By Janelle Eklund
Rows of proud little suns stood rooted in the earth throwing their brightness to the winds of summer. Deep yellow centers cast their color creating a pinwheel of contrasting yellow. Each pin of the wheel radiated beams with three toothed ends. Rays of sun cast shimmering light through this pinwheel of bright yellow petals imparting its intense magic. Surely the suns wand chose this plant to mimic its powers. The faces of Arnica laughed with joy and gave me pause to drink in its happiness. This sunny plant not only heals the spirit but also the body. It is used in homeopathic pills to reduce the effects of trauma. Árnica montana is the species usually used in homeopathy. I had a dentist who recommended taking the homeopathic pills before and after dental work to reduce the trauma - and it worked! Internally it should only be taken in homeopathic form as it has irritants that can cause undesirable symptoms. There are many other species of Arnica and they all seem to have the same medicinal qualities. Richo Cech in his book, Making Plant Medicine, says you can make an oil, salve or cream with Arnica and use it "for external application as an anti-inflammatory and resolvent for reducing swelling and bruising caused by traumatic injury, pulled muscles or ligaments, and for treating arthritic joints". He says you can use the stems, leaves and especially the flowers of Arnica, drying them before infusing in the oil. Externally it should not be used on open wounds or broken skin. Enjoy sunny Arnica and give thanks for the therapy it imparts to the spirit and body. From my light to yours- References: Making Plant medicine by Richo Cech (an excellent book if you are into making plant medicines.)
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By Janelle Eklund
I stepped into the morning filled with awakening. The lingering twilight of an arctic sun faded into a distant memory as its bulbous glow rose higher in the sky. The signal of its light roused birds to forage for food and plants to yawn and spread their arms. I walked out onto the deck of the cabin drinking in the calmness of Silver Lake. Dew drops sparkled on the green of summer. Drops that mingled making soothing scents of plant essences riding the still morning air. I began my walk down the damp gravel road passing ponds filled with life. Ducks waded searching for a delectable breakfast. Water plants were beginning to emerge in their summer beds. A beaver lodge made a solitary mound of sticks emerging from the stillness of the pond. Snow covered mountain peaks reflected in the pond like twin bookends. Just beyond the pond on the opposite side of the road a shimmering glow of pink in a marshy area caught my eye. The bushes were full of delicately small pretty pink dangly buds. Some had their mouths open as if they were kissing the warmth of the sun. Each bud grew from a pink cane in a cluster at the top of the plant. Below the cluster on this woody shrub grew elongated leaves looking much like - you guessed it - rosemary leaves. Bog Rosemary leaves also mimic Labrador Tea leaves except the undersides are smooth and that of Labrador Tea are wooly. Despite the prettiness of Bog Rosemary it is very poisonous. It contains a substance called andromedotoxin which can cause low blood pressure, breathing difficulty, vomiting, diarrhea, and cramps. The botanist, Linnaeus named this plant Andromeda after a mythological Ethiopian princess. And they do look like beautiful princesses! Linnaeus wrote that the plant 'is always fixed on some turfy hillock in the midst of the swamps, as Andromeda herself was chained to a rock in the sea, which bathed her feet as the fresh water does the roots of the plant'. The best way to celebrate this plant is to meditate on its spirit essence. From my light to yours- References: Plants of the Western Boreal Forest & Aspen Parkland by Johnson, Kershaw, MacKinnon, Pojar; Flora of Alaska and Neighboring Territores by Eric Hultén; Discovering Wild Plants by Janice Schofield. By Janelle Eklund
I rushed around the house getting ready to spend three days at Silver Lake. It’s exhausting getting ready to play – hah! The sunny blue sky day followed me to the lake. After a relaxing dinner we took a ride down the McCarthy road with cameras ready for any inspiring scene. As we drove by a marshy area I spotted tall plants with white flowers emerging from the water, their long stems blowing in the breeze. I’d probably seen it before but didn’t recognize it as Menyanthes trifoliate or Buckbean. Rooty type stems at the base came up from shallow water depths. From the surface of the water the stems grew tall ending with three clustered deep green leaves pointing toward the sky. A separate stem grew just as tall ending in furry white clusters of flowers. Pink buds at the top sat like the tip of a paintbrush ready to spread its color. The tips of each five petaled snow white flowers kept a hint of the pink from the paintbrush. Each petal was graced with white furry protrusions. Five stately stamens dotted in brown grew from the tiny yellow center of the flower. There are other common names for this plant but I prefer the scientific name. Buckbean just doesn’t sound elegant enough for this beauty. The flowers transform into bean looking shapes, thus the common name. Menyanthes is Greek meaning “month flower” of which there is debate on whether this means the length of time it is flowering or a tea from it giving relief from menstrual pain. When the plant is in flower the leaves provide for some good medicinal uses but it’s important to dry the leaves thoroughly before using - if used fresh they can make you vomit. A tea made of the dry leaves – one tablespoon of leaves to a cup of boiling water and steeped – and drunk over the course of a day provides relief from a variety of maladies. This brew is high in vitamin C, iron and iodine so is good for scurvy and tiredness. It will stimulate your appetite, get your digestive juices flowing, relieve water retention, and can act as a laxative. Use in moderation as large doses can induce that vomiting and give diarrhea. Infusing the dried leaves into salves helps with skin sores and sore muscles. This plant is somewhat scarce so if using, only pick from big patches and then be frugal in what you do pick. Sit with the plants before harvesting, ingest their essences and ask for permission to pick. From my light to yours- References: Discovering Wild Plants by Janice Schofield. See her book for more details. By Janelle Eklund
It was a blue sky kind of day with a few puffy fair weather clouds and warm, in-the-sixties temperatures. I pulled into the Copper Center School grounds where sixth, seventh and eighth graders were enjoying the activities of the yearly Youth Environmental Summit organized by the Native Village of Gakona. I strapped on my camera and carried a second lens to capture the outdoor learning adventures they were immersed in. A group of about thirteen young people sat in a circle in a yellow field of dandelions, each holding a piece of paper with plant drawings. They were intently listening to the instructor describe the plants and their edible qualities. Dandelion was on the list. After a phone call making sure the dandelions had not been sprayed with poisons the go ahead was given to try this tasty spring time edible plant - leaves, roots and flowers. It was noted that the leaves made a great addition to a salad with other new shoots such as fireweed and bluebells, which were also on their learning list. After exploring and tasting some of the edible plants the kids 'painted' their faces with rubbings of dandelion blossoms. Non-native dandelions were introduced to America by Europeans. They loved this plant so much they brought it with them on the Mayflower. Personally I don't see this plant as an invasive. The only places I've seen it is in areas disturbed by humans - yards, roadsides, etc. Lots of people view it as a weed and try to rid it of their lawns and yards by spraying it with poison. The kids asked if it was a weed and were told that it's all how you view the plant. All we need is an understanding of the great qualities this plant has to offer and we would have a different mindset. The best time to enjoy the fruits of this bright plant is in the spring before they get tough and bitter. Or in the fall when new flowers are forming. One evening I was looking for dandelions to take a photo of as I knew they were out but could find no yellow heads. The next day as the sun did its thing the dandelions responded and opened their bundles of sunny color for all the world to see. If you cut the leaves off about an inch below the surface you will be rewarded with the pale center of the plant that is very tasty. The leaves, roots and flowers can not only be added to salads but blanched, stir fried, made into tea or other beverages, and added to soups and casserole dishes. Blanching the leaves gives them a mild flavor. The dried, roasted, and powdered roots make an excellent tasting hot drink. A great substitute for coffee. Why go to the trouble of picking this plant? The leaves have lots of vitamins A, B, and C, copper, phosphorus, potassium, iron, calcium, and magnesium. The skin is a great absorber so making dandelion into a massage oil, a footbath, or facial steam can be soothing and healing since it's packed with all these great vitamins and minerals. Dandelion root has medicinal qualities and can eliminate excess fluids and toxins. So it is good for the liver and kidneys and helps with gout, edema, rheumatism, chronic constipation, anemia, gallstones, and can lower cholesterol and high blood pressure. Children seem to really see the beauty in dandelions. It is always a delight to be with the young children near a dandelion patch. They will often run up and offer a beautiful bouquet of yellow joy clutched in their tiny fists. To them this is not a weed - it is beauty to behold. From my light to yours- References: Discovering Wild Plants by Janice Schofield. See this book for more details on this great plant. By Janelle Eklund
May 14 and it was a clear sunny day. The wind howled through the night and all day clearing the haze and high thin clouds that hung in the Copper Basin for the last few days. It was a crystal clear evening. As I drank in the clearness of the Wrangell Mountains from a window high in the house it became clear (no pun intended) that a picture was in order. With camera and tripod in hand I walked out into the field in the back of the house and tried to find the right setting. But I was too low and there was nothing to frame the crystal clear mountains. A wide angle snapshot was taken with the field in the foreground, making the mountains look distant. I started wandering closer to the house where it was higher ground, ending up behind the garage. Still not the best view but as I looked on the ground something caught my eye. This area is pretty bare of vegetation having been disturbed when the house was built. Most of the time it is in the shade so in the spring the snow slowly melts and, for awhile, the ground is saturated. I was totally surprised to see two coltsfoot growing out of this barren little area. This plant usually grows in swampy wet areas. But here was one just emerging out of the ground and another, more taller mature one, in full bloom close by. Guess there was enough moisture to propagate a stray seed in this unseemly area. In the spring the stems of coltsfoot can be steamed, fried or chopped into other dishes for a pleasant treat. The leaves can be eaten too but they are somewhat hairy and not very agreeable to the tongue. The roots have also been roasted and eaten by Siberian natives. Coltsfoot is an antispasmodic making it a medicinal plant of choice for coughs, congestion, asthma, lung problems, etc. by making it into a tincture, tea, or syrup. See Janice Schofield's book, Discovering Wild Plants, for a cough syrup made out of the leaves, water and honey. It got rid of a bad cough she had and she was able to sleep. The leaves and grated root can be made into a poultice to relieve bug bites, sores, and pain from arthritis. The leaves of plants are most often the first signs of growth. But with Coltsfoot they develop their flowers before the leaves. Sometimes you will just see leaves with no flower stem coming from it. These leaves grew from the underground root of the mother flower stem. Coltsfoot is a pretty safe plant but should be used in moderation. High dosages can irritate the liver. As we returned home from Glennallen one evening, I noticed lots of coltsfoot glistening in wet areas along the Richardson highway. It's exciting to see new life wriggling its way out of the ground in all its splendor, and it's interesting to see how things develop from year to year depending on the weather. One year on May 4 we had a big dump of snow and no leaves in sight on the trees. The next year on May 5 the leaves were just opening up on the trees. Although it was a cool day, it certainly wasn't cold enough for snow or lack of plants making their debut. Goodness sake we already had seen 70° temps or close to. Tells me warmth is the key to waking up the plants. From my light to yours- References: Discovering Wild Plants by Janice Schofield By Janelle Eklund
April 13 and the snowshoe trail was still solid for the early morning run, despite around forty degree temps the day before. Even slightly freezing nights kept the snow in check. I thought I would be able to squeeze maybe another week out of the trail but shortly after that the days scooted on up to fifty degrees and night time temps either above freezing or close to. The trail becomes limp and liquidy. So as I hang up my snowshoes for another season I look forward to green things popping through left over bits of snow. Even on chilly days the warmth of the sun melts those un-shady places and shines its luxury on the body. Pussy willows are busting at the seams in response to the sun. Balsam poplar buds are plumping themselves out, ready to burst when the time is just right. About a month ago on a sunny day when the temperature was freezing, but not so bad as to freeze my fingers, the balsam poplar trees shared their buds with me. A jar of Balm of Gilead has been brewing since then and is just about ready to be strained and receive a little bees wax to make the salve. A death march has ensued upon the glistening white of winter. Rotten snow creates water pockets of lakes, some large and some small. Slick ice transforms to slush and we are able to shed boot cleats to keep from falling. Some south facing slopes are already bear of the white stuff. I suspect very soon the first crocus will be showing their pretty purple heads. Spruce trees will start the growth of new tender green tips. I still have some dried ones from last year I put in my tea each morning. Fireweed shoots are squirming in their slowly warming beds and will soon wake to the warmth of a new season. Now I'm dreaming of a succulent fresh salad from the re-born earth. Along with the dream of wild plants, garden plants are also coming out of the dream state and are a reality. The light table in the basement is full of seedlings. Some of them are squirming to get out of the little cells they were born in and find a bigger home. I'll have to find time this weekend to help them move. As the earth awakens so do the senses. The wonderful scent of balsam poplar buds lingers on the thin gloves I used while picking. Soon this sweet deliciousness will marry with soil aromas, envelope the air, and make one swoon. It's a time of transition, a time of re-awakening, a time to celebrate new life. From my light to yours- By Janelle Eklund
A light rain landed on bright yellow petals and rich green leaves nourishing this shrubby plant. This bright landing field attracts butterflies and bees who feed off of its sweet nectar. Five petals (cinque meaning five) dance around yellow stamens. This splash of yellow accents its greenery of leaves that house five leaflets. Potentilla is often sold at nurseries as a showy plant for the yard. I skipped the nursery and started a wild one in my flower bed. It's a little under the eaves so as long as it’s watered it does pretty good. Potentilla is also called tundra rose mimicking another in its family, prickly rose, with its five petals. I planted one of these wild prickly roses next to it in the flower bed. They seem to complement each other - the bright yellow of Potentilla flowers contrasting with pink rose petals and orange rosehips every year. 'Potent' medicinally describes its scientific name, Potentilla. All parts of the plant have strong qualities and can be chopped and dried. Since the plant is astringent, it has been used to reduce inflammation in the gums and tonsils. Making a tea out of it and using it for a week or more (depending on how severe the problem) can increase the healing of esophagus and stomach ulcers and inflammation. Drinking a pot of the tea can also help a fever and diarrhea. The herb can also be prepared as a tincture for long storage. It is important to use this plant in moderation because of its astringency and the fact that it contains tannic acid which is a gastrointestinal irritant and toxic to the kidneys. Enjoy the sunny beauty of this three foot tall shrub throughout the summer season. From my light to yours- References: Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West by Michael Moore; Discovering Wild Plants by Janice Schofield By Janelle Eklund
Chickweed is normally not one of the plants you would stumble upon in the Boreal Forest or tundra. You are more likely to find it lavishly making a beautiful green carpet around garden beds. Frankly, I have never seen it growing beyond garden or yard areas. Trying to eradicate it is near impossible. But don't get too discouraged as this plant has many fine qualities. For one, the roots are close to the surface so they are not necessarily crowding out other deeper root bearing plants - and two, the nice green carpet acts as free mulch for your garden bed!! So maybe it's trying to tell us something. We just need to listen. I have to admit that it hasn't found my garden yet - although it has tried a few times - and I am guilty of taking care of it before it got started - and before I learned so much about it. During the Janice Schofield plant class we called around to various gardeners looking for the best crops of this plant to make wonderful recipes, both for food and medicinal. All the gardeners were more than pleased to share their bounty. We drizzled it with a few drops of olive oil, sea salt, pepper, garlic, parmesan and dried it for a delicious 'chip snack'. We made it into a tea; dressed a salad with it; added it to the wild herb pesto noodle-less lasagna; mingled it with other herbs to make wild herb patties; and incorporated it in gluten free crackers. They were all so delicious and nutritious. Let your imagination flow when conjuring up a wild herb recipe. We learned that you can harvest this prolific plant throughout the summer by clipping off the tops with scissors. Not only did we eat this plant but we used it for its medicinal qualities. We learned that it is rich in copper, iron, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, and vitamin C. It doesn't store well so use as soon as you pick it or make it into a tincture. It can help with bladder or urinary tract problems. Chickweed is very moisturizing and cooling, good in an ointment or as a poultice. Janice told us of a lady that had accidently gotten rosemary oil in her eye. She made a poultice of chickweed and put it on her eye, and over time it healed. This is also cooling and healing for burns. A poultice or salve works for mosquito bites or itchy skin. In Alaska's Wilderness Medicines, Eleanor Vierick says that chickweed is good for infections, inflammations, boils and abscesses. In Janice's book Discovering Wild Plants, she says she plants chickweed in a pot and has it as a houseplant that she harvests throughout the winter. And chickens love to dine on chickweed - thus its name. Other domestic animals take a liking to it too, such as rabbits and pigs. So instead of trying to get rid of this seemingly pesky plant - live with it and enjoy its wonderful attributes! From my light to yours- By Janelle Eklund
Spring time in the garden. The beds were given nourishment in the fall with a nice layer of well composted cow manure. Garden plants are not the only ones that like this delicious soil food. Other well meaning plants come with it, including horsetail. Don't get me wrong - this isn't a bad plant. Sometimes it just wants to grow where I'd like other plants to grow - notice I'm not calling it a weed. Its roots are strong and when pulled on will not give up their stand in life. It's nearly impossible to get them to move on. But at least they are only in a couple of beds and not so prolific. So, I try not to fight them too much and if they start getting a crowd attitude I just break them off until their heads pop up again. There are plenty around in other places if I so choose to use their medicinal or other useful qualities. Tanaina Plantlore by Priscilla Russel Kari says that the spring tubers on the roots of horsetail are like the first berries of the season, being sweet and juicy. You do have to harvest in spring for eating because after that they get hard and dry. When horsetail first emerges from the ground in the spring the leafless stem is brown with a cone shaped hat on top. This is the time to dig those berry-like tubers for their sweet and juicy flavor. As summer progress the stem starts to grow it's leaves, and as they emerge they point toward the sky in celebration. This is the time to gather them for any medicinal uses. Janice Schofield's book, Discovery Wild Plants, says a poultice of the plant is good for "...hemorrhages, cancer like growths, and ulcerous wounds, and as a tea for internal bleeding, kidney stones, rheumatism, bladder and urinary tract diseases, and stomach ulcers. As an external wash, it's said to be antiseptic and disinfectant and ideal for insect bites and skin eruptions." Janice says she made hot packs by boiling the horsetail and put it on a painful cyst. "Within forty-eight hours, the cyst was totally drained." I have been trying to do all I can to thicken my aging head with more hair and this is just another way to encourage that growth. Janice says to make a decoction by boiling a heaping tablespoon of horsetail in a cup of water. In addition to promoting hair growth it is also supposed to get rid of dandruff and head lice. As the leaves mature they grow into feathery like arms and point out and down, resembling a horses tail. The stems become rich with silica, which is very abrasive. I have used it to clean pots when camping, which also acts as a disinfectant. In ancient times it was used to polish metal! You don't want to eat it because it can be irritating. Horsetail is one of the oldest plants on earth. The Latin word equus means horse and seta means bristle. Enjoy this prolific plant for what it has to offer. From my light to yours- By Janelle Eklund
Mid-July dressed the ground in a profusion of green. Five cars led a procession from Kenny Lake to Chitina. Destination: Michael Moody's enchanted garden. Twenty of us, in the Janice Schofield plant workshop, felt like fairies as we stepped out of our vehicles. A path lined with tall Artemisia, fireweed, and other greenery led to the garden gate. An old door served as the gate, fitting perfectly between two trees. Stepping into the garden was magical. A carpet of chickweed and pineapple weed graced the beds full of garden produce. We had a heyday picking the weeds to be used in medicinal recipes. Everything in the garden seemed to have a harmonious cohabitation relationship. It was so enchanting and magical it was hard to leave. But we were beckoned away to experience another plant that grew in the area. I was surprised to see that Devil's club grows in this Chitina microclimate. I'm used to seeing it closer to coastal areas, like Valdez. This plant grows fairly tall - up to 10' (Alaska Trees and Shrubs), and it's large maple shaped leaves look like big umbrellas shielding the forest floor. Maneuvering through them with their spiny legs can be tricky. The legs (stems) are very thick with sharp spines. Don't get 'stung' by them as they can become imbedded in the skin and cause festering. But, not to be deterred, careful harvest can result in good medicinal qualities. Wearing leather gloves is a must when cutting and getting to the inner bark. Spring is the best time to harvest this 'devily' plant but it can also be harvested in the fall. Using leather gloves, peel the bark from the stem. As it slips off, the outer spiny bark comes off easy and then you are safe to touch the inner bark. Medicinal Flora of the Alaska Natives, by Ann Garibaldi, says that a strong decoction of the boiled cambium was drunk to treat arthritis, colds/flu, coughs, chest congestion, pneumonia, rheumatism, constipation. Boiling the decoction for a full day and then taking one teaspoon a day was good for colds and arthritis. To help heal cuts and scrapes the outer bark was burned and the ash used to sprinkle on cuts before bandaging, changing the bandage every other day (Wennekens 1985). It says that devil's club root can be made into a poultice by cleaning and crushing the root, soaking it in hot water, and then putting it on a wound to keep it from getting infected. The bark has also been chewed and applied right to the wound. Bone injuries were also treated by laying the inner side of the bark in strips next to the skin of the injured area, which reduces pain and swelling. It can also be made into a salve with spruce pitch and used on cuts/scrapes, and possibly shingles. To make the salve, dry and grind the inner bark, add the spruce pitch and infuse in olive oil. In this same book a recipe for making a tea used by Tlingit, Tsimshian, and Haida is as follows: 1. Cut a few sticks 5-6 feet long. Cut into 18-inch lengths. 2. Scrape off thorns and outer grey bark. Peel off inner green bark. 3. Put 2 handfuls of green inner bark in pot. Cover with 2 gallons cold water. Boil, then simmer 3 hours. 4. To enrich, add 3 different sprouting trees about 8 inches long: spruce, cedar, hemlock. Put in pot, roots and all. 5. Alder bark may be added for color and taste. Dose: 1 cup three times per day. In Janice Schofield's book, Discovering Wild Plants, she warns that devil's club lowers blood sugar levels. Diabetics should be aware and get medical advice before using it, because devil's club may lower insulin requirements. Be safe and enjoy nature's bounty. From my light to yours- |
Who We AreWISEfriends are several writers connected with Wrangell Institute for Science and Environment, a nonprofit organization located in Alaska's Copper River Valley. Most of these articles originally appeared in our local newspaper, the Copper River Record. Archives
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