Answers:
#1: Agave, "century plant," Agave americana
This plant is native to Mexico and it has been used for a very wide-range of uses including: food, herbal medicine (Antiseptic, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Laxative), and a wide-range of utilitarian uses such as Fibre, Insecticide, Needles, Paper, Soap, and Thatching.
#2: Wild Geranium, Geranium maculatum
This plant is native to the woodlands of Eastern North America and it has been used for herbal medicine (antiseptic, astringent, diuretic, styptic, and tonic), and dyeing. It is a beautiful and easy to care for garden plant.
#3 American Elderberry, Sambucus canadensis
This shrub is native to most of North America east of the Rocky Mountains and is adaptable to many growing conditions. The flowers and ripe fruit are very edible, though other parts of the plant including the unripe berries are toxic. Various parts of the plant have been used for a wide range of uses including: Anti-inflammatory, Birthing aid, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emetic, Expectorant, Laxative, Purgative, Stimulant, Dye, Fungicide, Insecticide, Repellent, and other Utilitarian purposes.
#4 Marshmallow, Althaea officinalis
This plant, native to Africa, is an herb used since ancient times. While the roots of this plant used to be used in the making of the "marshmallow" confections, they are no longer today -- but the candy still bears the name that harkens back to its roots! This plant is also a popular medicinal herb in western herbal traditions. Marshmallow has been used for: food, antitussive, demulcent, diuretic, emollient, laxative, odontalgic, adhesive, fibre, and oil. It is a large and carefree perennial at home in the ornamental flower garden as well as herb garden.
#5 Papyrus, Cyperus papyrus
This aquatic, perennial plant is a native to Africa where it forms tall stands of reed-like vegetation in shallow water, such as historically along the banks of the Nile River. This herb is a very good example that not all herbs are "herbs" because of culinary or medicinal uses. Some are herbs because of their "raw material" or utilitarian uses and this plant has an extremely long history of utilitarian use indeed. As you may have guessed from the botanical name, this is the plant from which papyrus paper was made from. Papyrus was the paper used by the Ancient Egyptians to record all manner of information on. Some of those ancient papyrus documents have survived to our day and have helped us greatly to understand Ancient Egyptian culture, language, and history. Our word "paper" has it origins in the word "papyrus" so the next time you pull out a sheet of paper, think on this wonderful herb!
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| Herb #1 - Common Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca |
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| Herb #2 - Dogbane (Indian Hemp), Apocynum cannabinum |
#6 Dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum) & Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Rather than write of what these herbs are used for, I wish to say that being able to 100% correctly identify any plant or herb that you wish to ingest or use medicinally AND any look-a-likes is the most important part of harvesting anything in the gardens or in the wild. As you can see, these plants do look much the same in the spring when people are harvesting milkweed shoots to cook and eat them like asparagus. Careless or ill-prepared wildcrafters could wind up in the Emergency Room or worse if mistakes are made. Always be sure and be safe in all your wildcrafting and harvesting endeavors.
