Wednesday, June 16, 2004

Mentha spicata, Spearmint, Yerba Buena I've been waiting for this mint to appear, so I was happy to discover it finally on today's walk. It comes up all along the irrigation ditch, and even in the gravel where the culvert passes under the lane, at the edges of the driveway. Wild spearmint is an introduced species you'll find in moist places just about everywhere in the U.S. Ate4a tea made from the leaves provides relief for the discomfort that follows a heavy meal. You can also add it in tincture form to foods--a dropperful in a pitcher of lemonade, carrot juice, or a batch of applesauce, for example, adds a great minty flavor. 2:16:44 PM    comment [] Cirsium pastoris (Cirsium occidentale var. candidissimum), Snow Thistle, Snowy Thistle From eNature's description: With its blaze of red flowers accentuated by white foliage, this is perhaps the handsomest thistle among a group considered to be composed of aggressive weeds. The genus name Cirsium comes form the Greek "kirsos," which means "swollen vein," for which thistles were a reputed remedy. Snowy Thistle is one of an intergrading complex of forms and is sometimes considered a subspecies of C. occidentale. The thistles in this group vary, some with less densely hairy foliage, others with grayer hairs; some have white, rose, or purple disk flowers. These various forms occur from northern to southern California. Here's one I photographed a week ago, before the buds leaped out and opened: 1:26:46 PM    comment []

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