Santolina - Herb of the Week

I chose a bug repelling herb for this week's herb of the Week: 
         Santolina  or Lavender Cotton 
        (Santolina chamaecyparissus)

A popular colonial herb for repelling insects it is still popular among the Pennsylvania Dutch.  Native to the Mediterranean, like so many of today’s herbs, it was especially common in North Africa.

It was a traditional herb for eye health. Grey santolina – also known as lavender cotton – is sometimes used in herbal medicine; and it has been used as a natural dye, in potpourris, as a moth repellent, and as the source of an essential oil. 

Since Elizabethan times it has been fashionable to keep Santolina clipped into tiny hedges for knot gardens.  The feathery foliage and the shrub-like growth make it a perfect plant for a clipped edging.

To Grow

A half-hardy evergreen shrub with a three-foot spread and yellow button flowers and feathery deep-cut foliage.  Coming in two colors, bright green S, vand silvery gray from a distance it looks like cotton, giving it the common name ‘ Lavender Cotton.’ The silver gray variety is often used in moon gardens as it picks up and reflects moon light very well.

Sow seed in spring in a greenhouse. Does not require pre-treatment. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant seed indoors 8 weeks before your last Spring frost date.  Wait until all danger of frost has passed to transplant the seedlings outdoors.  It can also be grown from cuttings of half-ripe side shoots, 2 to 4 inches long with a heel, place in a cold frame in July/August. Roots within 2 weeks. The heeled cuttings can also be placed directly into the open garden in early July and should be well-rooted by the winter. Root division can be done in spring or autumn. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer. Layering can also be used to graft new plants or to fill holes in a hedge.

To raise Santolina, you need six hours of full sun a day and a sandy soil.  If your soil conditions are not already sandy, you can make a soil mixture of 2 parts garden soil, 2 parts peat moss, 2 parts sand and 1 part compost.  Dig a whole for each plant that is twice the size of the root ball.  Set the plant in the hole and fill in the surrounding area with the soil mixture.  Tamp it down and soak with warm water, then let nature do the rest of the watering.

Space the plants 18 to 24 inches apart in a garden bed, or 12 to 15 inches if you are creating an edging or fence.  The plant will need regular clipping in Spring and summer.  Avoid cutting it back in fall as that will limit its ability to survive winter weather.  You can grow it in a container outside, but it generally does not live through the winter indoors.

To Use

The grey santolina, S. chamaecyparissus, is the one usually mentioned in the herb literature. It has a variety of little known uses. For example, the leaves are used for flavoring broths, sauces and dishes, but no doubt the taste is an acquired one. Probably it is best used sparingly at first until you get a feel for what it can contribute to a dish. Lavender cotton is sometimes used in herbal medicine; and it has been used as a natural dye, in potpourris, as a moth repellent, and as the source of an essential oil. 

The leaves and flowering tops are antispasmodic, disinfectant, and stimulant. Lavender cotton is rarely used medicinally, though it is sometimes used internally to treat poor digestion and menstrual problems. When finely ground and applied to insect stings or bites, the plant will immediately ease the pain. Applied to surface wounds, it will hasten the healing process by encouraging the formation of scar tissue. The leaves and flowering stems are harvested in the summer and dried for later use.

You can pot up the silver/gray Santolina and bring it inside into the shape of a Christmas tree.  In a sachet it will repel moths. A foot bath with Santolina will relax and soothe feet after a hike or day of shopping. You can lay the branches in drawers under carpets and in closets to deter moths and other insects.

Santolina makes a great base for herbal wreaths and the yellow flowers add great color to potpourri. Santolina is generally not a culinary herb and internal use should be avoided. One warning if you plan to experiment with santolina as a culinary herb: bruised santolina leaves are known to cause severe skin rashes in sensitive people. 

Recipes

Foot Bath

4 - 10 inch branches of fresh santolina

2 quarts hot water

1 Tbls. olive oil or caster oil

Place herbs in a basin and crush with the back of a spoon.  Pour in hot water and oil.  Place feet in basin and cover with a towel.  Relax for about 10 minutes, then dry your feet.

Moth Bag Recipe

1 part wormwood

1 part spearmint

1 part santolina

1 part rosemary

1/4 part crushed coriander

Dry and crumble the ingredients, mix together and place in a muslin or cotton bag.

Artemisia - Herb of the Week

This week I was out moving / relocated plants in the herb garden (in-between terrible rain storms) and spent much time with all of my Artemisias.  They are a drought loving plant so last year was a good year for them and they are the largest and hardiest of my returning plants in 2013. 

So since my fingers are covered with the powerful and unique scent of

Artemisia I chose them all as the herb of the week.

The genus Artemisia (which includes over 400 plants) may also be named after an ancient botanist. Artemisia was the wife and sister of the Greek/Persian King Mausolus from the name of whose tomb we get the word mausoleum. Artemisia, who ruled for three years after the king's death, was a botanist and medical researcher, and died in 350 B.C.   However, the prevailing belief is that the plant is named for the goddess Artemis, the genus is dominated by subshrubs, many evergreen or nearly evergreen. As plants with a long history of use as medicinals to treat a variety of complaints, they have always been represented in herb gar­dens. Gardeners value them for their beautifully cut foliage in the sterling to gray range, versatility of forms from ground-hugging to tall shrubs, and their dependabil­ity. Bitter properties, present to some degree in all artemisias, are due to the chemical thujone, which gives them their characteristic bracing aroma and medic­inal value as a treatment for intestinal worms. Some have an important place in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and many are choice for crafts (especially wreaths).

Silver king bundles to make a wreath

Artemisia belongs to the daisy family Asteraceae. It comprises hardy herbs and shrubs known for their volatile oils. They grow in temperate climates of the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere, usually in dry or semi-dry habitats. The fern-like leaves of many species are covered with white hairs. Common names used for several species include mugwort, sagebrush, sagewort, and wormwood, while a few species have unique names, notably Tarragon (A. dracunculus) and Southernwood (A. abrotanum). Most species have strong aromas and bitter tastes compounds in the leaf that exist as an adaptation to discourage plant eaters. The small flowers are wind-pollinated.

artemisia schimiditania

When purchasing artemisias, do be aware that taxonomic confu­sion abounds among artemisias: species are shifted around, plants are sold under names that have no botanical standing and plants with the same names may bear little resemblance to one another (while plants with different names appear very much alike!).

The aromatic leaves of many species of Artemisia are medicinal, and some are used for flavoring. Most species have an extremely bitter taste. Artemisia oils had inhibitory effects on the growth of bacteria, yeasts and dermatophytes.

Artemisinin (from Sweet wormwood, Artemisia annua) is the active ingredient in the anti-malarial combination therapy Coartem produced by Novartis and the World Health Organization. A few species are grown as ornamental plants, the fine-textured ones used for clipped bordering. All grow best in free-draining sandy soil, unfertilized, and in full sun.

The broken pieces cut from the top of the plant are used in Asia to prepare a wide range of herbal medications. Herbal teas and tinctures made from the artemisia are well known to practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine - or TCM. Chinese traditional medical doctors usually supply artemisia and call this herb as well as all the products made from by the name - yen chen hao. Artemisia based herbal products can be obtained from shops that sell traditional Chinese medicine.  There are many who feel artemisia is not an herb to take internally.  I never have.

Artemisia’s also have a literary history.  The bitterness of the plant led to its use by wet-nurses for weaning infants from the breast and was referred to by Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet (Act I, Scene 3.)  Shakespeare also refers to the herb as "Dian's bud" (Diana being the Roman incarnation of Artemis) in Midsummer Night's Dream, as the antidote to the love potion concocted from the flower "Love in Idleness" (the pansy) that Oberon and Puck use to enchant the lovers:

Oberon: ...

Be as thou wast wont to be:

See as thou wast wont to see:

Dian's bud o'er Cupid's flower

Hath such force and blessed power.

MND 4.1.70-73

A Few of the Genus

tarragon

Artemisia  dracunculus (Tarragon) is the most widely know of this family.  It is a culinary herb particularly important in French Cuisine. I posted an entire blog on this culinary Artemisia back in February 2012

Artemisia absinthium (Absinth Wormwood) was used to repel fleas and moths, and in brewing (wormwood beer, wormwood wine). The aperitif vermouth (derived from the German word Wermut, "wormwood") is a wine flavored with aromatic herbs, but originally with wormwood. The highly potent spirits absinthe and Malört also contain wormwood. Polish vodka Zoladkowa Gorzka is flavoured with wormwood. Wormwood has been used medicinally as well.

Artemisia arborescens (Tree Wormwood, or Sheeba in Arabic) is a very bitter herb indigenous to the Middle East that is used in tea, usually with mint. In small quantities (in tea) its believed to have medicinal properties, pacifying various kinds of digestion turmoils. In larger doses it may have some hallucinogenic properties. In Israel Artemisia is sometimes referred to by the name "Shiva", the Queen of Sheba.

Artemesia stelleriana is known as 'Dusty Miller'.

Artemisia capillaris is the plant known as both Artemisia and Wormwood in traditional Asian herbal literature. This plant is a bushy perennial shrub that can reach 2 to 4 feet high - from 60 to 120 centimeters. This is the plant found in the wild in the forest of East Asia, and a native to the island of Taiwan, the Japanese islands and the northern parts  the People’s Republic of China.

Artemisia ludoviciana

Artemisia ludoviciana 'Silver King' is native to the western United States although I grew it quite well beginning with my first herb garden here in Illinois. It is commonly called white sage because of the appearance of its foliage: lance-shaped leaves (to 4” long) are silver-white, pubescent and somewhat sage-like in appearance. 'Silver King' is a compact cultivar that features leaves and stems that are somewhat more slender than the species. It is a generally upright perennial that is grown for its attractive foliage that adds texture and contrast to gardens.  Not only is it nice in the garden, but I used it dried to create wreath bases and to make tree shaped table decorations that I covered with holiday ornaments at Christmas time.

Artemisia schmiditiana (Mugwort)

Artemisia schmiditiana is the most common found in herb gardens in Illinois.  This is the species known most commonly as Silver Mound, Mugwort, and Wormwood. This cultivar is best known for its bug repelling qualities.  Some have taken dried Wormwood, placed it inside a coffee filter to form a sort of "pod" and then placed them under furniture and such as a natural way of repelling fleas from their home.

Artemisia annua (Sweet Annie flowering)

Artemisia annua (Sweet Annie) has fern-like leaf, bright yellow flowers, and a slightly more sweet  camphor-like scent. Its height averages about 3 to 4 feet on a single stem, with alternating branches, and alternating leaves.  As a result this is a perfect plant for making aromatic wreaths.

To Grow

Artemisia is very easy to grow, it manages to grow very well in slightly alkaline loamy soil or in well drained soils - the plant grows well in places exposed to good sunlight throughout the day. It is hardy from zone 3 to 10.  Artemisia is quite tolerant to drought and low moisture conditions. In fact, plants grown in poor and dry soils are actually longer lived, much hardier and have more of the prized aromatic quality. When grown in temperate places like Britain, this species will probably not be as hardy in all parts of the country as temperature varies quite a lot along the length of the British Isles - however, artemisia can easily tolerate temperatures that are as low as -5° C. Another notable feature of all the plants included in this genus is their resistance to the honey fungus - a common fungus that affects many plants. At the same time, plants in this genus are rarely troubled by deer and other browsing animals.

Artemisia is usually propagated using the seeds. These seeds are sown on the soil surface in late winter and sometime in the early summer when they are grown in a greenhouse. When the seeds germinate and seedlings become large enough to handle, they are pricked and sorted out into individual pots and then plant out in the summer months. Plants are also grown from cuttings of the half ripe wood; these are placed in a frame sometime in July or August. They are then divided in the spring or autumn.

Recipes

I use Sweet Annie crumbles on rugs throughout my house. Let them sit a day or two on the carpet if you can, then vacuum up. It leaves a great fresh smell that is freshening and takes away musty smells and pet odors as well as being a flea repellent.  The Backyard Patch has two different moth repellent sachets each with a different combination of Artemisa.

Herbal Moth Repellent

 This blend is both naturally antiseptic and antimicrobial.

¼ cup dried thyme

¼ cup whole cloves

¼ cup wormwood

¼ cup sweet annie

Combine the herbs in a small bowl.  Place a tablespoon of the mixture in a small cloth bag or tea ball.  To use, tuck into drawers or hang in your closet.

Moth Chaser Potpourri (adapted from a recipe by Kathleen Kips)

4 C. dried moth repellant herbs: tansy, santolina, southernwood, wormwood, and thyme any combination.

1/2 C. dried lavender foliage

1/2 C. bay leaves, crushed

1/4 C. mixed spices slightly crushed

1/2 C. cedar chips

1/4 C. cut orris root or cellulose fiber

15 to 20 drops cinnamon essential oil

25 to 30 drops lavender oil

25 to 30 drops lemon grass essential oil

15 to 20 drops patchouli essential oil

(Note: combine oils before adding to orris root or cellulose fiber.)

Directions:

Blend all ingredients together. Store in airtight container for about two weeks to allow  fragrances to blend. Tie in cloth squares, put in small muslin bags or tie in old hankies. Tuck in trunks and drawers, hang from hangers and put in closet corners. Put in suitcases, lockers and trunks. Put under car seat. Refresh with a few drops of oil once yearly or crush spices to release more scent. 

Five ways to use Lavender in Your Home this fall

No other herb is quite so prized for its fragrance and beauty, or more evocative of romance than lavender.  The season for harvesting lavender has just passed and I have a number of screens full of dried buds.  

Lavender has a laundry list of good-for-you properties.  It is antiseptic, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-convulsive, and anti-depressant. Lavender benefits stress, anxiety, exhaustion, irritability, headaches, migraines, insomnia, depression, colds, digestion, flatulence, upset stomach, liver and gallbladder problems, nervousness, and loss of appetite.  With this in mind, I glanced through just a few notes in my file drawer and came up with five great ways to put lavender to work for you.

Relaxing Lavender Bath
Make a strong infusion by adding a handful finely chopped lavender leaves and flowers to a cup of boiling water. Let it steep 10 minutes, strain and add to your bath.  Lavender will not only relax you with its scent but will reduce the stressful feelings with it essential components.

Drowsy Potpourri
Fill a bowl by your bedside with rose petals and dried lavender flowers. Add a drop or two of lavender essential oil. Finger the bowl before drifting to sleep.

Sleepy Sachets
Put lavender flowers and a few drops of essential oil in sachets to slip beneath pillow or inside the pillow case for a soothing release of scent if you wake or turn in the night. Or if you don’t have time pick up a few Lavender Sachets from the Backyard Patch to slip into Birthday cards and hostess gifts.

Lavender Moth BagsMix equal parts of the herbs from the following list. Place them inside muslin bags or if you are feeling especially crafty, sew squares of thin cotton or use heat seal tea bags to create sachets.  Lay them in with your blankets and towels or put them in between your clothes in the drawer.

Dried Herbs to use:

lavender flowers

lavender leaves

mint

rosemary

southernwood

santolina

marjoram

  

The Backyard Patch makes two different Moth Sachets as part of our Green Cleaning line and one has a recipe very similar to this one, using lavender to combat bugs in storage.

Lavender Room SprayAdd 5 drops lavender essential oil to 50 ml distilled water in an atomizer. You will need to shake the atomizer vigorously before each use. Do not make large quantities as the keeping time is relatively short.

Hope you enjoy this short list and remember to use your lavender for all the seasonal effects of shorter days and time changes.

Tidbits from Phyllis Shaudys on using herbs

Recently I was cleaning off my desk and found I had pulled out my copy of Phyllis Shaudys' The Pleasure of Herbs: A Month-by-Month Guide to Growing, Using and Enjoying Herbs (Storey Communications, 1986).  This was the first book I had on herbs when I started growing and using them.  It was recommended by my friend Elizabeth and I still refer to it on a regular basis.  I now have two copies, this one, and a hardback reprint from Barnes and Noble from 1997.  That means that I can truly use this as a resource and carry it out to the garden, haul it around to lectures and bring it with me to farmer’s market and other shows I do.  It is beginning to look well loved as you can see.

Phyl (as she called herself) recommended actively marking your herb books so you could easily find things you wanted again in future.  However, she suggested you mark the books with a marker or a highlighter.  I cannot do that!  It is probably the historian in me, or maybe the museum curator I was for more than 20 years, but marking a book in any permanent way is beyond my sensibilities.  Instead I fill them with slips of paper marking the pages.  Occasionally I also write in them in pencil. 

The great off shoot of marking a page this way is the rediscovery of what I was thinking when I marked it the first time.  Was it the recipe, the clever wording, or the gardening suggestion which can all be found on the same page?  I realize quickly that this method gives me a fun way to reinvestigate my books.  I open to a marked page and try to remember what I was thinking on the day I slipped in the marker.  In the process I usually find something I overlooked the first time or some tidbit I am now curious about which I may not have been at the time.

I am willing to admit that perhaps there are too many slips in some books, and in a desire to remove some from Phyl’s book I started going from marker to marker so that I could collect the ideas in my computer or in a notebook and take the slips out to save the binding.  I spent several hours on a cloudy rainy March Saturday doing just that, but I am not sure I saved the book much wear and tear.  The top photo is the slips when I started; at the bottom is when I finished.  Oh well!  A well-written herb book is full of discoveries!

Here are a few things I discovered (or rediscovered as the case may be) as I went through Phyl’s book looking at my previously placed book marks.

1. If you love silver, have you though of a Silver Garden?  Plant gray santolina, dittany of Crete, eucalyptus, horehound, lamb’s ear, lavender, mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) and other artemisias like Silver King, Silver Queen, Silver mound and wormwood.  Come fall you can weave these silver plants into amazing seasonal wreaths.

Quick Caraway Cheese Bread

4 cups flour

½ cup sugar

2 Tbls. baking powder

2 tsp. salt

2 eggs, slightly beaten

½ cup vegetable oil

2 cups grated Cheddar Cheese

2/3 cup crumbled bacon

2 tsp. caraway seeds

Grease bottom and sides of two of a 9x5x3” loaf pans.  Place all ingredients, except bacon, cheese and caraway in a large mixing bowl.  Beat on medium speed ½ minutes scraping sides and bottom constantly.  Stir in remaining ingredients, divide batter into prepared pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes.  Cool in pans for 10 minutes, remove from pans and cool thoroughly.  Makes two loaves and freezes well.

• 2.   Closet bouquets of moth repellant herbs make interesting and timely gifts for the coming season.  Dried branches of rue, tansy, wormwood, southernwood, mint, lavender, rosemary, pennyroyal and thyme can be used alone or in any combination.  Best if wrapped lightly in cheesecloth (so dried leaves don’t mess up the closet floor) and tied with colorful loops of ribbon for hanging.

• 3.   The enjoyment of lavender and roses extends far beyond their beauty and fragrance in the gardens; as fresh arrangements in potpourri and for years to come in sweet sachets, bags and pillows.

• 4.   Treat yourself and others to fresh or dried “Mixed Cooking Herbs” equal parts of thyme, savory, and parsley with smaller amounts of marjoram and / or lemon thyme.  This can be used for everything!  Try it instead of salt on meats, fish, vegetables, eggs.  Add chives or onions or lemon juice or peel if desired.