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Autumn colors.
Submitted by Blog - Henriette on 7 October, 2005 - 10:00
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Botanical name:
Virginia creeper is very pretty in fall.
Here, have a look:
Pic: Creeping along a rockside in fall.
It's Parthenocissus quinquefolia, and it does have herbal uses.
Cook says "The bark and twigs are used. They are mildly stimulating to the mucous membranes and secreting organs, and slightly astringent".
That's fascinating. I should use it.
King's says to use the bark and young twigs with leaves as an "alterative, tonic, astringent, and expectorant", which also is more than I expected from what is considered purely ornamental, over here.
As you can see from the photo above, the things produce berries over here. Any use for those?
Comments
I've been trying to figure
I've been trying to figure this one out for a few years now. Mentally, I see it as a respiratory alterative with lymphatic properties, and mildly stimulating in nature. The flavor is acrid in th fresh fall gathered vine tincture, a bit sweeter in the dried. Maybe it falls somewhere between Mullein and butterfly weed (asclepias)?
Its not been easy to figure out... I need other mad scientists...err, self assessers to try it out with me...
Oh... our berries are
Oh... our berries are blue/black on red berry stems... do yours stay green?
Nah, it was just such a
Nah, it was just such a juicy color contrast to photograph.