Do you need a sturdy vine to act as a privacy barrier on a fence? Or like the look of a vining plant up over an archway? Well, hops is your friend. Hops is also your friend if you like some of Asheville’s local beers.
Author: Lee Warren
Showing 1-9 of 9 results
Wild Things: Roasting Fennel Seeds
Lovers of Indian food will recognize the roasted fennel seeds mixed with candies that are offered as an after-meal digestive aid and breath freshener.
Wild Things: Indigenous wild yam
Medicinally, wild yam has a long and highly acclaimed history. The Mexican wild yam, a relative of our North Carolina variety, is the plant that led to the development of the birth control pill.
Wild Things: Prepare an herbal oil in 10 minutes or less
I marched out to the garden, determined to make good on the squirrel’s accident. In short order, I harvested about 12 comfrey leaves (vibrant due to all the rain), chopped them up, put them into two small jars, and covered them with regular olive oil. I labeled them and stuck them on my counter where it’s dark and dry.
Wild Things: Pesto makin’ time
But, hold on, here’s where the wild part comes in. Consider adding in fresh wild greens to enhance the nutritional and medicinal benefits. I usually add just a one or two leaves so as to maintain the basil flavor.
Wild Things: Beware of the hitchhikers
My friends think I’m crazy. Walking down a beautiful mountain path, be it public or private, all else will cease to exist for me except this plant that I ungraciously pull from its roots on the spot. I unceremoniously stop the conversation, veer off course, and decisively rip it from the ground.
Wild Things: Yarrow in the Garden
Yarrow may not be in your herbal medicine chest yet, but it is one plant you don’t want to do without! It has legendary medicinal qualities — both for humans and the earth — and is quite lovely to boot. So if you’re curious about this extraordinary herb, perhaps a better introduction is in order …
WIld things: Passionflower, the large purple fairy of a flower
In this edition of “Wild Things,” author and herbalist Lee Warren takes a closer look at one of the most beautiful wild plants you’ll ever see in Western North Carolina.
Homemade herbal vinegars
At my home, we go through a lot of herbal vinegar. It’s amazing how much. Fortunately, it’s easy to make.