Pallet for Home

The herb world is a vast amazing realm once you step past the culinary doors. True, they hold great importance for flavoring of foods and drinks but one should never stop there. Come... Step into our Cottage herbal garden series. Be sure to close the gate. Black Cat, whom roams our woods and follows us about at times, may find it a welcome site. She came with the house and rather enjoys the herbs. Our catnip is most tempting.

Have you ever had a toothache, soar throat or gum's? How about cavities, Thrush or Athletes foot? Then you simply must see this plant.   It has many names like Eye Ball plant, Spilanthes & Peek a Boo, but I prefer it's traditional use name. The Toothache plant.

See the round cone yellow flowers with the blood red circle in the middle? That is where it received the name Eye Ball plant. Long ago, people noticed they looked like eyeballs jutting above it's greenery, making the nickname more memorable to many. Such a fun name. My children became intrigued when I mentioned we were growing the Eye Ball plant.

Beyond such a fun name, it has an effect many do not believe until they dared try it. Making a tea or chewing on the leaves/flowers of this herb have an analgesic effect. Numbing the mouth, gum's and throat. This plant also contains bacteriostatic, helping to fight tooth decay. You can also make a mouth rinse from the plants extract. If used daily, it will promote gum health. Make a tincture from the dried leaves & flowers with a very potent alcohol such as 80 proof or higher Vodka. Fill the jar as much as possible with the plant, then cover over with the alcohol. Shake a few times a day, stored in a cool unlit area such as an often opened {and re-mindful} kitchen cabinet such as one for dishes, would be ideal. I direct you to this link for further instructions on making your own tinctures *.

It is suggested depending on the purpose~

In my search for more use on this plant, I happened upon the blog of Growing Hermione's Garden.*A most captivating site for those interested in growing their own medicinal garden.

Its application for this is still widespread in Taiwan and many other parts of the world.It is actually well known in the Chinese medicine circles.

She mentions much more on it's use and antibacterial qualities as well as a bit on it's use for relaxing stress wrinkles.Can you imagine? I have not used it as such but one can not help to wonder if it has a tingle effect on the skin as it does for oral tissue. 

It is included that it has no particular odor, but when eaten it has an interesting flavor that slowly develops from pleasant and salty to a strong, tickling-burning pungency that leaves a numb feeling in the mouth. An interesting tidbit to add is that In India, the buds are used as flavoring in chewing tobacco.

Imagine how fun to see the faces of those unknowing individuals whom grab a leaf or flower head in the garden, to only have their mouths tingle & go numb. Go ahead. try it!

 

A few more herbs to share in this short Cottage Herbal series.Simply ones I find of importance for every garden to include. Or, as I have done, slowly add. I'm still waiting on my small package from England. My Baker Creek order arrived yesterday. For the first time, I included flower seeds. My only let down is discovering that the Peony poppies I ordered may not flower until the following summer. sigh... Wish that would have been in the description. 

I have my Garden layout to tweak some more and a visit to the Terrain website I hope to order that Boot Knocker* from. Actually, I desire much more but that knocker would be darling on my potter shed...that no one ever see's.  I DARE you to TRY a visit to this section* and not come away wanting...Oh how I adore their items. Thankfully the knocker is budget friendly but it may have to wait until all the plant & mushroom orders are done.