LAVENDER

Description

The plant may grow to a height of 3 feet, but there are dwarf forms for edging which reach only about 10 inches. The stems are thick and woody, and become straggly if left unpruned. The leaves are long, spiky, and very narrow, and branch out near the ground. The tiny tubular flowers are carried on long spikes in thick clusters that surround the stem from the tip to about 4 inches down.

Cultivation

Cuttings from strong new growth can be propagated in summer or autumn or from seeds sown indoors in trays. Once rooted, plant them in a well drained, poor soil. Foliage will yellow in poorly drained soil. The bushes tend to look after themselves and respond to an annual pruning in fall after flowering or in early spring. Bushes tend to straggle as they mature and it is often necessary to cut back severely in fall to generate strong growth.

Culinary Uses

Fresh lavender flowers can be used to flavor syrup for jellies. Mix 6 flowerheads into each pint of apple jelly syrup. Remove the lavender before bottling. It is also used to flavor fruit salad and milk and cream for deserts. Flowers be candied to decorate cakes and puddings. Use lavender instead of rosemary when cooking chicken. Lavender ice-cream is a real treat.

Medicinal Uses

Use an infusion of lavender on insect bites. Dried flowers and seeds are used in herbal sleep pillows and baths for soothing and calming frayed nerves. Lavender oil applied at the temples will relieve a headache. Three flowerheads in a cup of boiling water makes a soothing tea at bedtime.

Other Uses

Bunches of lavender are said to ward off insects. Fresh or dried flowers are used in rinsing water for clothes and hair. Dried flowers and seeds are often used in potpourri and sachets. The stems are used to weave decorative baskets.

To dry the flowers, cut them as soon as they begin to open and hang upside down in bunches in a well-ventilated area

Chamomile (hoa cúc)

This perennial is also known as Roman chamomile. It can be used as a groundcover since it grows only 4 to 12 inches in height. The foliage is feathery with an apple scent, and it is accented by white, daisy-like flowers with down-turned petals.

M. recutita

The annual form of chamomile is also called German chamomile. It grows to 20 inches and has feathery foliage with daisy-like flowers like it's cousin. The flowers are scented, but the foliage is not.

Cultivation

Roman chamomile is usually propagated by root division, while German chamomile seeds are sown directly in early spring. The soil should be sandy and slightly acid. Full sun is preferred except in hot, dry climates where midday shade is necessary. Chamomile can also be used around the edges of containers with other herbs. After flowering, cut back to the main growth.

Harvesting and Drying

Cut the flowers from the stems with scissors and spread them out on muslin covered racks to dry.

Culinary Uses

Roman chamomile foliage can be chopped and stirred into butter or sour cream that is used to top baked potatoes.

Medicinal Uses

German Chamomile is most often used for medicinal purposes, and is usually administered as a tea. It can also be administered as a compress for external healing and as a bath for babies. Here are a few uses:

Soothes and relaxes at bedtime.

• Relieves restlessness, teething problems, and colic in children.
• Relieves allergies, much as an antihistamine would.
• Aids digestion when taken as a tea after meals.
• Relieves morning sickness during pregnancy.
• Speeds healing of skin ulcers, wounds, or burns.
• Treats gastritis and ulcerative colitis.

Other Uses

• Makes a relaxing bath or footbath.
• Lightens fair hair and conditions complexion. Make a rinse by simmering 2 teaspoons dried flowers in 8 ounces of water for 15 minutes.
• Potpourri (dry flowers face down.)

Marjoram (kinh giới)

Marjoram is a highly perfumed herb with thick trusses of dainty white or purple flowers which make it a highly decorative herb that is suitable for the flower garden. In warmer climates it is a perennial, but it is treated as a half-hardy annual in colder areas since it will not survive a severe winter. Plants grow to 1-2 feet with a spread of about 8 inches. Flowers are tiny but plentiful and grow in clusters around the stem.

Cultivation

Plants may be grown from seed or started from summer cuttings. Roots may be divided in the fall. When grown from seed, it should be started indoors or in cold frames in early spring. Transfer outside when temperatures aren't expected to drop below 45 degrees. To keep the plants neat, cut out all dead wood and remove dead flowers and stalks.

Harvesting

Begin harvesting the leaves and stem tips when plants are 4 to 5 inches high. The flavor will improve after the flower buds form, just before flowering. To harvest, cut the stem tops down to the first two sets of leaves. New stems and shoots will grow, producing second and sometimes third crops. Dry the leaves in a warm, dry, shaded place, and store them in an airtight container.

Culinary Uses

• The leaves can be dried or frozen for culinary use.

• Add fresh leaves to casseroles just before serving for the best flavor.

• Use fresh leaves in sauces, stuffings, sparingly in salads, in egg and cheese dishes, chicken soup, stews, and in fruit salads.

• Add a sprig of marjoram to a mixed herb tea.

Other Uses

• The flowers dry well for decorative arrangements or potpourri.

• Makes an effective home insect repellant.

• Often used in herbal sleep pillows.

• Marjoram makes a fragrant bath herb.

Rosemary (hương thảo)

Cultivation

Propagate from cuttings of the twisted wood of non-flowering branches in early summer, or layer established branches. Rosemary can also be grown from seed. Choose a sheltered position and well-drained soil, and allow the plant lots of sun. The thick shrub tolerates clipping so that the size can be kept in check. In hot weather it will appreciate a good hosing down. In a warm climate it can remain in the same location for up to 30 years, but in climates where freezing temperatures are expected it is best grown in pots so that it can be brought indoors in winter.

History and Tradition

The botanical name Rosmarinus is derived form the old Latin for 'dew of the sea', a reference to its pale blue dew-like flowers and the fact that it is often grown near the sea. It is a symbol or remembrance and friendship, and is often carried by wedding couples as a sign of love and fidelity.

Tradition says that rosemary will grow for thirty-three years, until it reaches the height of Christ when he was crucified, then it will die. Sprigs of rosemary were placed under pillows at night to ward off evil spirits and bad dreams. The wood was used to make lutes and other musical instruments.

We continue to use rosemary in many of the same ways that our ancestors did: in potpourris to freshen the air, and in cosmetics, disinfectants and shampoos.

Rosemary for Remembrance

Scientists at the University of Cincinnati say that the scent of rosemary is an effective memory stimulant. This might make a nice potted plant for your desk at work, or where the kids do their homework!

Harvesting

The leaves can be harvested any time. Harvest no more than you can use fresh, as they loose most of their flavor when dried.

Medicinal Uses

Cancer Prevention Properties

Several studies done in the last several years show that oil from the leaves of the very plant sold as a spice for flavoring can help prevent the development of cancerous tumors in laboratory animals. One study, led by Chi-Tang Ho, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Food Science at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, showed that applying rosemary oil to the skin of experimental animals reduced their risk of cancer to half that found in animals that did not receive the application of oil. In other studies by the same research team, animals whose diets contained some rosemary oil had about half the incidence of colon cancer or lung cancer compared with animals not eating rosemary. And researchers at the University of Illinois in Urbana found that rosemary cut by half the incidence of breast cancer in animals at high risk for developing the disease. Future studies will demonstrate whether these properties extend to humans as well.

Though these experiments have used rosemary oil to test the effectiveness in preventing cancer, the oil should not be taken internally. Even small doses can cause stomach, kidney and intestinal problems, and large amounts may be poisonous. Use a tea instead. Pregnant women should not use the herb medicinally, although it's okay to use it as a seasoning.

Other Medicinal Properties

Rosemary helps to relax muscles, including the smooth muscles of the digestive tract and uterus. Because of this property it can be used to soothe digestive upsets and relieve menstrual cramps. When used in large amounts it can have the opposite effect, causing irritation of the intestines and cramps. A tea made form the leaves is also taken as a tonic for calming nerves and used as an antiseptic.

Rosemary makes a pleasant-tasting tea. Use one teaspoon of crushed dried leaves in a cup of boiling water and steep for ten minutes.

Cosmetic Uses

Use an infusion as a rinse to lighten blond hair, and to condition and tone all hair. Try mixing an infusion half and half with shampoo to strengthen hair.

An infusion can also be used as an invigorating toner and astringent. Rosemary added to a bath strengthens and refreshes, especially when used following an illness.

Culinary Uses

Rosemary and lamb go well together. Make slits in lamb for roasting and tuck in sprigs of the herb. Place larger sprigs over chops for grilling and use chopped leaves sparingly in soups and stews. Use rosemary in bouquets garnis and sparingly with fish and in rice dishes.

Other Uses

Use the dried leaves as potpourri and in sachets to scent clothes and linen and deter moths.

Rosemary is grown as a companion plant for cabbage, beans carrots and sage. It helps to deter cabbage moths, bean beetles and carrot flies.

CYPRESS

TEA TREE

Tea tree has been used in connection with the following conditions (refer to the individual health concern for complete information):

Historical or traditional use (may or may not be supported by scientific studies)

Australian Aborigines used the leaves to treat cuts and skin infections. They would crush the leaves and apply them to the affected area. Captain James Cook and his crew named the tree “tea tree,” using its leaves as a substitute for tea as well as to flavor beer. Australian soldiers participating in World War I were given tea tree oil as a disinfectant, leading to a high demand for its production.

Active constituents

The oil contains numerous chemicals known as terpenoids. Australian standards were established for the amount of one particular compound, terpinen-4-ol, which must make up at least 30% and preferably 40–50% of the oil for it to be medically useful. Another compound, cineole, should make up less than 15% and preferably 2.5% of the oil. The oil kills fungus and bacteria, including those resistant to some antibiotics.^{1 2} For common acne, a double-blind trial compared the topical use of 5% tea tree oil to 5% benzoyl peroxide.³ Although the tea tree oil was slower and less potent in its action, it had far fewer side effects and was thus considered more effective overall.

A double-blind trial found that a 10% tea tree oil cream was as effective as anti-fungal medicine at improving symptoms associated with athlete’s foot, though it was not more effective than a placebo for eliminating the fungal infection.⁴ A double-blind trial found 100% tea tree oil applied topically was as effective as the anti-fungal medicine clotrimazole (Lotrimin®, Mycelex®) for people with fungus affecting the toe nails, a condition known as onychomycosis.⁵ In another double-blind trial with toenail fungus sufferers, a combination of 5% tea tree oil and 2% butenafine (Mentax®), a synthetic anti-fungal drug, in a cream proved more effective than an unspecified concentration of tea tree oil in cream alone.⁶ The results are not entirely surprising, as the tea tree product alone was probably not at a sufficiently high enough concentration to be effective.

A preliminary trial found that rinsing the mouth with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) tea tree oil solution four times daily effectively treated thrush (oral yeast infections) in AIDS patients.⁷ Solutions containing no more than 5% should be used orally and should never be swallowed.

A concern for hospital staff and patients is the spread of the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus—sometimes referred to as a “staph infection.” One small clinical trial found that use of a 4% tea tree oil nasal ointment as well as a 5% tea tree oil body wash was slightly more effective than standard drugs used to prevent the spread of the bacteria.⁸

How much is usually taken?

Oil at a strength of 70–100% should be applied moderately at least twice per day to the affected areas of skin or nail.⁹ For topical treatment of acne, the oil is used at a dilution of 5–15%. Concentrations as strong as 40% may be used—with extreme caution and qualified advice—as vaginal douches. For thrush in immune-compromised adults, tea tree oil diluted to 5% or less is used in the amount of 1 tablespoon (15 ml) four times daily (as a mouth rinse). Tea tree oil should never be swallowed.

Are there any side effects or interactions?

While tea tree oil can be applied to minor cuts and scrapes, use caution for more extensive areas of broken skin or areas affected by rashes not due to fungus. The oil may burn if it gets into the eyes, nose, mouth, or other tender areas. Some people have allergic reactions, including rashes and itching, when applying tea tree oil.¹⁰ For this reason, only a small amount should be applied when first using it. Tea tree oil should never be swallowed, as it may cause nerve damage and other problems.

At the time of writing, there were no well-known drug interactions with tea tree.

PEPPERMINT (bạc hà cay)

EUCALYPTUS (khuynh diệp, bạch đàn)

BERGAMOT

Cultivation

Bergamot is a perennial that grows best in soil that stays damp in the summer, however it dislikes damp winters. The plant is not suitable for chalky soils. It prefers sun but is adaptable to shade as long as the soil remains damp. The plant will benefit from the addition of bone meal. Bergamot makes a nice container plant.

Cuttings of new growth can be taken in the spring, and they quickly root and establish themselves. Clumps of the plant form a mat-like growth and become bare in the center if not divided every three or four years. When lifting the plant, discard old growth and woody stems. Lemon bergamot can be started from seed indoors and set out in late spring.

Culinary Uses

·         Use fresh young leaves sparingly in salads, fruit salads and fruit drinks.

·         Five or six large fresh leaves or 1 teaspoon dried leaves in 8 ounces boiling water make a refreshing and relaxing tea.

·         Improves the flavor of pork dishes.

Other Uses

·         Use the leaves to make a facial steam.

·         The leaves and flowers add color and flavor to potpourri.

·         Lemon bergamot is a long-lasting cut flower.

GERANIUM (phong lữ)

Geranium

Geranium pratense

Geranium robertianum

JOJOBA