Flower Moon in May: Columbines & Calendula

There are so many blooming ornamental plants in May: Cornus, Epimedium, Gaultheria, Grevillia, Hydrangea, Magnolia, Maianthemum, Rhododendron, Rubus, Viburnum, Wisteria, and so forth. In this case the best medicine is to go outside, get out of your head, take long walks in your local neighborhood or parks, smell flowers, and pay attention to the plants. Better yet - take your yoga mat to the park on a sunny day and set yourself up near some nice smelling flowers. My favorite place to see what's in bloom is at the Washington Park Arboretum - 130 acres and the second largest woody plant collection in the Western United States. (Don't harvest anything from there unless you are a rule breaker).

However you aren't going to make medicines out of those flowers. What flowers might you harvest in May? When considering what is abundantly available, you might try the more weedy flowers: Aquilegia (columbine), Calendula, Taraxacum, or Viola.

Aquilegia formosa

[Many colors of columbine grow in the arboretum at South Seattle College, May 10, 2017]

Western Columbine is in the same family as buttercup (Ranunculaceae) and is indeed beautiful, because it's flowering colors can be so varied within a small population - this is because they hybridize willingly [1]. The flowers can be eaten raw and added to salads, which apparently taste sweet because they are rich with nectar [1]. If you are going to eat the greens, they should be cooked [1]. Note that all parts of the plant contain cyanogenic glycosides so don't eat too much [2]. Although the body rapidly detoxes cyanides, they do inhibit oxidative cell processes, and with acute toxicity, can cause headaches, tightness in the throat and chest, and muscle weakness [3]. By comparison, bitter almonds are a high source of cyanides, which are commonly eaten.

Columbine was traditionally used by Native Americans as antispasmodic, diaphoretic, parasiticide, and salve, but is not used today in Western Herbalism. A decoction of the root was used for stomachaches, or mashed, fresh roots were rubbed on aching joints. Seeds were also chewed for stomachaches. A poulstice of chewed roots and leaves were applied to bee stings or sores. A decoction of the leaves was taken for sore throats, colds and coughs [1].

In addition, Native Americans would steep the flowers in hot water to use as a hair rinse [5]. So today I harvested a batch of flowers for making my own hair rinse. Since I haven't worked with this plant before, I feel like creating a hair rinse is a fairly safe introduction. The full moon PDT is at 2:42 pm today so I am harvesting as close to that time as possible, and processing immediately. Essentially I am steeping them in a decoction, after which I strain, bottle, and add a bit of apple cider vinegar so it lasts a little longer. Thank you beautiful plants!!

[Beautiful flowers in a pot that will receive some filtered water, May 10, 2017]

Calendula officinalis

I was first introduced to Calendula as an active ingredient in skincare products at the local market, and for a long time assumed it was only used topically, such as in salves. It was only years later when I started researching plants that I learned it is in the sunflower family (Asteraceae) and can cause a reaction for some people allergic to that plant family. Thank goodness I am not one of those people! The flowers are monoecious, which means either male or female, however they can both be found on the same plant [4]. (I am still learning how to tell them apart- see if you can.) Read my previous post about calendula here.

Calendula has a lot to offer for edibility: the leaves are nutritionally similar to dandelion, and the petals can be used as a saffron substitute [4]. The petals, high in carotenoids, are a good source of Vitamin A and C, and when dried, concentrate the flavor more [4]. Medicinally, they are antiseptic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, aperiant (relieve constipation), astringent, cholagogue (stimulating bile production), diaphoretic, emmenagogue, and vulnerary (wound healing) [4]. Calendula is most popular as a skin remedy for bites, stings, sprains, wounds, varicose veins, sore eyes, etc. A tea of the petals may be taken as an antiseptic to treat chronic infections [4].

It is a great plant for the garden - although a self-seeding annual that can get out of hand - because it is cheery and abundant. As a growing plant it can function to deter insects [4]. It has also been developed into a compost activator (dried and powdered with other plants) to speed up bacterial activity in compost piles [4] so you might explore that for yourself! You can use them to guess at weather forecasting, since the flowers close when wet weather is likely to occur [4]!

[Marigold in my garden, May 10, 2017]

I decided to add some petals of calendula to the Columbine Hair Rinse. The flowers are just starting to bloom now. As the summer progresses, and as they become more abundant, I am likely to experiment with food and salve making. As a gardener, my hands need all the help they can get.

Yoga for Inner Blooming

Practice chest and arm flowing exercises for a nice, gentle way to open your heart flower. Check out all the heart opening sequences on Yoga Journal. One way to discern if the movement or pose is safe is whether or not you can successfully achieve it without having to warm up. Warming up the body, such as with sun salutations, is great for getting deeper into poses - however your fascial framework is always functioning, no matter how cold your body is. To nurture more mindful opening, try working when you're feeling tight. Don't ever push. Just pay attention to where the tightness is and utilize easy, flowing movements to untangle stuck tissues. Borrowing from Traditional Chinese Medicine, the heart and pericardium meridians run through the core body and into the arms and fingertips, so you might focus on opening those channels. Or you might focus on the Anahata heart chakra, in the center of your chest, while you are moving, to give yourself something to stay present with. Most importantly, have fun!

[Really cool chart I found on the internet, May 11, 2017]

Works Cited

[1] Fisch. "Aquilegia formosa." Plants for a Future. May 10, 2017. http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Aquilegia+formosa
[2] Vizgirdas, Ray & Edna. Wild Plants of the Sierra Nevada. University of Nevada Press, 2009: p 62.
[3] Magnuson, Bernadene. "Cyanogenic glycosides." University of Idaho EXTOXNET. Summer 1999. May 20, 2017. http://extoxnet.orst.edu/faqs/natural/cya.htm
[4] L. "Calendula officinalis."Plants for a Future. May 10, 2017. http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Calendula+officinalis 
[5] Griffin, Judy. Mother Nature's Herbal. Llewellyn Publications, 1997: p 25.

Rose Medicine

Recently published Herbal Goddess by Amy Jirsa explores the intersection of teas, potions, salves, food, yoga and twelve different kinds of herbs. I find this text inspiring as I consider what 14 herbs are most important to me. One of her prized herbs is Rosa (my chosen name in high school Spanish). I am thinking about rose as I am about to teach a yoga class in a rose garden in a couple days. I will need to arrive a couple hours early to explore all the varieties. Since the garden is maintained by Woodland Park Zoo I imagine they use fertilizers so I won't be harvesting anything for medicine.

Jirsa claims rose petals are sedative, antiseptic, antii-inflammatory and anti-parasitic. Perfect ingredient for a gardeners salve, for wounds, cuts, and abrasions while digging around in soil. If taken internally, rose lowers body temperature and is anti-spasmodic - muscle relaxing. Excellent summer medicine to keep you cool. Go figure it blooms into the summer, indeed nature provides us with what we need at the right time. I now have a whole new understanding of the benefit of creating a rose water spritzer.

Jirsa also talks about "rose magic", where she constructs rituals for bringing love into your life, mending estranged relationships or infertility, manifesting dreams and beauty, as well as inviting peace. I love the possibility for any individual to create their own rituals in relationship to rose, which has so much cultural association such as love, compassion and friendship.

I realize how I designed an entire yoga class for heart opening and breathing exercises, yet how important it will be just to meditate and be among the roses themselves, without thinking of them in terms of medicine, or asking for love to enter our lives. But simply to experience friendship with all the little flowers. How easy it is for me to wrap my head around the medicinal value of plants but forget about being in relation with them.

That being said, I will let rose be a medicine. Susun Weed reminds us many of the fruits we eat are in the rose family: strawberries, raspberries, apples, plums, almonds, all Rosaceae. (All cooling summer foods, which combined could make amazing desserts!) Weed also claims rose petals contain hormonal precursors, which relieve pituitary, menstrual and menopausal problems. This corroborates with Jirsa's book, where she says rose petals are an emmenagogue, uterine tonic and nervine. It's no wonder roses are almost universally considered "feminine". I'd really love to make rose petal honey soon.