My neighbors have two beautiful ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) trees in their front yard. Honestly, I didn’t really notice them until our first fall living here, when suddenly the trees and ground were covered in gorgeous golden leaves that seemed to glow in the autumn sunlight. I quickly looked into these stunning trees to learn more about them.
The iris is a member of the family Iridaceae or Iris family of the genus Iris L. or iris P and contains fifty-two species. The plant originated from the eastern Mediterranean basin eastward to India. It was named after the Greek mythological entity Iris who is said to travel on a rainbow and had golden wings—this is appropriate as there are believed to be more than 200 varieties of the plant.
The month of May symbolizes regrowth, the joy of Spring, and sudden yet pleasant changes in weather.
Pitanga is a member of the family Myrtaceae or Myrtle family of the genus Eugenia L., also known as stopper P, containing the species Eugenia uniflora L., commonly named Surinam cherry P. The plant is native to the tropical regions of South America and was brought to India from Brazil by the Portuguese. It is also known as Surinam cherry.
Fir is one of the quintessential scents of the season, known for its foresty, fresh, and somewhat sweet notes. For those of us who live and hike in the mountains, or for anyone who’s had a Christmas tree, the scent of fir is unmistakable. There are over 50 types of delightfully scented fir in the northern hemisphere, and the leaves, twigs, and cones are all rich in aromatics.
Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotis) and others are both a delicious edible mushroom and a great medicinal as well. The wild ones are the tastiest, if you’re lucky enough to find them, though you can often find them at the grocery store or even grow your own with one of the many commercial growing kits available. I found a small cluster this summer during what was an otherwise dismal mushroom season here in the Southern Rockies. They smelled like aniseed…something
With all of the devastating wildfires ravaging California, the western United States, and much of Europe, thousands of people have been affected by wildfire smoke. Unfortunately, much of the smoke produced during these wildfires contain enormous amounts of toxins.
There’s more to those little red berries on top of that smoothie bowl than you may know!
When folks think of medicinal plants, they usually picture herbs, flowers, and such. But don’t forget about trees! Many tree species are great medicine; an entire book could be written on them. I’ll take it easy on you and cover just 5 really good ones here. Most likely one or more of these can be found near you.
When temperatures start to fall, few autumn mainstays feel as cozy or as necessary as a scented candle. Whether your scent of choice is pumpkin spice or pine, a go-to candle can get you excited about shorter days and blustery nights.
But are those soothing scents triggering allergies, asthma, or worse?