What Herbs are shown in the Wallpaper?

The backgrounds (which show appropriately on 480 x 600 res and overlap after that) are just large jpg's of two of the herbs I had drying in my cabin. When I first started this webpage (which is edition 1, by the way), I thought I'd use a different herb pic as the wallpaper for each section. When the whole thing started to climb past 450KB, however, I had to reconsider, so I've just gone with two.

For the opening screen, and some others, I've used a faded pictures of Chinese Lanterns, also known as Cape Gooseberry and Winter Cherry. Generally seen as a decorative plant, I don't think this is commonly used in herbal medicine in North America, but, in Europe, Bunney makes the following notation.

"The ripe fruits, without the calyx, contain a bitter compound (physalin), alkaloids, organic pigments and vitamin C. They are diuretic and can be used to treat kidney and urinary disorders, gravel, gout, arthritis and rheumatism. Because of their high concentration of vitamin C the fresh berries are also beneficial during convalescence. They can be eaten on their own (in small quantities, otherwise they may cause diarrhoea), in jam. or made into a tea." (p. 214)

I've tried the fruit, which is quite bitter and tastes like it must be loaded with vitamin C. It tends to mellow after a few months of storage, however, when it becomes more raisin-like. I thought I'd throw that one in for discussion since I haven't seen it mentioned in most of the North American herbal guides.

By contrast, the second is a picture of a good old North American "must have" in every herbal cupboard. Though it's harder to recognise in the dried form, this is St. John's Wort, a wonderful, common wild herb with astringent, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, sedative, and vulnerary properties which acts as a nervous system restorative.

It's useful in treating anxiety, bruises, depression, fibrositis, gastric ulcers, insomnia, irritablility, nervous exhaustion, neuralgia, rheumatic pain, sciatica, sunburn (with the oil infusion), varicose veins and wounds. By far the most interesting thing about St. John's Wort, however, is the attention that it is now getting as a possible treatment for the AIDS (HIV) virus. For more information about this research you might want to link to HIVnAlive, or for general information about this herb, click here.

There is one caution with respect to St. John's Wort that I have not personally found to be a problem, but it is well worth noting and you can also find more information about this in the links. It is known to increase photosensitivity, so taking larger quantities of the herb and then spending a lot of time in the sun could lead to deramtitis. There are also reported cases of contact dermatitis, that is, a skin reaction in sensitive individuals from handling the plant. Neither of these cautions should present a problem if regular quantities of the herb are used in the form of a tincture or dried herb tea.

All in all, even with the cautions taken into consideration, this is a wonderful herb. (The calming effects alone make it well worth including in the next batch of tea you offer your mother-in-law.) Hmmm.. How can I deny having said that when it's right here on the web page ............?

Back to the Herb Index.