PIGNUTS (EARTH NUTS) -ALLEGEDLY APHRODISIAC: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF PIGNUTS

EARTH NUTS, PIGNUTS, CONOPODIUM MAJUS 

Pignuts are so named because pigs love to find these, as do European Brown bears. They grow in woodland in Europe and in Britain seem to love to grow in bluebell woods. You can find them all year round, but they are easier to spot in spring and summer when you can see their feathery leaves and white flower heads (umbels). They are members of the Apiaceae or carrot family, so are related to anise, caraway, celery, dill and parsley. If you go foraging for them you will have to dig about 20 centimetres down to get at the small “nuts” which are tubers with long thin roots growing around them. You have to rub the outer skin from them to eat them but they can be eaten raw or cooked (you can add them to dishes as you would water chestnuts or sangaray). They taste rather like sweet chestnuts, although some say that they are like Brazil or hazel nuts or perhaps sweet potatoes. The “nut” can grow to 3 cms in diameter although most I’ve seen have been smaller than that. If you find them they indicate that you are in ancient grass or woodland.

  In the UK they have been found at archaeological site, at the Bronze Age Barrow Hills and Mile Oak, which shows that they were known as a food source by our early ancestors. The discovery of them at Barrow Hills might also indicate that they were used in rituals.

  They were clearly known in Shakespeare’s day as he has his ‘monster’ Caliban tells Trinculo (a drunken servant) that he will show him the delights of the island which include these ‘nuts’.

  “Caliban: I prithee, let me bring thee where crabs grow,

                 And I with my long nails will dig thee pignuts.”

   (Act II scene ii The Tempest)

John Gerard, writing in the 16^th century tells us that there was a “Plaister made of the seeds” of the plant, but he rather coyly declines to continue as regards the use it was put to. This mystery was later (probably) solved when Nicholas Culpeper writing in his Complete herbal in the 17^th century points out that the nuts were aphrodisiacs and stimulated “venery” or lust. He calls these “Earth chesnuts” and says this: -

“They are called earth-nuts, earth-chesnuts, ground-nuts, ciper-nuts, and in Sussex pig-nuts. A description of them were needless, for every child knows them.

Government and virtues. They are something hot and dry in quality, under the dominion of Venus; they provoke lust exceedingly, and stir up to those sports she is mistress of; the seed is excellent good to provoke urine; and so also is the root, but it doth not perform it so forcibly as the seed both. The root being dried and beaten into powder, and the powder made into an electuary is as singular a remedy for spitting and pissing of blood, as the former chesnut was for coughs.”

  The Physicians of Myddfai do not mention this but used them in this way: -

“Peritonitis is treated by means of an emetic, the blue confection and a medicine. These are the herbs required (for the medicine ;) the sweet gale, bay leaves, pimpernel, male speedwell, river startip, borage, moss, liverwort, the young leaves of the earth nut, and the mallow.”

They also used it in treatments for intermittent fevers as this remedy shows:-

”The following is a good medicine for this class of diseases : take moss, ground ivy, or elder, if obtainable, (if not obtainable, caraway,) and boil these two vegetable substances well together. Then take the mallow, fennel, pimpernel, butcher's broom, borage, and the young leaves of the earth nut, and bruise them as well as possible, putting them on the fire with the two herbs before mentioned, and boiling them well. This being done, let elder bark be taken from that portion of the tree which is in the ground,-let it be scraped and washed thoroughly, and bruised well in a mortar. Then take the liquor prepared from the fore-mentioned herbs, and mix the said bark therein assiduously between both hands, and set it to drain into a vessel to acidify, fermenting it with goat's whey, or cow's whey. Let a good cupful thereof be drank every morning as long as it lasts, a portion of raw honey, apple or wood sorrel, being taken subsequently in order to remove the taste from the mouth, after the draught. This liquor is beneficial to every man who requires to purge his body.”

  They don’t mention the aphrodisiac qualities but it makes sense that Shakespeare’s Caliban would have enjoyed them if they had such a reputation as he was a portrayal of the baser side of human nature.

  

   

GROUNDSEL- NOT JUST FOR BIRDS! HISTORY, HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF GROUNDSEL

GROUNDSEL, SENECIO VULGARIS 

Groundsel gets its Latin name, Senecio vulgaris, from ‘senex’ meaning ‘old man’ and vulgaris, which means ‘common’. It is believed to have got this name from the appearance of the grey hairs on the seeds. The name groundsel comes from the Anglo-Saxon, “groundeswelge” which means “ground swallower” doubtless because of its ability to spread. One plant will produce around 1,200 seeds, with hairs which are dispersed by the wind and birds which love to eat them. It has been estimated that 85% of these seeds will germinate in the first year with 100 % germinating in a five-year period, so it is a very prolific stubborn weed to remove once it has occupied an area. It is in flower between May and October. It is a member of the Asteraceae or daisy family of plants.

  It has numerous other names, including Old-Man-in-the-Spring, birdseed, chickenweed, grinsel and grundsel to mention just a few. It is an invasive alien species in North America and probably arrived on its shores in sacks of grain seed, but it is native to Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia. It has mainly been used for chickenfeed and for birdseed - the Victorians fed their canaries on it in Britain. Rabbits like it too but cows, and horses seem to instinctively know that it isn’t good for them and tend to avoid it. Groundsel contains some pyrrolizidine alkaloids which are also found in Common Ragwort, and these cause progressive, irreversible damage and ultimately death to cows and other animals. The lethal dose is between 5 and 8% of the animal’s body weight. However sheep and goats, have rumen bacteria which breaks down these toxins and so they can be used to keep down groundsel in fields.

  It is said that the leaves can be eaten raw or cooked by humans, but perhaps this is not advisable. The Anglo-Saxons used groundsel medicinally in poultices with salt added to them.

  The 16^th century English herbalist, John Gerard, recommended “the down of the flower mixed with vinegar” as a good dressing for fresh wounds. He also said that the juice of the plant, when boiled in ale could be used as a purgative with a little honey and vinegar added. It was believed that you had to dig up the roots without using any iron in the digging tool as it would then act as a remedy for wounds caused by iron. The roots were thought, if harvested in this way, to relieve headaches. It was also used as an emollient for chapped hands, with the whole plant chopped and boiling water poured over it and then allowed to infuse for half an hour. A strong infusion was used to produce vomiting and as a purgative.

  Nicholas Culpeper, writing in the 17^th century in his “Complete Herbal” had this to say of groundsel: -

  “ This herb is Venus's mistress-piece, and is as gallant and universal a medicine for all diseases coming of heat, in what part of the body soever they be, as the sun shines upon; it is very safe and friendly to the body of man: yet causes vomiting if the stomach be afflicted; if not, purging: and it doth it with more gentleness than can be expected; it is moist, and something cold withal, thereby causing expulsion, and repressing the heat caused by the motion of the internal parts in purges and vomits…

The decoction of this herb (saith Dioscorides) made with wine, and drank, helps the pains of the stomach, proceeding of choler, (which it may well do by a vomit) as daily experience shews. The juice thereof taken in drink, or the decoction of it in ale, gently performs the same. It is good against the jaundice and falling sickness, being taken in wine; as also against difficulty of making water. It provokes urine, expels gravel in the reins or kidneys; a dram thereof given in oxymel, after some walking or stirring of the body. It helps also the sciatica, griping of the belly, the cholic, defects of the liver, and provokes women's courses. The fresh herb boiled, and made into a poultice, applied to the breasts of women that are swollen with pain and heat, as also the privy parts of man or woman, the seat or fundament, or the arteries, joints, and sinews, when they are inflamed and swollen, doth much ease them; and used with some salt, helps to dissolve knots or kernels in any part of the body. The juice of the herb, or as (Dioscorides saith) the leaves and flowers, with some fine Frankincensein powder, used in wounds of the body, nerves or sinews, doth singularly help to heal them. The distilled water of the herb performs well all the aforesaid cures, but especially for inflammations or watering of the eyes, by reason of the defluxion of rheum unto them.”

  The whole herb should be picked in May or when it begins to come into flower, and dried for later use, or used fresh. However other herbs are less toxic than this one and so treat groundsel with care.

COUCH GRASS - ANNOYING WEED WITH SAVING GRACES: HISTORY, HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF COUCH GRASS

COUCH GRASS, ELTRIGIA REPENS / ELYMUS REPENS/ AGROPYUM REPENS 

Couch grass (pronounced coo-ch) is a much reviled weed that loves growing on lawns in Britain and infuriates gardeners because it is difficult to get rid of. It is classed as an invasive weed in the US, although some believe it is a native species in both North and South America. It is certainly a native of Europe, North Asia and North Africa, as well as Australia. It is a member of the Poacea or Gramineae family which includes rye, millet (bajra), oats, barley, sorghum and wheat as well as sugar cane and the grasses.

  It is known as Quitch or Quitch grass (perhaps this is how J. K. Rowling invented Quidditch, the name of Harry Potter’s favourite game) and Quackgrass so has as many English names as Latin ones for its genus.  Another of its names is Dog’s Grass, because dogs will search for the rough leaves if they feel ill and will eat them to make themselves vomit.

 Although it is viewed as a pest today, the root was valued in the past for its medicinal properties. It is a sweet-tasting root that is said to taste a little like liquorice. It is the root which is usually used in traditional medicine systems, and it has been used since Roman times as a diuretic and to expel gravel in the bladder. The root has also been used as a coffee substitute like that of the dandelion and chicory when roasted. The young leaves and shoots can be eaten raw in spring and the root has also been ground to make meal and then mixed with wheat flour in times of scarcity.

  Couch grass has been approved by the German Commission E for urinary tract infections, and is useful if you have cystitis as it soothes the urinary tract and promotes the flow of urine. It is also said to be good for Benign Prostate Hypertrophy (BPH), for gout and rheumatism. The infusion, one ounce or the root to one pint of boiling water, steeped for 20 minutes can also be used externally as a wash for swollen limbs. It can also be drunk as a diuretic and to remove gravel. The wash will also act as a moisturizer for dry skin and is said to be useful for making rough skin smoother. The decoction can be made with 2-4 ounces of the chopped root boiled in 2 pints of water until the water has been reduced by half. Juice expressed from the roots can be added to water and drunk too. For this you need half a teaspoon to 2 teaspoons of juice and water. It has also been used as a mild laxative, although eating bananas might be easier and more productive.

  Culpeper writing in his Herbal in the 17^th century has this to say about it: -

“the most medicinal of all the quick grasses. The roots of it act powerfully by urine; they should be dried and powdered, for the decoction by water is too strong for tender stomachs, therefore should be sparingly used when given that way to children to destroy the worms. The way of use is to bruise the roots, and having well boiled them in white wine, drink the decoction; it is opening, not purging, very safe: it is a remedy against all diseases coming of stopping, and such are half those that are incident to the body of man; and although a gardener be of another opinion, yet a physician holds half an acre of them to be worth five acres of carrots twice told over.”

  Gerard, writing in the 16^th century wrote: -                                                 

“Although that Couch-grasse be an unwelcome guest to fields and gardens, yet his physicke virtues do recompense those hurts; for it openeth the stoppings of the liver and reins without any manifest heat.”

 In his time it was used for cirrhosis of the liver and for jaundice.

    It is thought that the glycolic acid in the root makes it a good diuretic, and that the agropyrene also present makes it an antibiotic. One study by Newell et al (1996) found that it had sedative properties when given to rats and mice. It contains the phenolic glycoside, vanillin, the minerals calcium, phosphorous and potassium, flavonoids which include tricin; fructose, pectin, glucose, inositol and mannitol and the aerial parts are high in protein which makes it good animal feed.

  If its presence is annoying you and you don’t want to use it medicinally, an infusion of the whole chopped plant will make very good liquid plant food. It is a useful grass and not just an invasive weed.

TIGER LILY - NOT GOOD FOR CATS: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF TIGER LILY

TIGER LILY, LILIUM LANCIFOLIUM (FORMERLY LILIUM TIGRINUM)

The tiger lily is a relative of the much less in your face, lily-of-the-valley, as they are both Liliaceae family members. I think I first encountered a Tiger lily in my great-aunt’s garden in Worcestershire, England, and then in the Disney adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice Through the Looking-Glass.” The tiger lily was the first in the Garden of Live Flowers (Chapter 2) to talk to Alice:

“'O Tiger-lily,' said Alice, addressing herself to one that was waving gracefully about in the wind, 'I wish you could talk!'

'We can talk,' said the Tiger-lily: 'when there's anybody worth talking to.’"

The tiger lily was much nicer to Alice than the rose, violet and daisy and I felt she was one of the better sorts of flower.

    There’s no doubt that these flowers are impressive, as they can grow to heights of 4 feet, and the ones in that garden of my childhood were much bigger than me. There is a superstition that if you smell the flowers of the tiger lily you will get freckles, probably because the vibrant orange petals are covered with black spots which resemble freckles.

  Tiger lilies are associated with remedies for uterine problems and it seems that a tincture of the plant is used to strengthen and tone the nerves of that region. It was used in cases of prolapsed uteri. However in traditional Chinese medicine, in which the plant has been used for at least 4,000 years it would seem that it is used for respiratory problems such as bronchitis while the bulb, dried is used in soups as an anti-flu measure. The buds, bulbs and young shoots are all edible, with the roasted bulbs being compared to a baked potato in flavour. They can also be used like kachnar flowers and cooked with meat. Dried parts of this plant are used in egg dishes, so go well in scrambled eggs and omelettes. In China they are symbols of wealth and prosperity.

  In the Kyoto region of Japan the bulbs are traditionally boiled (they are said to taste a bit like parsnips) and combined with pickled plum puree to serve at New Year’s festivals.

  The tiger lily is native to China, Japan and Korea and found its way to the States in 1804. There are native lilies in the US but this is not one of them.

  There have been several studies carried out by Chinese researchers into the properties of the tiger lily and it has been found to exhibit some anti-tumour activity (Journal of Phytochemistry 1994, September, Vol. 34 (1) 227-32 Mimaki Y. et al “Steroidal Saponins from the bulbs of Lilium lancifolium and their anti-tumour activity”), to be useful in the treatment of mastitis and breast cancer and the bulbs exhibit antibacterial properties as well as being diuretic and antiparasitic.

 Hu Wy et al, August 2007, Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi Vol. 32 (16):1656-59, “Studies on chemical constituents in fresh fleshy scaleleaf of Lilium lancifolium” found that it contained berberine, the first time this has been found in a lily. It is found in Berberis Lycium or Wolfberry and the Barberry. (The scale-leaf is on the bulbs of the tiger lily.)

  The roots also have anti-inflammatory properties according to research carried out by Kwon Ok et al, July 26^th 2010, Journal of Ethnopharmacol “Anti-inflammatory effects of methanol extracts of the roots of Lilium lancifolium in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells.”

  Research is limited however and more needs to be done to discover if the results of these studies can be reproduced.

  It is known that cats and tiger lilies do not get along as the plants can cause renal failure and death to cats. So think twice if you buy Tiger lilies for your garden and have a feline friend.