Back to the light and fluffy blog day, these are the kind of flowers we need on Mother’s Day!

To continue on with my few short segments on the strange things I have found growing in my garden…..  Hopefully you’ll find a few surprises amongst them and learn a little too!  Thanks go (yet again) to the guru who has planted many strange things over the years and found, by trial and error, which are the “fittest” for our climate and soil!

Today it’s the one I’ve been most curious about….. what is its purpose?  The Guru is definitely thinking past its beauty as I have seen it pop up in our past blogs, but never as the lead role.  Well now it’s her time to shine – introducing The Lion’s Ear or Klip Dagga (Leonotis nepetifolia)…… But watch out for the elephant in the room ;).

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Exhibit A: Chilacayote (Cucurbita ficifolia) – See Previous Posts

Exhibit B: Bergamot (Monarda Citriodora) – See Previous Posts

Exhibit C: St Mary’s Thistle (Silybum marianum)

Exhibit D: The Slipper Gourd (Cyclanthera pedata)

Exhibit E: The Lion’s Ear or Klip Dagga (Leonotis nepetifolia)

NAMES: Just like every plant we have met (and likely all those useful ones still to come), the Klip Dagga has numerous names applied to its genus and often used many times across the species within that genus due to the common features of its distinct flowering.   Depending on who you believe Leonotis nepetifolia can be known as the Lion’s Ear or Klip Dagga as a general consensus (although many also claim that just Leonotis means Lion’s ear…..), but also “bald head, bird honey, Christmas candlestick, Johnny Collins” (Reference) “Annual lion’s ear, …. grantiparani, flor de mundo, mota, …. shandilay, bradi-bita” (Reference) and the list goes on.  Lion’s Tail and Wild Dagga is the name generally reserved for its highly similar cousin Leonotis leonurus – so in looks and name they are easily confused.  However there are subtle variation in leaf structure which will differentiate the species, so we’ll endeavour to identify the differences and ensure I’m leading us up the correct garden path so to speak.

For me though, no name is as cool as Klip Dagga and with that stuck in my mind plus the vivid image of the flowers (plus our below discussion of the leaves), mis-identification is now unlikely. 

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION: Starting at the top – as with the gorgous Bergamot (Exhibit B Above) we met in an earlier discussion, the Klip Dagga is from the Lamiales Order of the Asterid subclass of Dicotyledonous flowering plants.  Head back to that discussion if you wish to know more details…

The Lamiales includes about 20 families which include such well-known and/or economically important plants as lavender, lilac, olive, jasmine, snapdragon, sesame, psyllium, garden sage, and a number of table herbs such as mint, basil, and rosemary. (Reference)

Klip Dagga Family – Lamiaceae (“The mint family of flowering plants” within the Lamiales order)  contains the aromatic plants which make up most of the widely used herbs such as spearmint and peppermint (Mentha), bee balm / Bergamot (Monarda), basil (Ocimum), lemon balm (Melissa), rosemary (Rosmarinus), sage (Salvia), savory (Satureja), marjoram (Origanum majorana), oregano (Origanum vulgare), hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis), catnip (Nepeta cataria), thyme (Thymus), and lavender (Lavandula).  This group typically has flowers with petals fused into an upper lip and a lower lip. (Reference A, Reference B)  Remember our Bergamot with the multiple purple flowers up the stem, well the Klip Dagga has the same multiple flowered stem pattern also.

Klip Dagga Genus – the Leonotis Genus contains 9 accepted species (Leonotis decadonta; Leonotis goetzei; Leonotis grandis; Leonotis leonurus; Leonotis myricifolia; Leonotis myrothamnifolia; Leonotis nepetifolia; Leonotis ocymifolia; Leonotis pole-evansii  – Ref) the majority of whom are thought to have originated in Africa.  The genus is also known as Motherwort.

And this is where the elephant in the room has crashed to the ground (buckling the chair it was sitting on under its enormous weight), the whole party goes silent and turns to look.  Yes, members of this Genus are often used as a “legal substitute” for a plant not dissimilar in leafy looks to our friendly Slipper Gourd.  (Ref)  We’ll discuss this a little further when we get down to “uses”, but take care when cross checking my references as there are some entertaining (and some quite erudite!) conversations being had out there on the benefits and drawbacks of the different Genus members – believe me, what they don’t know about this genus, is not worth knowing – investigate at your own risk!

And so we arrive at the Species Leonotis nepetifolia (aka Klip Dagga).  This beauty is commonly discussed and confused with Leonotis Leonurus.  Such discussions generally focus around the superior “medicinal” properties of the latter and being “ripped off” by being delivered the former…. and so our particular elephant is picking himself up, dusting himself off and feeling a little less conspicuous.

And so we have a brief lesson in LEAF MORPHOLOGY!  “The most noticeable difference between the two is the leaf shape. L. nepetifolia leaves are cordate with serrated edges, except the top pair which are lanceolate with serrated edges” (Reference)  Clear as mud, eh?  Fear not, I found this gem of a diagram which we will forever refer such confusions to.  Note the cordate shape in the “Shape and Arrangement” Box (line 6, position 1, Cordate – heartish shaped) versus the lanceolate (line 4, position 2, Lanceolate – more oblong and pointy at both ends).

REFERENCE: “Leaf morphology” by derivative work: McSush (talk)Leaf_morphology_no_title.png: User: Debivort – Leaf_morphology_no_title.png. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons – http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leaf_morphology.svg#/media/File:Leaf_morphology.svg

Now we know what we’re looking for, let’s take a look at them closely….

Okay – what do we see?  They are more heart shaped than oblong – we’ve confirmed that we have ourselves a Klip Dagga (or 20).

In our experience of growing them is that they self seed beautifully in our climate here in Perth and grow throughout summer.  But we’ve also found that rather than being annual as often suggested, with our mild winters and the micro-climate of protection from frost set up in our yard, they can be coaxed into becoming perennials.

This photo is the garden bed where they grew last year, were harvested for seeds plus green manure, and then the bed was made ready for me to have a play at testing the viability of some of our stored seeds from years before….. luckily the Klip Dagga re-emerged from the seeds we had dropped while harvesting (which reminds me, as happens in the wild, sometimes the soil is the best seed harvesting location – plus you don’t have to guess when the right season is to plant!).  The Klip Dagga in the bed has performed many functions.  From a sturdy trellis for beans, peas and lab labs; to shelter for the tiny seedlings; to sacrificial plants for the ‘mitey’ spider mite battle field; to attracting even the blindest butterfly or small bird with their vivid colours.  All this with buckleys water…..  Sounds like a gem to me!

These photos show our “perennial” Klip Dagga who has become quite woody and is having to lean out from under the summer flourishing Pawpaw…. but that hasn’t stopped her producing 3 flowers on the one stalk.

It is this perennial nature within Perth that has been one of the key reasons (among many) for encouraging us to keep these lovelies flourishing in the garden.  By surviving across the winter, the plant provides a habitat for the predators (and pests) to remain in the garden across the colder months and restart the battle next summer, but with predators all ready to respond to the first pest population explosion.

Back to the topic of vivid colours – here we are in the lead up to Mother’s Day – did I show you the flowers?  She is dazzling.  Similar to their Bergamot distant relations, you get multiple beauties per stem.  I just love them, all throughout the phases of flowering….

 

SEED SAVING – With the Klip Dagga, we can all be experienced seed savers.  Option A – allow seeds to fall on ground and ignore.  Mulch area and wait.  Option B – wait for flowers to be at least 2/3 dried out and then snip off flower stalk.  Allow to dry in bucket or bag, then shake.  Take care as they can be a little spiky – a reason they have been declared a problem over in north east Australia (see below).  The seeds just fall right out.

 

IN SUMMARY – OUR USES – grows well, nice flowers, no watering, climbing structure for peas etc, protection for seedlings, mites over winter, butterflies and bird attracting ….

WHAT THE OTHERS SAY – Now I will try to be impartial, but from my readings, I have tiptoed past many discussion forums (approximately 60-70% of all google hits!) which cover the more chemically rather than visually euphoric nature of the Klip Dagga, and have tried to put all sides down faithfully.  From my readings and mainly due to my normal sources of information not including reference to the Klip Dagga for medicinal purposes, we have elected to love her for the uses we’ve outlined above of which there are many.  I’ve tried to summarise my “Motto’s” from the below information as an interpretation, but as always educate yourself before making any decisions.

^{(Wiki Reference)} “Leonotis nepetifolia …. the leaves are brewed as a tea for fever, coughs, womb prolapse and malaria.^“

QLD GOVT Weeds of Australia – Biosecurity edition –  “Widely naturalised in northern Australia (i.e. naturalised in northern and central Queensland, in the north-western parts of the Northern Territory, and in northern Western Australia). Also occasionally recorded from south-eastern Queensland and near Perth south-western Western Australia…..Lion’s tail (Leonotis nepetifolia) has been widely cultivated as a garden ornamental….Lion’s tail (Leonotis nepetifolia) is regarded as an environmental weed in the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia…. This species has the ability to form large colonies that displace native species, particularly along riverbanks and on floodplains in the wet-dry tropics regions of northern Australia. While already widespread, lion’s tail (Leonotis nepetifolia) has the potential to increase its distribution and abundance and become a more serious weed in these areas in the future. In Western Australia, where lion’s tail (Leonotis nepetifolia) is a more recent introduction, it is an occasional weed of disturbed sites and savannah vegetation near creeklines in the Kimberley region. It has also been recorded as a garden escape in Kings Park in Perth, and was ranked as a moderate priority environmental weed in the Environmental Weed Strategy of Western Australia….Lion’s tail (Leonotis nepetifolia) is also a problem species for cattle producers in northern Australia. It displaces more useful pasture species, particularly in over-grazed pastures, and reduces the productivity of infested areas. Dense infestations along riverbanks and on floodplains also reduce the accessibility of waterways to livestock, due to the spiky nature of the seed -heads….

This species is declared under legislation in the following states and territories:

• Northern Territory: B – growth and spread of this species to be controlled (throughout all of the Territory), and C – not to be introduced into the Territory.
• Western Australia: Unassessed – this species is declared in other states or territories and is prohibited until assessed via a weed risk assessment (throughout the entire state).”

MOTTO OF THE STORY – This is not a declared weed in WA, but  you need to garden responsibly! But don’t get me started on the importance (and lack of understanding) of “weeds”…. even introduced ones, however as with all things, understand its place in the system before you elect to interfere.

Medicinal Plant Supplier:  “The different alkaloids, flavonoids, diterpenoids, polyphenolics, iridoid glycosides and other constituents of Leonotis may be involved in the observed antinociceptive, antiinflammatory, and antidiabetic effects of the plant’s extract. However, results suggest that the aqueous leaf extract possesses antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and hypoglycemic properties, and thus lend pharmacological credence to the suggested folkloric uses of this herb in the management and/or control of painful, arthritic, and other inflammatory conditions, as well as for type-2 diabetes mellitus. It is also anti-asthmatic and has anti-diarrhea properties. In Trinidad’s traditional medicine, an infusion is used against fever, coughs, womb prolapsed and malaria. The group of plants, called Leonotis, are also called Motherwort; they posses some similar properties. Leonotis nepetifolia and leonurus are excellent heart tonics; they able to calm palpitations, tachycardia and irregular heartbeats. They are used for heart conditions associated with anxiety and tension.  These plants have an effect on the uterus; depending on the dose, they stimulate- or suppress the menstruation.”

MOTTO OF THE STORY – Consumption or application of this plant will likely have an effect on you….. good or bad is up to you and the research you elect to do. Take Care. I for one am less confident with the medicinal aspect of this beauty.

Plant Information Site: “Annual lion’s ear is a coarse textured, rather gangly plant and not well suited for formal or very tidy gardens. It is great, however in a butterfly garden or a naturalized shrub and perennial garden, especially behind shorter, bushier plants. Annual lion’s ear is tall and slender, and looks good behind salvias and butterfly bushes. The flowers are produced up high, above most of the other annuals and perennials. The hummingbirds really love this plant. They hover next to a flower or even perch right on a cluster and drink for 10 seconds or more at a time, longer than at most any other kind of flower. The hummers keep coming back to the pretty orange flowers all day long.”

MOTTO OF THE STORY – Wild life loves it.

The Atlas of Living Australia: They’ve spotted our little patch!  But blue dots on a map with a scale of red to yellow, does not fill me with confidence!

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So hopefully from all that, you know why I want a bunch of Klip Dagga flowers for Mother’s Day (which should be everyday by the way!), but I want them still on the plant and preferably with a bird, a predatory mite and a climbing purple king attached, please.

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RECAP TIME:

MITES:

Refer to previous blog –  Photos as of late April 2015, mostly old damage, but the scene is set, let’s wait and see which mite survives the winter better and dominates!

     

SLIPPER GOURDS UPDATE:

Beautifully tended wicking barrel slipper gourd placed out of the wind  – DEAD

Moderately well tended slipper gourd in ground, but still in “white green house” out of the wind – Has reached the roof via climbing up the bamboo and is now heading off across the underside of the roof.  LOOKING GOOD.

One planted, one self seeded out in windy area who were assumed to perish….dotted red lines indicate very fragile stalks heading up into olive trees…. subsequent pictures show vine reaching top of 4m tall olive. LOOKING GREAT.

     

Final intentional planting at base of Tagasaste, the slipper gourd has reached a height comparable with the neighbours second story roof! – LOOKING BRILLIANT!

Probably too late to tip prune and hence bush out my plants, hey, but that might have ruined the experiment. (WARNING: if you plan to bush-out your Slipper Gourd by tip pruning, then don’t turn your back, don’t look away and don’t BLINK – these suckers grow fast!).  I was just feeling chuffed with the greenery  and thinking I’d not count my chickens until I saw flowers and/or fruit…. when a friend mentioned yesterday that hers were fruiting …. oddly enough to see fruit you have to look for it!  When I had a good look around, there are a few little cuties now on the vine in the white/greenhouse and (with binoculars) I can see a few up high in the Tagasaste (perhaps tip pruning might have been a good idea after all!).  Should they mature in these chilly circumstances I’ll update you with photos.

BARREL UPDATE –

Sweet potatoes have gone in the top….

Sunflowers are coming out the side…..

And those perished wild tomatoes I just picked up of the ground and threw in back in January, here they come too…..

Next roll of the dice – Seeds are in.

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Still to come….

Exhibit F: The New Guinea Bean

Exhibit G: Wild Passionfruit

Exhibit H: African Cucumber

Wow, I’ve been eagerly awaiting the Klip Dagga, so I’m pleased now to have the full (ish) picture of its role in our garden, as well as its “uses” around the world…. I was also worried that this investigation would be a let down and that she would not live up to her name…. I should have known mother nature would not produce a simply “pretty” flower, she has out done herself with this one!

Up next in this crazy plant series will be the New Guinea Bean and its slightly ridiculous, massive, zucchini like gourd (which will be reminisceant of the Chilacayote, but no less fascinating in its own right!), but before then, we’re going to pack our bags and set off to our Permaculture Design site (plus a step back in time to the early naughties – 2003 to be exact – Dr Who would be impressed) as we explore the barren landscape of our design “canvas”.  This will be a sneak peak at what the Guru and I started with all those years ago!

See you on the other side of our next Permaculture Design Course!

Until then, enjoy.

SH

Back to the light and fluffy blog day, this time I come bearing fruit!

To continue on with my few short segments on the strange things I have found growing in my garden…..  Hopefully you’ll find a few surprises amongst them and learn a little too!  Thanks go (yet again) to the guru who has planted many strange things over the years and found, by trial and error, which are the “fittest” for our climate and soil!

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Exhibit A: Chilacayote (Cucurbita ficifolia) – See Previous Posts

Exhibit B: Bergamot (Monarda Citriodora) – See Previous Posts

Exhibit C: St Mary’s Thistle (Silybum marianum)

Exhibit D: The Slipper Gourd (Cyclanthera pedata)

Firstly I just have to show you this:

This handsome chap and his siblings will hold the limelight (from the salad bowl) for many dinner parties to come…. at least until we get around to making cocktails from the African Cucumber – a blog to look forward to!

Yes, with my sheltered up-bringing, I too had to ask if we had gone a step too far by growing something illegal, even for medicinal purposes (and doing so in our verge garden)!  But no under those disconcerting leaves was hanging this fabulous fruit which I’m keen to learn more about today.  Extra keen in fact because as I start my journey towards edible gardening, I pilfered some seeds from the Guru’s collection and started populating the pots in my make shift nursery.  As I walked him through the range of seeds I had planted, I saw a wry smile come across his face when I mentioned I was testing the viability of his old versus new Slipper Gourd seeds.  I’m guessing my timing of planting is well out, but we’ll find out together and I’ll keep you updated as to my success or lack there of.  Onto the facts:

NAMES: Like all plants it goes by several names including caigua (pronounced kai-wa), or achocha, caygua, caihua, cayua, achojcha, achokcha, achogcha (in Ecuador), lady’s slipper, sparrow gourd (Chinese: 小雀瓜; pinyin: xiǎoquè guā), pepino in Colombia, stuffing cucumber in English, korila in the Philippines, and olochoto and kichipoktho in Bhutan. In most searches you’ll find more information if you use caigua, but the term Slipper Gourd was the one it was introduced to me as and, being relatively accurate in its description, helps me to recognise it in the garden.  (Reference)

ORIGIN: “Domesticated in the Andes and traditionally distributed from Colombia to Bolivia, the caigua is now grown in many parts of Central America and also in parts of the Eastern Hemisphere tropics. For example, caiguas are very popular in northeastern India, Nepal and Bhutan.” (Reference)

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION:  Now I know how tiring these classifications are, but as I learnt in the Permaculture Design Course, diversity is the key to avoid competition in a garden – competition for sun light; for soil nutrients and minerals; for water; for growing space; for bees and other pollinators (including wind); for predators; etc.  So by understanding some new terms and looking at the families especially we can understand whose needs are similar (and so will compete) and whose are not.  Some call this companion planting – where someone has done the hard work for you and provided a small list of good buddies – while others call it guilding – where characteristics are companioned and then the specific plant can be selected from a range with those characteristics…. but I digress.

So for the Slipper Gourd (Cyclanthera pedata) we at looking at the Cucurbitales Order of the Rosid subclass which is one of the two dominant groups of  the Eudicots.  (Reference) The Astrids which we met in our investigations of the Bergamot (Monarda Citriodora), is the other dominant group.

(As mentioned in that blog – Dicotyledonous  (normally shorted to Dicots) refers to the group of plants which flower and whose seed has two embryonic leaves or cotyledons…. The Eudicot clade which contains most of the common food plants, trees and ornamentals within the Dicotyledonous . (Reference))

Slipper Gourd Order – Cucurbitales – “The order consists of roughly 2600 species in eight families…. The Cucurbitales comprise the families: Apodanthaceae, Anisophylleaceae, Begoniaceae, Coriariaceae, Corynocarpaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Tetramelaceae, and Datiscaceae….. The largest families are Begoniaceae (begonia family) with 1400 species and Cucurbitaceae (gourd family) with 825 species….  Some of the synapomorphies (shared characteristics) of the order are: leaves in spiral, secondary veins palmated, calyx or perianth valvate, elevated stomatal calyx/perianth with separate styles. The two whorls are similar in texture.” (Reference) (Remember our learning about whorls in the Bergamot (Monarda Citriodora) blog – a term used to describe the “attachment of sepals, petals, leaves, or branches at a single point”. (Reference))

Slipper Gourd Family – Cucurbitaceae – often called the gourd family, and contains “the most species used as human food” of any family. (Reference)  This family contains some big guns:

• “Cucurbita – squash, pumpkin, zucchini, some gourds
• Lagenaria – mostly inedible gourds
• Citrullus – watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)(Citrullus colocynthis) and others
• Cucumis – cucumber (Cucumis sativus), various melons
• Luffa – common name also luffa” (Reference)
• But also…Cyclanthera

Slipper Gourd Genus – Cyclanthera – contains our Cyclanthera pedata as well as other crazy specimens like Cyclanthera explodens ( otherwise known as the Exploding Cucumber, it “is a vigorous vine bearing strange, spiny green fruits that “explode” (actually burst open) when ripe, expelling their seeds several feet away” (Reference)).  (Interestingly enough new species appear to be being names all the time and the fact that they are described as being found in X location, makes me think it might be humans noting nature’s evolution rather then humans guiding

Interestingly, it features in Peruvian art dating back to around 100 AD…. (Reference)

Now to the good bit – Growing and Eating Slipper Gourd (Cyclanthera pedata)

 

Growing –  The official word…. “Cyclanthera pedata is a ANNUAL growing to 4.5 m (14ft 9in).
It is hardy to zone (UK) 10 and is frost tender….. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by Insects.…Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It prefers moist soil.…The fruit is about 6 – 15cm long and 6cm wide.” (Reference)  Some references mention vines growing to 40 feet. 

” Unlike a cucumber, the inside of the ripe fruit is hollow … with several black seeds attached to a placenta.” (References)

“They are heat tolerant (but need regular irrigation to prevent interrupted growth) as well as cold (but not frost) tolerant. A long growing season is required (90 – 110 days) for fruit production,” (Reference)

Our experience –  Whilst not keen on being exposed to Perth’s harsh summer sun, the plant survived until early January.  Plus without frost, we can plant them much earlier in the winter/spring and capitalise on early fruiting.  It has a natural resistance to pests and disease which saw it unaffected by the kale loving chompers and suckers.  And the hoverflies love the flowers, so with multiple Hoverfly attracting plants placed around the garden, pollination is covered and fruiting is enthusiastic.

Its also become obvious to me that, even when planted in the wrong season, with a little love, they germinate, grow and transplant easily (a novice has managed it!).  We’ll see in this next hot spell how they fair in the ground.  Due to their climbing nature, its advisable to plant them under a tree (that is happy for climbing) or with a support structure available, if you wish to see a rambling vine with fruit.  If you choose a tree, then there should be (by definition) a degree of protection from that harsh sun.

As you’ll see from the below string of photos I successfully planted one seed in the ground (there were a couple more planted in the ground, but I suspect they came off second best in an “impromptu free-range chook episode”!) and four in pots.  This was supposed to be a test of the viability of two different ages of seeds, but its turned out to be a test of their quest for life too. They forgave periods of dry and over wetting at the hands of their beginner gardener and still have progressed nicely.

The starting point – The fruit and its seeds.

(The first photo and any others that are not referenced are ours, the second and any below I have referenced I’ve gratefully borrowed to help us get the full picture):

(Reference)

 

And here’s a friend caught in the act of laying her eggs and, whilst we’ll meet her in a future blog, I can assure you that her larvae which live in moist soil had no adverse effects.  All four seeds planted (2 of the 2013 and 2 of the 2014 generations) came up and are thriving.

 

 

 

 

The Cotyledons (seed leaves) of the dicotyledonic Slipper Gourd – these will eventually shrivel and fall off:

(Don’t worry about the brown/yellow sticks you can see coming out of the pot – they were my failed first attempt at doing Pepino propogation…..I am noting this as some feedback was from folks wanting to see my failures too!  There have been a lot of these failures let me assure you, but I’m keen to only talk about failures once I have figured out why it went wrong as, apart from solidarity (brother), it’s not going to help anyone hearing how many times I have tripped over hurdles in the last 6 months!

I was told it was easy to propogate Pepinos, but I think there was far too much love involved.  Lots of water makes them rot it turns out.  I’m onto my second attempt, where the “green sticks” (lengths of branch cut to about 10cm lengths are just stuck in a pot) are allowed the same amount of water as the more established plants – 2x per week unless we have a stinker – is going far better.  I’ve got 5 out of 7 to take instead of 1 out of 7 the first round. Interestingly, it was the end 10cm of the branch (i.e. with the new shoots), not the thicker older branch sections, that survived the first planting episode.  So if you’re a beginner, make sure you’ve got one of these sections to improve your chances – they are far more forgiving.  Back to the topic at hand…)

An out of focus (sorry) – close up of the first true leaves of the plant:

After a while once there were a few true leaves out, the stem began to lean and the plants started sending out tendrils which wrapped into the shade cloth of their seedling enclosure.  It was obviously time to replant before they became permanently intrenched.  Various locations were chosen to see how they would go.

One has been set the task of trying to climb the bamboo which is within the larger seedling area and planted directly into the ground.  This section is under fruit fly netting to protect it from the extremes of the sun and to minimise (its not fully enclosed) the flying creatures whose larva and caterpillars are the worst nibblers.  He’s made a strong start.

 

This second one (below left), has been assigned to the role of facing the elements – wind mainly!  Its job is to climb a seedling pecan.  Again, this one has been planted directly into the soil.  There is a large box gum way over head which prevents it getting too much sun, but slightly more than our friend above.  Unfortunately this is a pretty windy spot at the moment as a bit of “chop and drop” mulching has occurred.  Its tendrils had better be up to it, or we might find out what happens when there is no successful climbing achieved!  So far he’s wrapped a tendril around and held the tree for a couple of days, but then he lost grip and is feebly grabbing at a hapless plant growing past.

The Third and Fourth (above right) have been planted in a wicking barrel.  They are again under the fruit fly netting, but have been given the task of climbing up an old birdcage (which is currently my seedling shelving) and providing shade plus encouragement to future tormented flora souls.  I chose not to separate these two as they are two generations of seeds and I am interested in understanding how they’ll differ when planted in a similar location.  (And I was scared I would damage them too much!) They share the barrel with the remains of what was a forest of Ice-cream Bean seedlings.  Most are in earth pots now, but I have left some in the center, again to see how they go in pots.  Now these can become massive trees (and even those who were a 5cm high already had roots down into the wicking barrel reservoir!) so there may be a degree of “bonzai -ing”.

Finally we have our brave soul who started his life in the garden bed.  With Olive Trees plus the Gum overhead he will be protected in the heat of the day and with an opening in the canopy to the east he will thrive on the morning sun.  Wind is possibly an issue, but with his wire climbing frame and stabilising bamboo rods, he has heaps to hold onto.

Finally a little detailed look at the older leaves, new leaves and tendrils (just because I always like the photo montage!):

I have had to borrow a few photos of the other parts of the lifecycle:

(Reference)

(Reference)

 

Whilst I hate to redirect you to an alternate blogger, there are some terrific photos of the developing fruit on this Link, and the fact she too noted the illegal species similarity, means she’s a kindred spirit as well as an entertaining, informative read.

 

 

Finally I have put in the full grown plant from late last year to demonstrate the mature and fruiting plant:

Recently we’ve discovered that in the hotter months, keeping the vines lower and protected from the hot winds as much as possible gives them a better chance of surviving Perth’s nasty season.  If not, then they will require frequent watering to recover from those extreme easterlies.  So I guess it all comes back to what you’re planting them for and when.

We’ve planted them mid winter, but ensured that we put them in a sunny place within our “winter garden” – faces north, limited winter shade, aka the sun trap. Here they can be trellised (initially it was to the detriment of another plant which became an impromptu trellis as we underestimated its growing power when we went on holiday!) and grow as per the photos you see – up and airy.

I’ve now started my seedlings (mid summer – not too smart!) and planted them in our “summer garden”. The back yard has a huge gum to protect it during the heat of the day and (to summarise the above) I have planted 2 out of wind and under probably 50% shade all day and 2 in the wind.  Of the two in the wind, one is strongly trellising up, the other seems to be tracking across the easier-to-hold grown covers.  I’ll let you know how we go in a future blog.

Perhaps, in our climate and with a little attention to our garden’s micro-climates, we can have these gorgeous fruits all year round?!

Eating – “Young fruits are eaten raw or cooked and have a similar taste to cucumbers though they are not crisp. Older fruits are cooked, they can be stuffed in much the same way as marrows. Leaves and tender young shoots – cooked and used as greens.” (Reference)  

Our experience – The tender young shoots never get cooked.  They are pruned by continuously by grazing humans of all ages and consumed on the spot.  They’re crisp and cucumbery.  The great thing is that the plant loves tip pruning (assuming the plant is well established!) and will send out multiple shoots from the pruning point…. more tips for us!  We use the fruit chopped into lengths like capsicum within our salads for that cucumber flavour and there is not need to worry about removing spikes as these are soft and fleshy – not the bougainvillea kind!

Other –  Medicinally, it is reported that “a tea made from the seeds is used in the treatment of high blood pressure.”  1 gram doses (!) of the seeds are also used to “treat intestinal parasites once dried and crushed, whilst many parts of the plant are recommended for general gastrointestinal tract disorders.  The leaves are “considered hypoglycemic and prepared in a decoction for diabetes.  The fruits are boiled in milk and gargled for tonsilitis.  The fruit juice is also recommended for high cholesterol, hypertension, tonsilitis, arteriosclerosis, circulatory problems, diabetes and as a diuretic.  The fruit and/or leaves are boiled in olive oil and used externally as a topical anti-inflammatory and analgesic.  The roots are used to clean the teeth” (Reference1; References2)  

In short, it seems to have pretty strong properties – be that good or bad.  We’ve only eaten the fruit, shoots and leaves in their “native form” for taste and diet variety.  As usual I have not had the time to investigate all these claims, so please make sure you do your research before consuming any concentrated products – there are references to research within the links …. BUT 1 gram of seed to kill intestinal parasites suggests to me treading very carefully is required.

Interestingly this slipper gourd had its seeds also planted in Pemberton and grew beautifully down there too, although some did so without the fleshy spikes!?!? Curious – it seems because they are still a “wild” (undomesticated) fruit, that there can be significant genetic diversity.  (Photo Reference)

So if you’re worried about (or very keen to have) the spiky chaps, then perhaps look at planting a few seeds in each of a variety of locations and increase your odds either way in the game of Cucurbit Roulette.

 

 

 

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Just because I love the fauna too, I’d like to introduce you to our latest pet…. the Golden Orb weaver.

 

She  “gets her name from the beautiful golden, orb-shaped web that she makes. This web is the largest and strongest in the world.  The tiny males live on the edge of her web feeding on small insects. They are so small that they can sneak in for a quickie without the female noticing. But if they are caught they may get eaten.” (Reference)  One little boy spotted, see below….Good Luck!

Luckily, whilst she has set up camp with her web straddling one of our main paths, she’s well above head height.  In fact she is just above the location of our Mite Experiment – just think what might have happened to her if we had chosen a more chemical approach.

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Exhibit E: The Lion’s Tail or Lion’s Ear or Klip Dagga

Exhibit F: The New Guinea Bean

Exhibit G: Wild Passionfruit

Exhibit H: African Cucumber

Apologies for the change in order, if you’d been eagerly awaiting the Klip Dagga (like me!), however when someone requests information about any one of these crazy plants, who am I to make them wait. (Well, wait too long! Thanks heaps for your interest, Kim, hope you’ve got the answers you need.)

Klip Dagga will be the next crazy plant we learn about, but for now, we’d better get back to our poor Permaculture Design client who has been left part way through their interview and might like a design delivered before next Christmas!

Until then, enjoy.

SH

Not quite another light and fluffy blog today… this one grew arms, legs and an attitude.  I surprised myself as to how passionate I felt about this discussion, but hopefully I’ve delivered a moderately balanced view. Endings can’t always happy – BUT perhaps this is not the end….

To continue on with my few short segments on the strange things I have found growing in my garden (in this case a memory of a few years back)…..  Hopefully you’ll find a few surprises amongst them and learn a little too!  Thanks go (yet again) to the guru who has planted many strange things over the years and found, by trial and error, which are the “fittest” for our climate and soil!

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Exhibit A: Chilacayote (Cucurbita ficifolia) – See Previous Posts

Exhibit B: Bergamot (Monarda Citriodora) – See Previous Posts

Exhibit C: St Mary’s Thistle (Silybum marianum)

Wikipedia lists this gal’s common names as: cardus marianus, milk thistle, blessed milk thistle, Marian Thistle, Mary Thistle, Mediterranean milk thistle, variegated thistle and Scotch thistle as well as St Mary’s Thistle. (Picture Reference)

Similar to the Bergamot (Monarda Citriodora), the St Mary’s Thistle is a Dicotyledonous  (normally shorted to Dicots) which, as you will recall, refers to the group of plants which flower and whose seed has two embryonic leaves.

St Mary’s Thistle belongs to the Asteraceae Family of the Asterales Order within the Asterid Clade.  Members of the Asteraceae or Compositae (commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family) are mainly herbaceous, but some are shrubs, vines, or trees. The family is found worldwide distribution, but most often in arid and semi-arid regions of subtropical and lower temperate latitudes.  (Reference)

Most of the members of the Cynareae tribe within the Asteraceae family are known as thistles.  The Silybum genus within this tribe is comprised of just two species:

1. Silybum eburneum (or Silver Milk Thistle, Elephant Thistle, or Ivory Thistle) is native to Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Spain and prefers a sunny situation on moderately moist soil. Saying that, they can also tolerate temperatures down to -18°C. It has simple leaves that are alternate, denticulate (curated edge) and petiolate (attached to the plant by a stalk).  The plant produces solitary light-purple many-stellate flower. (Reference)
2. Silybum marianum….. we’ve reached our topic for this week.
   

The two species hybridize naturally (produce a third different offspring from the combined gene pool of the two plants species), with the hybrid being known as Silybum × gonzaloi. (Reference)

St Mary’s Thistle is an annual or biennial that grows to 1.5-3.0 m tall (depending on who you believe!).  Unlike most crazy plants, this one’s visual beauty (Beauty No.1) lies in its leaves and leaf arrangement.  The large prickly-edged leaves covered with white veining, and stems containing a milky juice.  The thistle has a brilliant purple flower heads surrounded by sharp spines and grown at the end of long flower stalks – and, yes, its pretty striking too!

This was our lovely specimen from 2010/11 (okay, I’ve cheated, crazy plants photographed in my garden a few years back!):

Just look at those incredible patterns in every feature of the leaf and flower!  It’s like Fibonacci just slapped us across the face…..And look at the amount of edge the plant has managed to create! (Permaculture Principles – 1. Observe and Interact, 11. Use Edges; Value the Margin)

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Growing St Mary’s Thistle  – Beauty No.2 is the ease with which this plant grows…and I quote:

“Area of Adaptation – Milk thistle is native to western and central Europe and northern India, but has become naturalized by escaping from cultivation in southern Europe, Africa, India, China, Australia, South America, and in many parts of North America…Milk thistle is very drought tolerant and prefers dry well-drained soil in full sun. It is found along roadsides, in fields and waste places….

Weed Control – Milk thistle is often called a weed itself, and is a very good competitor. Hoeing and/or hand weeding in the early stages is the only requirement. (Note: Since seeds are wind dispersed, they may become a “weed problem” …. One solution is to cover each flower head with a mesh bag before the seeds mature. )

Insects and Disease – Milk thistle is not bothered by many pests, and no diseases have been noted. (I’d like to add here that although many look at the insects as a negative…. the hover flies particularly love it as does anyone belonging to the Animalia Kingdom (me, bees, butterflies, etc) that loves a good lookin’ flower! It also provides a ripper habitat and broad soil protection for insect life above and below ground.  In some references there are comments about snails and slugs, but it appears limited damage can be caused and only on young plants.)

Irrigation – Milk thistle is very drought resistant and should not require irrigation unless severe conditions arise.” (Reference – except for my commentary!)

Looks pretty good for our climate (and under my management)!  In fact if you look at the FloraBase website run by the West Australian Government (DPAW) you’ll get a feel for the conditions in which it thrives as well as some nice photos of less loved species and what the “fluffy pappus” looks like that we’ll learn about soon….

 

 

The Plants for a Future Website comments that it is “Suitable for light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils.  It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.” (Reference) So a broad range of soils, just avoid shade and salt spray – Check!

It can be in flower any time from late Spring, through Summer and into the start of Autumn depending on when the plant was germinated.  The seeds tend to ripen through to late Winter. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs – i.e. you don’t need two plants) and their pollination is dominated by Bees.

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Why Grow St Mary’s Thistle  – Beauty No.3 is apparent when you look at the historical and current uses and research associated with the plant….however it comes with a “BUT”.

Whilst the plant has many functions and uses, the

seeds hold the medicinal properties and hence drive commercial growing. “The fruit is small, hard, shiny, and grey to black (an achene) with a silvery pappus or fluff.” (Reference)

WORD of the DAY: ACHENE – An achene is a type of simple dry fruit from plants typically of the Asteraceae family, but not always.  Achenes contain a single seed that nearly fills the pericarp, but does not adhere to it.  I.e. A single seed which rattles around within a shell – think of the sunflower seed, the stripey part is the Achene and inside is the single unattached (except for one thread – like umbilical cord) seed: (Reference)

So I’ve been calling the wrong bit seeds all these years…. other Achenes are the “seeds” on strawberries, buckwheat, dandelions….

Back to topic….How are the “seeds” (a term used often synonymously with achene!) processed:

“Seed extracts are produced commercially in Europe[222].” (Reference)

“Seeds are ready for harvesting the first year… Heads should have finished flowering, and be cut with less than one inch of stem…..Mature seeds, which have the highest level of silymarin (the achene contains 1.5-3% silymarin), are found in seed heads showing abundant silvery white fluff (pappus)….The fluffy pappus must be removed from the “seed” (achenes). The “seed” is usually dried, powdered and made into a tincture using ethyl alcohol.  It is best to use 95% alcohol to extract the seed. Most of the silymarin is concentrated in the protein layer of the seed husk (pericarp). The tincture should be bright yellow, indicating the presence of the resinous fraction which contains the silymarin.”  (Reference)

(Reference)

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There are many different opinions about the validity of claims that the St Mary’s Thistle’s silymarin has medicinal properties.  I’ll cover the known issues first and then I’ll go through what is thought to be the benefits.  When trying to find information on benefits and issues, it was interesting to see the two sides of the coin…. one angle was crop development, the diametrically opposite being weed removal – same plant! I think I have captured enough to give you a flavour and perhaps a little food for thought.  I leave it to you to hunt through the literature and decide for yourself. Let the debate begin…..

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ISSUES –

“Milk thistle can produce allergic reactions, which tend to be more common among people who are allergic to plants in the same family (for example, ragweed, chrysanthemum, marigold, and daisy).  (It may also)… lower blood sugar levels. People with diabetes or hypoglycemia, or people taking drugs or supplements that affect blood sugar levels, should use caution.” (Reference)

“Because of potassium nitrate content, the plant has been found to be toxic to cattle and sheep. When potassium nitrate is eaten by ruminants, the bacteria in an animal’s stomach break the chemical down, producing a nitrite ion. Nitrite ion then combines with hemoglobin to produce methaemoglobin, blocking the transport of oxygen. The result is a form of oxygen deprivation.” (Reference)

“When grown on nitrogen rich soils, especially those that have been fed with chemical fertilizers, this plant can concentrate nitrates in the leaves. Nitrates are implicated in stomach cancers. Diabetics should monitor blood glucose when using. Avoid if decompensated liver cirrhosis. Possible headaches, nausea, irritability and minor gastrointestinal upset [301].” (Reference)

“Very high dosage can cause loose stools because of increased bile flow. For those who have a sensitive digestive tract, begin with one capsule and gradually increase the dosage. If you experience loose stools or diarrhea, then reduce the dosage.” (Reference)

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BENEFITS – Apologies for the repetition within this section, but I like to include the facts verbatim as I was obviously not at the clinical trials, nor did I do endless research to list the well grounded statements.  These people have done this to greater and lesser degrees and, as I say, it’s up to you to decide for yourself. Here are some opinions and references to follow.

“Blessed thistle has a long history of use in the West as a remedy for depression and liver problems[254]. Recent research has confirmed that it has a remarkable ability to protect the liver from damage resulting from alcoholic and other types of poisoning[254]. The whole plant is astringent, bitter, cholagogue, diaphoretic, diuretic, emetic, emmenagogue, hepatic, stimulant, stomachic and tonic[4, 21, 160, 165, 238]. It is used internally in the treatment of liver and gall bladder diseases, jaundice, cirrhosis, hepatitis and poisoning[238]…. Silymarin, an extract from the seed, acts on the membranes of the liver cells preventing the entry of virus toxins and other toxic compounds and thus preventing damage to the cells[244]. It also dramatically improves liver regeneration in hepatitis, cirrhosis, mushroom poisoning and other diseases of the liver[222, 238, 254]. German research suggests that silybin (a flavonoid component of the seed) is clinically useful in the treatment of severe poisoning by Amanita mushrooms[222]…. Regeneration of the liver is particularly important in the treatment of cancer since this disease is always characterized by a severely compromised and often partially destroyed liver[K].  The German Commission E Monographs, a therapeutic guide to herbal medicine, approve Silybum marianum Milk Thistle for dyspeptic complaints, liver and gallbladder complaints (see [302] for critics of commission E).” (Reference)

(Picture Reference)

“Milk thistle is proven to be effective in the treatment of hepatitis, cirrhosis (e.g. due to excessive consumption of alcohol) and jaundice, and in protecting liver cells against toxins such as mushroom poisons from the death cup fungus (Amanita phalloides), chlorinated industrial solvents, and acetaminophen or certain other drugs’ overdose or prolonged treatment. ” (Reference)

“Since silymarin is nearly insoluble in water, aqueous extracts or teas are ineffective for liver treatment.” (Reference)

“Today, its primary …uses include liver disorders such as cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis, and gallbladder disorders. Other … uses include lowering cholesterol levels, reducing insulin resistance in people who have both type 2 diabetes and cirrhosis, and reducing the growth of breast, cervical, and prostate cancer cells….Previous laboratory studies suggested that milk thistle may benefit the liver by protecting and promoting the growth of liver cells, fighting oxidation (a chemical process that can damage cells), and inhibiting inflammation. However, results from small clinical trials of milk thistle for liver diseases have been mixed, and two rigorously designed studies found no benefit.” (Reference)

Silymarin cream has been through clinical trials (via the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry) and was found to be a “safe new candidate effective treatment for melasma” (Reference).

It is interesting to note that back in 1997 Health Canada had registered several St Mary’s Thistle products and that the U.S. Pharmacopeia was reviewing its inclusion.  Further research reveals that Silymarin in the form of Milk Thistle Capsules is within the USP NF. (The United States Pharmacopeia and The National Formulary (USP–NF) is a book of public pharmacopeial standards. Reference 1, Reference 2)

You can buy it in Australia in many locations with sales statements like: “Apparently….helps create new, healthy liver cells without encouraging the growth of any malignant liver tissue that may be present. Silymarin, is also an antioxidant, protecting liver cells from damage by free radicals. This active ingredient can be used by healthy people who can expect to have their liver ready and able to detoxify damaging substances much easier.  Milk thistle also is believed to ease outbreaks of psoriasis.” (Reference) Please note that I’m not endorsing any products, but commenting on its general availability locally.

Other uses:

“De-spined leaves were used in salads, while stalks, roots and flowers were cooked. Seeds were used as coffee substitute. It has been used as a medicine for over 2,000 years as milk stimulant, for liver, kidney and spleen problems, for jaundice, gall stones, and menstrual pain.” (Reference)

“Root – raw or cooked[1, 2, 4, 52, 183].  A mild flavour and somewhat mucilaginous texture[K]. When boiled, the roots resemble salsify (Tragopogon hispanicus)[1, 4, 115].

Leaves – raw or cooked[1, 4, 5, 52, 89, 115]. The very sharp leaf-spines must be removed first[46, 183], which is quite a fiddly operation[K]. The leaves are quite thick and have a mild flavour when young, at this time they are quite an acceptable ingredient of mixed salads, though they can become bitter in hot dry weather[K]. When cooked they make an acceptable spinach substitute[238]. It is possible to have leaves available all year round from successional sowings[K].

Flower buds – cooked[1, 238]. A globe artichoke substitute[12, 183], they are used before the flowers open. The flavour is mild and acceptable, but the buds are quite small and even more fiddly to use than globe artichokes[K].

Stems – raw or cooked[4, 100]. They are best peeled and can be soaked to reduce the bitterness[5, 183]. Palatable and nutritious[4, 115], they can be used like asparagus or rhubarb[12] or added to salads. They are best used in spring when they are young[105].

A good quality oil is obtained from the seeds[4]. The roasted seed is a coffee substitute[21, 46, 61, 183]…..

A good green manure plant, producing a lot of bulk for incorporation into the soil[K].” (Reference)

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And to throw the argument upside down….Here is the BIG BUT…..In WA it is a declared weed.  Once we confirmed its botanical name through leaf and flower identification, we cut off and destroyed the flower and have elected to not grow it again… a very sad day. The description is: “When established it competes with more useful pasture plants for light, moisture and nutrients. Under certain conditions, variegated thistle is poisonous. It can kill cattle and, occasionally, sheep, especially when hungry animals consume large quantities in the absence of alternative feed. It becomes more palatable to stock – and more toxic – when it has wilted after cutting. It has numerous spines which may cause injury to animals, including domestic dogs. Variegated thistle is also an important contaminant of wool and the plant provides excellent cover for rabbits.” (Reference)

I’ll say no more…..well except that perhaps removing St Mary’s Thistle should not be the first thing you do if your animals are left hungry enough to consume large quantities of it! Who am I kidding, of course I need to say more, but I’ll do my best to keep it balanced and contemplative.

Other plants that create the same problem are outlined here: “Nitrate in sorghums and other grasses – “Sorghum and other grasses – including oats (Avena sativa), ryegrass (Lolium spp.), maize (Zea mays), button grass (Dactyloctenium radulans) and liverseed grass (Urochloa panicoides) – can accumulate toxic amounts of nitrate. This is more likely when growing in nitrogen-rich soils (e.g. cattle camps, fertilised pastures) and when the plants wilt or the weather is overcast.  Other non-grass plant species which tend to be associated with cases of nitrate poisoning in livestock include pigweed (Portulaca spp.), mintweed (Salvia spp.), capeweed (Arctotheca calendula) and variegated thistle (Silybum marianum).” (Reference)

I guess this introduces a very brief statement about the required thought process and research which needs to be conducted when bringing a plant into a new area.  There is a fine line between farming and neighbouring farm infestations which we have touched upon with respect to the prevention of seeds being distributed by the wind.  Either knowingly or just thoughtlessly, the plant has been introduced to WA.  With all the positives outlined above related to ease of growth and I guess the very prickly nature of the plant (which I mentioned, but glossed over as, unlike hair prickles, you get a visual warning!), it is obvious how dangerous it might be in the Australian summer.  In an urban setting, cutting off the flower prior to the seeds maturing would mitigate the unintended spread of the plant – i.e. utilising international farming techniques (they bag the heads) to ensure responsible urban gardening.  It is also noted that high nitrate soils typically produced by chemical fertilisers increase the toxicity and effect of eating the leaves on our “hungry livestock” – bringing us back to how we treat our soil and how our soil treats us…    But that is another story and a much broader cause of problems.

In the not too distant future, we’ll do a general weed discussion which will cover some of the above in a general sense.  The idea being to look at identifying weeds, what the role of weeds play in nature, what our weeds are trying to tell us, what use we can make of our weeds and what happens in the tragic circumstance that you run out of weeds for your salad!

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Before we conclude our discussion of this glamorous controversial gal, it needs to be mentioned that the determination of the botanical name for any plant you are studying needs to be established beyond doubt prior to assuming its edible, medicinal or ecosystem supporting properties.  This particular plant revealed to me how common names, especially within the thistle family, can differ between countries, states and even local resources. It’s easy to get confused between the blessed milk thistle and the blessed thistle (and it is obvious that many have!).  Whilst not at the opposite end of the medicinal spectrum in this case, the information was not right….  Do this with an alternate plant and you might find yourself an a lot worse a condition.  Hence my changing this post to be St Mary’s Thistle as that appears a common, but less confusable name for the Silybum marianum.

The best way to find what you need is to use one resource to identify one aspect of the plant and hence obtain potential botanical names.  In my case, I looked at the flower.  There are several examples of very similar flowers (Western Weeds – Hussey, B.M.J; Keighery, G.J.; Dodd, J; Lloyd, S.G. and Cousens, R.D.) but when checking the botanical names through internet sources it was evident that the leaves were not the same. So I then looked for the leaves and work back to the flowers from the botanical names identified.  Its great if you can also confirm the plant with the seeds, but it depends to what level of detail you need to go.

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And so, the stunning looking and stunningly controversial St Mary’s Thistle qualifies for the Crazy Plant Section of this blog….. but wait til you see the next feature in this series! More flowers and more controversy to come….

The last month has been eventful – we’ve had the Soil Hugger’s inaugural public appearance, acceptance into regenerative agriculture research (things are gonna get technical!) and almost two full weeks of 2015 event planning….. I’ll up date the events page of this blog as activities solidify, but needless to say there’s heaps to do in the Year of the Soil  – too many worth attending both as an eager listener as well as those I hope to assist in the presentation of.

Remember, if there is an edible plant, soil, Permaculture or a related topic you’re curious about (or I have promised and not delivered on!), put in a request and we can add it to the blogging list.  There is so much to explore!

Still to come in this particular series….

Exhibit D: The Lion’s Tail or Lion’s Ear or Klip Dagger

Exhibit E: The New Guinea Bean

Exhibit F: Wild Passionfruit

Exhibit G: Slipper Gourd

Exhibit H: African Cucumber

Until then, enjoy.

SH

Another light and fluffy blog day to wish you all a super and safe 2015! I promised you flowers!

To continue on with my few short segments on the strange things I have found growing in my garden…..  Hopefully you’ll find a few surprises amongst them and learn a little too!  Thanks go (yet again) to the guru who has planted many strange things over the years and found, by trial and error, which are the “fittest” for our climate and soil!

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Exhibit A: Chilacayote (Cucurbita ficifolia) – See Previous Post

Exhibit B: Bergamot (Monarda Citriodora)

Bergamot, native to the southern states of the USA and Mexico, are within the Lamiales Order of the Asterid subclass of Dicotyledonous flowering plants.

For those of us non-Latin speakers, who want to learn a little more…. Dicotyledonous  (normally shorted to Dicots) refers to the group of plants which flower and whose seed has two embryonic leaves or cotyledons. The Bergamot belongs to the Asterid clade (Clade being a subset with only one known ancestor) which in turn is a subdivision of the Eudicot clade which contains most of the common food plants, trees and ornamentals within the Dicotyledonous . (Reference)

Bergamot Order – Lamiales (within the Astrid clade) includes about 20 families which include such well-known and/or economically important plants as lavender, lilac, olive, jasmine, snapdragon, sesame, psyllium, garden sage, and a number of table herbs such as mint, basil, and rosemary. (Reference)

Bergamot Family – Lamiaceae (“The mint family of flowering plants” within the Lamiales order)  contains the aromatic plants which make up most of the widely used herbs such as spearmint and peppermint (Mentha), bee balm / Bergamot (Monarda), basil (Ocimum), lemon balm (Melissa), rosemary (Rosmarinus), sage (Salvia), savory (Satureja), marjoram (Origanum majorana), oregano (Origanum vulgare), hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis), catnip (Nepeta cataria), thyme (Thymus), and lavender (Lavandula).  This group typically has flowers with petals fused into an upper lip and a lower lip. (Reference A, Reference B)

Bergamot Genus – Monarda include both annual and perennial herbaceous plants. They grow erect to heights of up to 90 cm . Their narrow, serrated, long leaves are oppositely arranged on the stem, hairless or sparsely hairy. (Reference) The flowers are hermaphroditic, with male and female structures in each flower, and often are presented in the formation of double flowers.  Flowers of the Monarda genus are well known for their attraction of pollinating birds and insects as well as many predatory insects.

And so we arrive at the Species Monarda Citriodora (aka Bergamot). Also known as Lemon Beebalm (not to be confused with lemon balm, Melissa officinalis) , Lemon Mint (this may also apply to Melissa officinalis) and Purple Horsemint.

But why is it in my “Crazy Plants” discussion and why should anyone care?

1)  First it’s the visual – yes, as I mentioned before, I’m a sucker for flowers, but they have to have to be fascinating or awe inspiring, pretty just ain’t gonna cut it.  My preference is also for them to be attached to a living plant! The following photos are of our plants in mid December.  Look closely and consider the lengths they have gone to in order to stand out from the crowd:

As you can see, they:

• Don’t waste space, with flower upon flower up the stems – seen a little more clearly in this second photo, take before the colour eruption commences.
• You can see that the leaves are long, thin and green except just below the flower, where they start to change step by step into the purple petals getting broader and pinker until the final definition of the flower is seen.
• They love to try all types of petals… the lower ones are the classic flat upturned petals, but the main ring taking up most of the space between this flower and the next one up, is made up of the typical Lamiaceae petals where they are fused into an upper lip and a lower lip as we learnt above.  Looking closer it feels like there are many mouths just waiting for food…. gorgeous yet sinister. “The narrow upper lip of the corolla functions as a protective hood, while the narrow lower lip has 3 terminal lobes and functions as a landing pad for floral visitors.” (Reference)
• Spend a little time marveling at the visual – what else catches your attention….

BOTANICAL WORD(S) of the DAY “whorl” – a term used to describe the “attachment of sepals, petals, leaves, or branches at a single point”. (Reference) So bullet point two above could be re-written as “Underneath each whorl of flowers, there is a whorl of floral bracts with a colorful leafy appearance.” (Reference)  Of course then I had to look up bracts, so we all get a BONUS BOTANICAL WORD…”bract” – a “modified or specialised leaf especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower.” (Reference) For completeness, and to save you straying from the topic, a “corolla” is a collective term for the petals (may or may not be specific to a specific whorl of petals, but nothing to do with the bracts.) Not sure any of this will come in handy at a quiz night….but I digress.

2) Second its the ease of growing –

These beauties can be found growing in the roadside ditches, and across the prairies from between Arizona and Florida.  Whilst they are stated as preferring clay soils in many articles, the Plants for a Future (PFAF) website states “Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils.  Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.”

They are an annual who will die with the first frost (or becomes straggly with prolonged cooler weather but may stretch to a perennial with love – in Perth, we did not try as, similar to Chilacayote, when it grows so well from seed, the effort to help it survive across winter is not rewarded).  They are known to prefer light, dry alkaline soil, but are suitable for soils across the pH spectrum.  There is conflict in the articles regarding full sun only, but we found dappled shade from a huge box gum was not an issue (the PFAF group agrees stating semi-shade to no-shade).  Seeds should be planted in early to mid spring in Perth (but without frosts, the timing is not such an issue and even mid to late Summer planting will provide rewards).  Germination usually takes place within 10 – 40 days at 20°c.   Once germinated, it grows quickly and can reached up to 3 feet high. The Bergamot is drought tolerant – requiring very little water – so brilliant in Perth.  The plant is also self fertilising and therefore whilst bee pollination is essential, a second plant is not. It flowers through December and January, but can be enticed to bloom much longer if given more water through late summer.  As the flower fades, it is replaced by a nutlet which will be distributed primarily by gravity.  The annual then dies, covering and providing nutrients to the new plant which will raise its head when the warms returns next summer. The plant will also grow from cuttings of the soft basal shoots. (Reference A, Reference B, Plants for a Future (PFAF), Reference D)

3) Thirdly it is a bee, bird and garden predator magnet – speaks for itself really with the benefits it brings to the other plants in the garden.

4) Fourthly it is for the uses:

Both the leaves (raw or cooked) and flowers are edible and there are no known hazards associated with the plant. (Plants for a Future (PFAF))

Culinary Uses (Reference A):

• It is an aromatic herb with a lemon-like aroma
• The flower petals and raw chopped leaves can be to salads, fruit cups and fruit drinks.
• Add cooked leaves to pork and game dishes (perhaps with a last minute flower garnish to dazzle guests!)
• Freeze chopped/ or single flowers in ice cubes
• It can be used in some wines and liqueurs for a persistent lemony flavour.
• It can also be a flavouring in cakes, sauces and pies.
• The leaves can be added to plain tea to create a form of Earl Grey or be consumed as a tea leaf in its own right. (Reference)

Medicinal Uses. It is said that:

• Leaves contain citronellol which is extracted as the essential oil citronella and is an effective insect repellent when rubbed on the skin.  (Reference) It is also known to deter fleas and mites so placement of the plant and prunings can be part of the management of these pests.
• Some attribute the relief of colds, coughs, fevers, and respiratory problems with the drinking of tea made from the leaves. (Reference)

Other Possible Uses:

• Cosmetic: Facial steam. Aromatherapy

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So I think, on so many levels, the Bergamot qualifies for the Crazy (Good) Plant Section of this blog and I look forward to nature’s Monarda citriodora floral arrangement for many years to come.

Looking to the future – more fun awaits with blogs (so many already in draft!) on Permaculture Design, Plants, Insects, Soil and much, much, more in 2015…. plus the Soil Hugger’s inaugural public appearance…..

Remember, if there is an edible plant, soil, Permaculture or a related topic you’re curious about (I still have my soil resuscitation blog in draft, but it will get a guernsey soon, I promise!), put in a request and we can add it to the blogging list.  There is so much to explore!

Still to come….

Exhibit C: St Mary’s Thistle

Exhibit D: The Lion’s Tail or Lion’s Ear or Klip Dagger

Exhibit E: The New Guinea Bean

Exhibit F: Wild Passionfruit

Exhibit G: Slipper Gourd

Exhibit H: African Cucumber

Until then, enjoy.

SH

It’s light and fluffy blog day!  As I am now a few months into this crazy, scary journey, I thought I would write a few short segments on the strange things I have found growing in my garden, now that I have the time to look.  Hopefully you’ll find a few surprises amongst them and learn a little too!  Thanks go to the guru who has planted many strange things over the years and found, by trial and error, which are the “fittest” for our climate and soil!

Exhibit A: Chilacayote (Cucurbita ficifolia)

Family – Cucurbitaceae – are a plant family, sometimes called the gourd family, consisting of over a hundred genus, the most important of which are (Reference):

• Cucurbita – squash, pumpkin, zucchini, some gourds
• Lagenaria – mostly inedible gourds
• Citrullus – watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)(Citrullus colocynthis) and others
• Cucumis – cucumber (Cucumis sativus), various melons
• Luffa – common name also luffa

Genus – Cucurbita – native to and first cultivated in the Andes and Central America. The genus is an important source of human food, beverages, medicine, oil, and traditionally of detergent. There are five domesticated species all of whom can be treated as winter squash because the full-grown fruits can be stored for months.  includes some cultivars that are better used only as summer squash (Reference):

• Cucurbita argyrosperma,
• Cucurbita ficifolia, (meaning fig leaf)
• Cucurbita maxima,
• Cucurbita moschata, and
• Cucurbita pepo (the exception – includes some cultivars that are better used only as summer squash).

A rose by many other names: fig-leaf gourd, malabar gourd, Siam/Thai/Asian pumpkin, Thai marrow, shark fin melon, pie melon, calabaza china, cayote, gila, lacayota, seven year melon, chiverre, black-seeded gourd etc, etc, etc

We call it Chilacayote (as in Chill – a- Cah – yo- teh) just because it rolls off the tongue beautifully and it’s reported to have originated Mexico who still use this name (before derivations of the name began as it spread throughout South America and across the globe in the 16th century).

The Chilacayote is a member of the squash family and is described as an annual in temperate climates and a short term perennial in more tropical zones.  We find it to be an annual in our garden in Perth.  Without frost here, a little love and care in placement you might stretch it to perennial, but its ease to grow suggest the question – why would you bother?

It has a single stem with numerous long runners which can reach over 30meters – so plan for only one plant in each location (plant two or three seeds as Murphy’s Law states that if you plant 1 you have a high chance of getting nothing, but if you plant 3 then they’ll all com up!).  In Perth, we’ve found it to be a hardy ground runner like pumpkin, but far easier to grow, with better pest and disease resistance (no powdery mildew, hurray!), and more prolific fruiting (or squash-ing in this case).

They are very easy to grow from seed.  The seeds take 5-7 days to germinate and the plant grows rapidly with low to medium watering (weekly once the plant has got past the seedling stage).  They are happy in moderate to good soil (productivity of plant will be proportional to productivity of soil!) and love full sun – however as with all plants the high-thirties-plus days can take their toll with sunburn.  Sunburn aside, even if the leaves look limp in the heat of the day, chances are they’ll perk up again towards evening – as an aside heaps of plants adjust their leaf formation in the heat of the day to minimise the surface area available for the suns direct strike in an effort to limit evaporation – plant coping mechanism for climate would make a really interesting investigation for the future, especially Australian natives!).  Having said that, they do tend to kill off the leaves closer to the stem as the runners spread farther afield.  We think it’s just redistributing its energy and have not seen the rest of the plant continue this as a sign of distress.  The same cannot be said for damage to the stem which obviously is the plants bottle-neck for nutrition.  As they are not a fan of frosts (no issue here in Perth!), it is recommended that you plant them in spring.

The plant’s root structure consists of a single tap root of up to 2m depth with a network of lateral roots close to the soil surface.  Unlike many other Cucurbits, the Chilacayote can root at each leaf axil (the upper angle between the stem and leaf).  The leaves very much resemble pumpkin as do the flowers which are up to 8cm diameter.  However unlike the other Cucurbits, we have found that the Chilacayote does not cross / hybridise (a fact backed up by the literature).  The flowers we get are yellow (but other varieties can be more orange) and are monoecious (i.e. flowers are either male or female but both can be found on the same plant).  The flowers require insects for pollination.  (Reference) This all means that there is no need for a second plant to ensure productivity, but it also seems that the absence of the second plant does not seem to effect the enthusiasm of the plant or size of the fruit (i.e. little impact of “inbreeding”).  Each plant is capable of producing more than 50 fruit (we get about 15-20 with limited love and the Perth climate) and each contains up to 500 seeds. Days to harvest is quoted as 80-120 days. (Reference)

The outer shell of the Chilacayote is like a watermelon whilst the inside is more like zucchini.  With such a tough outer coating the Chilacayote can be kept for over 2 years and hence their value in arid areas where they provide veggies across the harsher months when nothing grows. Their hard outer shell once hollowed-out can also be a useful container as is the case with many gourds.

We find it sacrilegious to pick them until they are enormous and risking tearing the vine (or structure!) just because of the sheer beauty of the plant and its value as a conversation piece!)…. however this has meant the sacrifice of many pairs of stockings to prevent them breaking the vine which is unable to support the weight.  However, some books say you should pick them when they are apple size and it is suggested that you eat them raw or lightly steamed. The seeds are also able to be eaten like pumpkin seeds. (Reference – Edible and Useful Plants for the Swan Coastal Plain, Vicki Boxell).  Once enormous they have very little flavour, but when treated like a zucchini and sauteed in garlic butter (or as a last minute throw in filler in stews or curries) there are very few complaints.   We have not found the mature specimen to be sweet as many articles suggest – perhaps we should let them get even bigger!  Supposedly they can be used to make alcoholic beverages – I’ll put it on my job list to test this fact…. for the benefit of my readers, of course! The new shoots are great (if a little furry) in salads, with the harvesting of leaves possible from about 6 weeks of age.  The flowers are also eaten and emerge from about 6-8 week mark depending on the plant’s treatment.  However it is the seeds that contain the best source of nutrients being protein rich and containing oil mainly made up of oleic acid.  Otherwise, as can be expected from a white flesh and limited-flavour vege, it contains very limited vitamins or minerals, falling more at the carb end of the vegetable spectrum. (Reference)  Medical research appears to be focused on the use of the plant for the treatment of Diabetes thought due to its hypoglycaemic action which is thought to be linked to its antioxidant properties. (Reference A, Reference B)

For those who like schematics, here is a couple of rippers (Reference):

1. Stem with leaf and female flower (the upper side of this joint is the axil I mentioned earlier).
2. Female Flower (front petals removed)
3. Male Flower (front petals removed)
4. Fruit (young example – they get more oblong as they get older, see photos below)

As you will see in the following pictures, we’ve run it along the ground, across the top of shade cloth and on pergola type beams around which it can be twisted.  They can also be seen to clamber over nearby trees and any other elevated structure – preferably hanging fruit at either head height or slightly lower in areas where people frequently pass.  The massive leaves provide cooling shade when “trellised”, but the stem formation, distance between these leaves and “non strangling” nature of the tendrils means it can be easily controlled especially when elevated.  Due to the roughness of its skin (fur like spines, but not irritating or capable of sticking-in like “hair prickles” – although the first time you see/touch it you’ll be surprised it is not), in windy conditions, it can act like sandpaper on its host or those adjacent to it.

You can also see that (a) there are a few varieties with different colouring – from green to cream dominant, (b) proof of their desire to have at head height, (c) their size (yes those are normal sized house bricks – this specimen is 4.3kg, 18cm diameter, 30cm long and by no means a giant of its kind! Seed sellers state up to 6kg, African Agricultural departments say 3-8kg), (d) a close up of the young leaf and (e) the seed produced.

        

More fun to come….

Exhibit B: Bergamot

Exhibit C: St Mary’s Thistle

Exhibit D: The Lion’s Tail or Lion’s Ear or Klip Dagger

Exhibit E: The New Guinea Bean

Exhibit F: Wild Passionfruit

Exhibit G: Slipper Gourd

Exhibit H: African Cucumber

Until then, enjoy.

 

Those cotton wool balls you have on hand for various uses around the home must have been significantly processed to look the way they do? Not as much as you think…

Our experience:

Our plant was grown from seed planted in spring 2013 within a wicking barrel (will cover wicking beds in another discussion). It is on the south side of a huge box gum whose trunk provides shade only at midday in winter, but the canopy provides shade for several hours around midday in summer. Thus protecting it from extreme heat / sunburn, but providing the required long hours of sunshine. It is the Upland Cotton Bush (Gossypium hirsutum) which is the most widely planted species of cotton (>90%) in the USA; it is native to Central America.

We took a crop off it in April this year, so we have proof that in our climate, it has a rapid turn around time from planting to production.  The following photos describe it well and…. voilà, the “fruit” is four cotton wool balls!

The bush as a whole in situ (Aug, 2014).

A new bud with the leaf (Aug, 2014).

The new bud (Aug, 2014).

The opening flower (courtesy of Victor M. Vicente Selvas) – Mid Summer.

The cotton “fruit” in perspective…..see the perfect little cotton wool ball shapes which sit on the calyx (the calyx – I learnt today – is the term for the dried out shell which previously protected the unopened bud). It’s hard to photo graph front-on and still see the balls with the white on white, but you’ll can see it slightly in the below shot.

The cotton boll parts – The term boll refers to the “fruit” which includes the cotton fibre holding the seeds as well as the calyx it is sitting on.

Did you know?

Does cotton gin sound good? Unfortunately the “cotton gin” is the factory which de-lints and cleans the cotton boll before it is sent to the mill for spinning and weaving into fabric!

Gossypium is the cotton plant’s genus, within the tribe Gossypieae, in the Malvaceae family.  This family also includes plants such as Okra, Hibiscus, Hollyhock and Boabab.  Botany Everyday (http://www.botanyeveryday.com) suggests cotton is the “outlier in this family as it is considered to be one of the only inedible members. Cotton seed meal is also a major fertilizer which can itself cause pollution.”

It is stated that the cotton seed oil “can” be used in a similar manner to sunflower seed oil within cooking. Within Wikipedia there is the following interesting information regarding the removal of the gossypol from the seed, along with a description of the two main uses of the oil.

“Gossypol is a toxic, yellow, polyphenolic compound produced by cotton and other members of the order Malvaceae, such as. This naturally occurring coloured compound is found in tiny glands in the seed, leaf, stem, tap-root bark, and root of the cotton plant. The adaptive function of the compound facilitates natural insect resistance. The three key steps of refining, bleaching and deodorization in producing finished oil act to eliminate the gossypol level.

Use in food – Cottonseed oil has traditionally been used in foods such as potato chips and is a primary ingredient in Crisco, the shortening product.  But since it is significantly less expensive than olive oil or canola oil, cottonseed has started to be used in a much wider range of processed foods, including cereals, breads and snack foods.

Use as insecticide – In an agricultural context, the toxicity of cottonseed oil may be considered beneficial: Oils, including vegetable oils, have been used for centuries to control insect and mite pests.  This oil has been generally considered the most insecticidal of vegetable oils.”  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cottonseed_oil)

I very much hope they are talking about two very different cotton seed oils….

The Gossypol derived from the cotton plant’s seeds is reported to act as male contraceptive…. having said that, as mentioned before, the seed is considered toxic to mammals (including us!), birds, insect larvae and other creatures.  It is attributed with causing weight loss, diarrhoea, cardiac irregularity, haemorrhage, edema and other ill effects (Medicinal Herbalism; Hoffmann, D; 2003).  So perhaps contraceptive is an understatement!

I suspect a whole future blog can be done on the pros and cons of consumption of this oil, which I look forward to getting to the bottom of one day, but for now, I want to avoid getting too deep or argumentative.

Food for thought as we consider the amount of cotton products demanded by the world with all its benefits (e.g. cotton clothing versus synthetic fabrics), as the seed represents a large volume waste product for the cotton industry – Due to the toxicity, disposal is complicated, but if not utilised for cooking oil what else is possible?  What happens with Gossypol in combustion if used as a biofuel? I wonder what happens to the gossypol once it has been applied to the crop for insecticidal purposes – does it get absorbed into the crop? Rabbit warrens for the future…..

(As this is an early blog effort, please forgive (or let me know about) any teething issues with photos, links… etc.  All part of the learning!)

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Thanks to Michele, we now have a better shot of the cotton “fruit” from the front: