Tag Archives: medicinal herb

Dill is a useful herb, but many people struggle to grow it

Posted on May 20, 2019 by tedmanzer

Everyone has eaten dill pickles, by themselves or in salads or sandwiches. Some love them and some may not, but dill (Anethum graveolens) is a spice often overlooked. Many folks try to grow it in their herb gardens with varied … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Cilantro is a versatile herb with a long history

Posted on April 30, 2019 by tedmanzer

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) is an annual herb used in numerous recipes from various cultures. It’s also known by different names, including coriander, Mexican parsley and Chinese parsley. It’s been cultured for at least 5000 years. Many Egyptian tombs contain seeds … Continue reading →

Posted in foraging | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Comfrey is a plant of many misconceptions

Posted on April 25, 2019 by tedmanzer

Pick up any book on poisonous plants and comfrey will be in it. It is an old-time herb that has been used for centuries for various things. Some folks eat it. Some make tea. Some make topical medicines from it. … Continue reading →

Posted in foraging | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Wild fennel is an invasive weed, but I still like it.

Posted on April 16, 2019 by tedmanzer

Actually, it’s not truly wild. It’s escaped and naturalized, and it has been for a long time. Wild fennel is like fennel found in nurseries and stores, and you can find it anywhere. I ran into a bunch of it … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Agaves can be dual purpose succulents

Posted on November 22, 2018 by tedmanzer

It’s nice to be able to go on vacation and not worry about houseplants or flower gardens. There are two ways to accomplish this. The first is to set up an automatic watering system. The second is to choose plants … Continue reading →

Posted in general nature | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Catnip and catmint are confusing cousins

Posted on November 14, 2018 by tedmanzer

To most folks they are interchangeable. Catnip and catmint are closely related perennial herbs in the mint family. If I had to state their greatest deference it would be that catmint has more ornamental value. Catnip is more of a … Continue reading →

Posted in general nature | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mullein is a useful drought tolerant weed

Posted on July 23, 2018 by tedmanzer

Common mullein (Verbascum thapsus) is that tall fuzzy leaved plant that many people confuse with lamb’s ear. Once plants begin to flower, the two bear fewer similarities. Mullein has taller flower stalks with yellow flowers and those of lamb’s ear … Continue reading →

Posted in foraging | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Clary Sage is an important crop in northeast North Carolina

Posted on May 13, 2018 by tedmanzer

Most folks have seen it from their vehicles.  Few likely know what it is or why it’s grown. Some might say that the flowers look like those of salvia. They’d be right. The plant in question is clary sage (Salvia … Continue reading →

Posted in foraging | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments