARACA INDICA

The Ashoka tree is revered by Hindus and Buddhists alike, and is native to the Indian subcontinent. It has now spread farther afield and can be found in South-East Asia, including Thailand. It is a slow-growing evergreen tree with deep green leaves, although it is commonly mistaken for the Mast tree, which it doesn’t resemble, actually. It is also sometimes referred to as Jonesia asoka and Saraca asoka Roxb.but its proper botanical name is Saraca indica It is a member of the Fabaceae family or pea family, so is distantly related to the carob tree ( Ceratonia siliqua ), but it is in the sub family Caesalpaeniaceae as is senna. It has fragrant flowers with half white and half crimson stamens which give the flower clusters a hairy appearance, rather like the flowers on Grevillea robusta, although the Ashoka’s flowers are crimson and orange.

   Like the peepal tree it is sacred to both Buddhists and Hindus, as Hindus believe it is sacred to Kama Devi, the god of love, who used the flower on the tip of one of his five arrows to incite passion and desire. (One of its names means the tree of love.) Buddhists believe that the Buddha was born under the Ashoka tree. This is why you can see the tree in many temple and monastery gardens. The tree is mentioned in the Ramayana the Sanskrit text of Hindu mythology.

  Ashoka means without grief or sorrow in Sanskrit, (so a visit to a restaurant called this should be a pleasant experience) and its essential oil is used to help those who have suffered bereavement, or who feel isolated and alone. It is thought that drinking the water in which the flowers from the tree have been washed will protect against grief caused by trauma and suffering. The pulped flowers are also used as a remedy for dysentery.

  The tree is mainly used in medicine for female problems, but it may have anti-depressant properties in its leaves according to one research study. It is said to keep women healthy and youthful and is mainly used for gynaecological problems, with the bark employed as well as the flowers and roots in medical preparations. It contains bioflavonoids and tannins as well as amino acids and a variety of other substance and compounds which have not all be isolated.

  Research that has been done on the tree’s properties suggests that the stem bark has antifungal and anti-bacterial properties, as well as pain-killing ones. It may also have an impact on the central nervous system, but there has only been one study of this, so it is early days yet.

 It is hoped that Ashoka can help with Type II diabetes, but again, it is too early to tell. Not as much research has been done on this tree as has been done on the Kadamb tree.

KADAMB ( MITRAGYNA PARVIFOLIA): HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF KADAMB TREE

KADAMB, KAIM, MITRAGYNA PARVIFOLIA

The Kadamb tree is native to the northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It is often confused with the Cadamba tree or Neolamarckia cadamba or Anthocephalus cadamba or indicus, which are both associated with Krishna, and mentioned in the Bhagavata Purana.

  This tree, Mitragyna parvifolia has been researched recently because in traditional folk medicine it is reputed to cure many diseases.  It is a deciduous tree so loses its leaves in autumn, and tends to grow in forests. It can grow to a height of 25 metres, and has yellow-green flowers which grow into oblong fruits which contain seeds. The parts used in medicine are the root bark and leaves, although sometimes the fruits are used.

  In Ayurvedic medicine the bark of the tree is used for blood-related diseases. In traditional medicine in the Indian subcontinent the bark and roots of the tree are used for fevers, colic, muscular pains, burning sensations in the stomach, poisoning, female problems, coughs, oedema and as an aphrodisiac.

  Wounds and ulcers may be dressed with bruised leaves to promote healing and to alleviate pain, while extracts of the fruit are used to kill pain and as anti-inflammatory agents. While these properties have been confirmed by scientist, they have not yet discovered which of the substances or combination of them are responsible for these actions.

  The stem and the bark of the tree contain flavonoids, glycosides and tannins as well as a number of alkaloids, and an extract has been shown in vitro, to  be effective in killing worms.  Like St. John’s wort and ginseng, extracts have been proved to relieve anxiety and seem to work as well as diazepam, without the side effects of that drug.

  One Indian scientist has finally, after 20 years of research, taken out a patent of a drug, made from two alkaloids found in Kadamb, to help those with Type II diabetes, after conducting trials on 1,300 patients with the disease. The patent has an international classification number from the World Trade Organization so this is perhaps good news for diabetes sufferers.

  In one area of India local healers treat rice (Oryza sativa) used for medicinal purposes with extracts from the tree at different stages, seeds, in the field and at different stages of growth so that the medicinal qualities from Kadamb will be imbued by the rice, making it more effective in treatments.

  More research needs to be done before scientists can discover in what other ways it can be beneficial to us. The research that has been conducted was published in 2009, so it is relatively recent, and a lot more needs to be done on this health-giving tree.

 

COCOA OR CACAO TREE - CHOCOLATE PRODUCER - HISTORY, HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES: EASY CHOCOLATE MOUSSE RECIPE

COCOA OR CACAO TREE, THEOBROMA CACAO

Chocolate is made from the beans of this tree, and the original chocolate was a drink – a spicy bitter one made by the Aztecs, Olmecs and Mayans. The Theobroma cacao tree was named by the Swedish scientist, Carl Linnaeus in 1753 and he rather aptly called it Theobroma which means “drink of the gods” in Greek. This was how the ancient Mayans viewed it as they believed that the tree was a gift from the gods. It is believed that it has its origins in the Amazon basin, although it is now cultivated in the zone which is 20° north or south of the Equator. Therefore it grows in Brazil, the Ivory Coast, Ghana and West Africa. The Aztecs called their spicy chocolate drink “xocatl” which is how we get the word chocolate.

  Columbus took cacao beans to Europe, but they didn’t catch on, it took Cortez and his trip to Montezuma to popularize the drink, when he sent the recipe to Carlos V of Spain.

 The recipe which became popular with wealthy Spaniards however, was a far cry from the bitter drink of the Aztecs and Mayans, as they added sugar and nuts to it so that it was much less bitter. The main ingredients of the original drink were water, cocoa and several spices including red chillies.

  In 1631 the following recipe was published in Spain by an Andalusian physician, Antonio Calmenero de Ledesma in “A Curious Treatise on the Nature and Quality of Chocolate”: -

 “100 cocoa beans, 2 chillies, a handful of anise seeds, two handfuls of vanilla,2 drams of cinnamon, 12 almonds and 12  hazelnuts, ½ pound of white sugar, and enough annatto to give it colour.”

   The tree grows to around 4-8 metres tall, although it can reach heights of up to 10 metres when it is shaded by larger forest trees. The cacao beans come from the pods which can be 15 – 25 cms long with each pod or fruit containing 30-40 cacaos beans or seeds.  The seeds which are red-brown and covered with a sweet white pulp are dried and fermented so that they can be processed further to make cocoa powder and chocolate.

  The tree belongs to the Sterculiaceae family and so is related to the Monkey Hand Tree (Chiranthodendron pentadactylon) and the Dinner Plate Tree (Pterospermum acerfolia). The trees reach their peak cacao bean production when they are 10 years old, but can still be productive for another 12-13 years, although some trees still produce pods when they are between 30 and 40 years old. The young leaves are large, red and glossy, but as they age they turn green, while the pods can be maroon or scarlet or golden yellow.

  The cocoa press was invented around 1828 which made it easier to extract cocoa butter, which is used in skin and hair preparations as well as in the manufacture of chocolate. It wasn’t until about 1879 that the Swiss developed milk chocolate and solid chocolate which most of us adore.

  It seems that we love chocolate because it makes us feel good, and this is not surprising as it increases serotonin production in the body which enhances moods and produces endorphins. Studies have shown that “Consumption of cocoa flavanols result in acute improvement in mood and cognitive performance during sustained mental effort” which was the title of a research article published in 2010 in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. No wonder our ancestors though it was an aphrodisiac. In fact the Aztecs used their chocolate drink to give their warriors strength in battle, and put the flowers in baths along with other ingredients to prevent fatigue. As in 17^th century Spain, the drink was reserved for the priestly caste and the Emperor and there was a tax on the beans.

  Research has shown that raw cacao beans are a superfood in the same way as broccoli, kiwi fruit and others. The raw beans have more antioxidant properties than either red wine or green tea. Dark chocolate has the most concentrated cacao content and studies have shown that it is better for you than white chocolate and has many of the attributes though not all or the raw bean. Research has shown that the antioxidative properties of the beans can help to prevent prostate cancer, lower the risk of strokes and cardio-vascular disease and lower blood pressure.

 Theobromine combined with caffeine contained in the bean acts as a mild stimulant and diuretic.  Anandamide is also present and this can produce a mild natural high similar to that of bhang or marijuana.

  The beans contain vitamins A, C and E along with some of the B-complex vitamins, and the minerals, copper, zinc, iron, magnesium, manganese, calcium and potassium as well as bioflavonoids.

  Scientists have unlocked the secret of the cocoa bean’s genome and are currently working on ways to make our chocolate eating experience healthier as they hope it will help combat diabetes, improve the cardio-vascular system functions as well as our cognitive ones.

  It really does improve the mood and is comfort food, especially in winter; perhaps that is why we Brits eat so much of the stuff and consume so many chocolate drinks. The book (and film) “Chocolat” make it quite clear how magical chocolate is.

MY FAVOURITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Ingredients

6 oz dark chocolate broken into very small pieces

40 gr butter

4 eggs

75 ml hot espresso coffee

30 ml very hot water

20 ml cointreau or other orange flavoured liqueuer

4 green  cardamom pods seeds removed and crushed to a fine powder (optional)

Method

Put the tiny chocolate pieces into a heat proof bowl with the butter, coffee and very hot water

Balance the bowl over a pan of boiling water but don’t let the bowl touch the water.

Leave and stir only once or twice until the chocolate has completely melted, then add the powdered cardamom if using and the cointreau. Stir to mix.

Set aside to cool while you separate the eggs. Whisk the whites to a frothy foam and mix the yolks with a fork in a separate bowl.

When the mousse mixture is warm but not hot, add the egg yolks and stir in, then fold in the whites with a metal spoon.

Pour into small cups and cover with cling film, then put in the fridge and leave for a couple of hours until the mixture is glossy and thick.

Serve with whipped double cream for a real treat.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

ANCIENT ALDER TREE - HISTORY, LEGENDS AND HEALTH BENEFITS

COMMON OR EUROPEAN BLACK ALDER TREE, ALNUS GLUTINOSA

The alder likes to grow near water, rivers, streams and lakes and is found in company with willows and birch trees. It is a member of the birch family, Betulaceae. The root system of the alder may be exposed in water and make safe havens for fish wishing to escape predators, or in stormy weather they shelter under the roots of the alder. Like the hazel tree, the male flowers of the alder are catkins, while the female flowers resemble small fir cones. These begin by being green, but by October they have become brown and woody, ready to eject the two winged seeds that are found inside them. The twigs can be sticky to touch, which is how it got its Latin name glutinosa.

  This tree is native to most of Europe and Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria in North Africa, and can also be found in the Caucasus region, and Iran, and Turkey. It was introduced into North America where it has become naturalized in north-eastern USA and eastern Canada. It can reach height of up to 25 metres and lives on average for 150 years. However when a trunk dies, young shoots often spring up from the base.

  Green dye can be obtained from the flowers and this colour has been associated with faeries and those, like Robin Hood who used the green dye to camouflage themselves. In Irish legend, Deidre of the Sorrows eloped with Naoise the son of Usna and the couple fled from Ulster to Scotland where they hid from King Conchobhar mac Nessa, to whom Deidre was betrothed, in an alder wood. Alder woods are synonymous with hiding places as they tend to grow in marshy ground where few would venture. The Irish used to consider it unlucky to see or pass an alder tree when they were on a journey.

  Alder wood is good for charcoal and was used by the ancient Celts to forge their weapons. The Irish and Norse peoples also considered the Rowan tree or Mountain Ash to be the female counterpart of the Alder, as Alder was the tree from which the first man was made and the first woman came from the rowan tree. However it is the willow that was considered the Alder King’s queen by the Celts. It was a tree much favoured by the Druids and was meant to give courage to warriors in battle and to symbolize royalty.

  The Alder is the fourth month of the Celtic Tree Calendar which extends from 18^th March – 14^th April, and it was believed to be the doorway to faerie land. It is sacred to Bran who carried a branch of it into the Battle of Trees (Cad Goddeau) according to an ancient poem, said to have been written by Taliesin.

  Because the wood from this tree is durable in water it has traditionally been made into pumps, troughs and sluices. Later, Alder wood was made into clogs, and it has been used to make spinning wheels, carts and various implements and furniture.

  It is said that if you are hiking or walking a long way, alder leaves in your shoes will prevent your feet from getting tired. If you have rheumatism and sleep on a bed of alder leaves it will help. Alternatively a hot poultice can be made from the leaves and applied to relieve inflammation. A decoction made from the bark will reduce swelling and bruising although mallow will do this very well.

   The inner bark of alder can be boiled with vinegar and used to clean teeth, remove head lice and get rid of scabies. A tisane can be made from 1 heaped tablespoon of leaves to a pint of boiling water and this can be used for skin problems and irritations, and to cure herpes. Decoctions from the leaves or bark (boil leaves or bark in water until the water has reduced by half) can be used as a gargle for sore throats, and can be applied to wounds to prevent infection and promote healing. This can also be used on burns.

  The bark contains lignans, and tannins as well as phenolic glycosides, while the leaves have flavonoid glycosides among other constituents. As yet very little research has been done into the medical properties of the Alder, but it is thought to have anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, antiviral and astringent properties.