Fall Edible & Medicinal Plant Trail Walk 2014

October 25th turned out to be a great day for the ABC Fall Edible and Medicinal Plant Trail Walk. This is a self-learning educational exploratory walk of the about 4 miles of trails at the American Bodhi Center (ABC).  There are total of 12-14 bridges that dotted through out the path in the center (trail map).

The group had an initial preparatory meeting in the dinning hall and started the day around 9:45 am. The following picture highlight the trail we took.  We had lunch around noon in the middle of the forest among cows and horses.  The relaxing day ended back in the dinning hall by 2:00 pm.  After cleaning up and pressing the the plant samples most departed around 3:00 pm.

Geared up and ready.

Lunch after a fun day!

Trail we took Oct 25th 2014 (in red)

The following are some of the edible and medicinal plants that we "believed" we have found and we have collected samples so that their identification can be confirmed.  We came across more than a dozen plants that has potential as edible and medicinal.  This is what we think we have saw and collected Greenbrair (土茯苓), Mugwort 艾草, Honeysuckle 金銀花, Dandelion 蒲公英, American beauty berry, Goldenrod, Mullein, Pokeweed (pokeberry), Wild Persimmon,
Wild Grapes, acorn, bitter weed and others.

We have collected plant samples and would greatly appreciate any help in getting them positively identified.  There are two plants we are using ourselves.  First is greenbrair, dried and powdered form of the rhizome or root had been used effectively is stopping external wounds.  This is natures "quick-clot" medicine and were used on someone that is currently taking warfarin a blood thinner for a heart condition.  The other is is the American Beautyberry, it has been used to make drinks and jam.

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Greenbrair (土茯苓)

"Greenbriar is one of the best wild foods available as it can be found in immense quantities all year-round, tastes really good, is very nutritious, and is a source of calories (tubers)." - http://www.foragingtexas.com/2008/08/greenbriar.html

Tu Fu Ling (Glabrous Greenbrier Rhizome, Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae, 土茯苓)
- http://www.activeherb.com/chineseherbs/tufuling.shtml

What does it do? In the term of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Tu Fu Ling is sweat and neutral. The channels Tu Fu Ling influences are Liver and Stomach. Action: 1. Eliminates dampness. 2. Resolves toxicity. 3. Unblocks the joints.

Video (in Chinese- 健康之路)
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovbEL86AD2g

Greenbrair Leaves in ABC Oct 2014

Greenbrair tuber in ABC Oct 2014

Mugwort 艾草

Honeysuckle 金銀花

Dandelion 蒲公英

American beauty berry

Use Medicinal: Native American used root and leaf tea in sweat baths for rheumatism, fevers, and malaria. Root tea used for dysentery, stomach aches. Root and berry tea used for colic.   Crushed leaves makes great mosquito repellent.

- http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CAAM2

Goldenrod

Goldenrod (Solidago) has 50 diff varieties. Most are herbaceous perennial species found in open areas such as meadows, prairies, and savannas. They are easily recognized by their golden inflorescences with hundreds of small capitula; some species have their flowers in spike-like inflorescences and others have axillary racemes. They can grow to a length between 60 cm and 1.5m. Their alternate leaves are linear to lanceolate. Their margins are usually finely to sharply serrated.

Goldenrod is used in a traditional kidney tonic by practitioners of herbal medicine to counter inflammation and irritation caused by bacterial infections or kidney stones. Goldenrod has also been used as part of a tincture to aid in cleansing of the kidney or bladder during a healing fast, in conjunction with potassium broth and specific juices. Native Americans chewed the leaves to relieve sore throats and chewed the roots to relieve toothaches. (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldenrod)

Others:
- http://www.foragingtexas.com/2006/12/goldenrod.html
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctRuEugu76U
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyB7J5msLx8

Goldenrod by Wisdom Lake in the Bomboo Grove area of ABC Oct 2014

Mullein马勒明

It is a medicinal plant and dried stalks can be used for fire drills, leaves used as lamp wicks. Watch out for the fine hairs on leaves which can be an irritant. Do not consume seeds. This plant has a 2 year life cycle. (ref: http://www.foragingtexas.com/2006/12/mullien.html)

Firat and Second Mullein Plants by S. Bodhi Road across the Organic Garden

Mullein Plant Flower ABC Oct 2014

Pokeweed (pokeberry)

Historically pokeweed has been used as a folk remedy by Native Americans in traditional Chinese medicine as a purgative, an emetic, a heart stimulant and to treat cancer, itching, and syphilis.[citation needed] It was also used for its anti-rheumatic properties and in 1820 the US Pharmacopoeia listed this plant as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory. Preliminary in vitro studies on a protein isolated from pokeweed indicate activity against HIV and some types of cancer cells, but its effectiveness in human health has not yet been examined. (ref- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytolacca_americana)

Caution: certain part of the plant is poisonous.

Wild Persimmon

Wild Grapes