Hello Spring! Local Edibles & The Passion of the Nervous System

I have been counting down the days!

The first days of Spring are here for 2017, and I could not be happier.
Warmer weather, the prospect of green growing things, getting dirty outside, and watching the food and medicine garden grow!

New to The Garden this year, will be some forgotten natives, like Maypop, our Native variety of Passionflower ----- wait did she say passionflower? As in PassionFRUIT?!

YES I DID....and Mmmmmm mmmmm!

pretty hubby climbing coconut trees  ;)

I have been obsessed with Passionfruit since visiting Thailand when I was young (so many new exciting flavors for a kid!), it's delicious tropical, sweet, tart and gloriously complex flavors, in a pretty little package, with nutritious seeds that can, and should be eaten too!

Tony and I were reminded of this savory stuff when we went to Hawaii a few years ago (a lovely honeymoon gift from my generous Mom in law) and spent time on Molokaii Island. (shhh don't tell him I posted this...)

"But Kat, that's a TROPICAL fruit..how will you grow it in Ohio?"

Some of you may remember my updates through IG this past Summer 2016 (ArtemisaAnima_KatFiror), one of the forages, were for our native Passionflower. P. incarnata is experiencing a resurgence to its rightful place in our local ecology, through conscious gardening with native varieties.

I am happy to report that so many people have planted them, that they seem to have found their way into some of our wild spaces again! And I hope this continues!

source: wikipedia

Passiflora incarnata
AKA Passion vine, Maypop, Field Apple
      --- Considered TRUE Passionflower ---- 
     belongs to the family of Passifloraceae 
Our US native variety of Passionflower, looks pretty much like the tropical varieties, and though native, is
very aggressive, and can be invasive in a garden. I believe this feature may be a reason why so many properties eradicated this beautiful vine, as farms, and then towns and cities grew.
This is sad, because Ohio natives have long forgotten our own food biodiversity and tropical-like fruit. I can't tell you how many people I know born and raised in the Midwest who have never seen or heard of a PawPaw either!

Native
In many herbals, incarnata is listed as Native to Virginia, however we have come to know it as a Southern, and South Eastern native here, ranging from Virginia to Florida and even Texas. It is hardy, the only variety of Passiflora that can be considered cold hardy. The variety has adapted to some extreme conditions; P. Incarnata is even found in states with zones ranging from 5a - 3b! (total official zones 5-11) Surviving and thriving in some area at -25 degrees F.

Seeding
P. incarnata is considered a 3 year perennial (but often live 5-7 years), vines die back in the winter, and grow back in Spring. New vines grow back aggressively from the seeds of fruit that have wintered on the ground.
It's seeds benefit from periods of cold, and will germinate better with periods of drought (hence why they are easier to find South). 

Many tropical varieties of Passionflower tend to have fruit that are yellow, orange, purple or green. Technically these fruit are considered berries, and can be found on almost every continent. 

In Hawaii we mostly ate "Lilikoi" P. edulis, a deep yellow/orange, and also eggplant color passion fruit with a similar, but different flavor and texture than US version. 

Our Southern to Midwest Passiflora has a bright green fruit skin, that turns closer to lemon yellow when ripe, that come from Purple alien looking flowers that bloom sometime in July here in the Midwest.

When the fruit is ripe & yellow, the skin becomes paper thin, and easy to tear open with your fingers, which is a bit different that the thick skinned tropical varieties that I have had over the years.

foraging photos 2016

Inside a fully ripe fruit, you will find black seeds covered in sweet pulpy fruit, sitting in delicious passion fruit juice you can slurp right out of the skin!

The flavor is just as intoxicating as the tropical version too! You can chew the whole seeds, pulp and all, they are actually quite pleasant in flavor and texture, unlike, for instance pomegranate seeds.

We have been lucky to sample items like homemade Lilikoi cheesecake (Hawaiian name for passionfruit) crunchy seeds and all, jams, salad dressings, and even fritters and barbecue sauces! 

The flavor is so versatile, and the fruit is packed full of nutritional benefits. Like other berries, Maypop is very high in antioxidants, and vitamins like K, C, Choline, B3, B6, B2, beta carotene, and trace minerals like Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium and as high as 1.6mg of Iron per fruit. The seeds are pleasant and nutritious, lending a nice, lightly crunchy texture to the rest of the fruit, or dishes made with it. I loved the Lilikoi cheesecakes and custard in Hawaii, with the seeds at the bottom with the crust.
 
herbal qualities & benefits
Look at that flower! Every time I find them, it feels like have stepped into a prehistoric, tropical world!

My foraging photos Summer 2016

As delicious as the Passion fruit is, it has amazing benefits in it's deeply lobed, three finger leaves.
(that's right, I lured you all in with the promise of sweets! Now down to business)
Some associate the herbal benefits with the flowers, however, there are minimal amounts of any medicinal constituents in the flowers ---- and I think it's a better idea to leave the blooms to the bees!

herbalists are typically very familiar with the powerful nervine properties of this herb, often enjoying it in a hot tea. We also add this herb to our topical salves, for pain relieving and muscle
relaxing benefits.

In traditions that use Passiflora, the herb has been used to treat or aide in recovery with most imbalances connected to the nervous system, issues like insomnia, chronic pain, inflammation, fevers, skin disorders having to due with inflammation, as an aide in upset stomach, cramps and emotional trauma. Homeopathy views it as an aide in treating seizures and conditions like epilepsy. 

In some varieties, like P. quadrangularis, the poisonous root is used as a strong narcotic in areas of South America, whereas P. maliformis, has small "ground apple" fruits, use juice of the leaves to help alleviate fevers.

Commercial Variety
most commercial dried herb companies sell 
Passiflora incarnata, because it is considered the "true" Passiflora for herbal medicine, which is native to not only the US, but the Western Hemisphere, and typically harvested in Central and South America, where they are referred to as "water lemons". 

Many mistake the name of this plant to mean that it is an aphrodisiac, a passion inducing herb. However the name was given by Spanish priests who, when seeing the flowers in the new land, claimed that it was the flower of Christ, and that you could tell the entire Crucifixion story through the parts of the flower (purple as the holy royal robes, the shape of the flower whisps as the thorned crown of Christ, the 10 sepals & petals are the apostles that remained loyal...I could go on.)

Our friends at Cooke Forest Medicinals 2016

There are many many varieties of Passiflora but all have similar nervine benefits. Referring to P. incarnata as "true passiflora" usually means it is the most studied variety for the medicinal constituents, not that it is any more true that varieties like P. edulis. The same can be said about the fact that although there are many many varieties of Echinacea (and all have medicinal qualities), you pretty much find E. purpurea and E. Angustifolia exclusively in herbal product, since they are the most studied varieties, and have confirmed suggested dosages. 

As far as medicine is concerned, the constituent Passiflorine, is the identified medicinal part of this plant, a chemical a lot like Morphine, but without the strong habit forming dangers.

by nervine herb, I am referring to a group of herbs, who's qualities are beneficial to the nervous system, usually taken to help heal & balance nervous system issues (think sleep disorders, chronic pain, and even symptoms like brain fog, migraines and fatigue).


More familiar than you think!
You may already be familiar with some nervine herbs, herbs like Chamomile tea, a traditional bedtime tea, known by the Ancients as the "Apple Scented Flower" or perhaps Catnip given to your favorite furbaby.
Others include herbs like Valerian root, Melissa, Scullcap, Avena sativa(oats), Linden, Feverfew, Lavender, Holy Basil, Hibiscus and many others.

My morning nervine herbal "fruit punch" blend

Each Nervine is Unique!
 Each Nervine herb has it's own level of effect and intensity, some like myself prefer Passiflora for it's gentler, cumulative effects. 

While herbs like Valerian root may be too intense, too fast acting, and for some, mildly habit forming (similar to drugs like vallium), for others, Valerian is the perfect fit.

Some nervines are considered stimulating nervines, some are not. It is up to each of us to find the herbs that work best with our bodies, and oftentimes that may take some exploration, study and advice from professional practitioners.

Feverfew & Herb harvest 2016

 Each of these herbs have their own unique benefits and uses as well, and are in some traditions, tied to a part or organ of the body, Ayurvedic constitution, Chakra or Energy center.

Chamomile for instance, has a long history of use in herbal eye washes, to treat infections and inflammation, given to those with strong Pitta types, like myself. People who's constitutions are fiery & who benefit from calming and cooling foods to balance our fire, and can help open and activate the heart and sacral chakra centers (often energy centers that these type have problems with, myself included).

Often blended with other cooling herbs like Mint or Chrysanthemum. Feverfew is a nervine that
assists in alleviating headaches and migraines.  

Catnip has been used by many cultures, and still today, to assist in alleviating a fever, often employed as a gentle, healing herbal tea or enema, given to children and the elderly.


The NS is important!
Nervine herbs have the ability to feed, nurture, rehabilitate and give strength back to our NS, where synthetic drugs numb the pain from NS issues, furthering the deadening of that feedback, nervine herbs actually work to repair and balance.

However, as was pointed out at a Symposium I attended a few years ago lead by Mark Blumenthal, we must "Bridge the Gap of Traditional and Allopathic modalities" because they are in fact complimentary to one another, and do not need to fight each other.
Gentle doses of nervine herbs have been used in tandem with pharmaceuticals and other medical modalities to the patient's benefit in some of the case studies we discussed.

We live in a culture where brushing off stress and emotional fatigue is considered normal --- and sickeningly necessary. We are expected to forgo real healthy life cycles for the 9-5, and most have no sick leave or time off to heal. 
Yet! stress is indicated in every major health study and publication as at the very least a major contributing factor to chronic illness, and even heavy hitters like heart and thyroid disease.
In the end, the damage done to our NS effects every aspect of our being, our personal relationships with others, ourselves, and well as our creativity and confidence. 

As Rosemary Gladstar points out in her Herbology courses, the nervous system is:
"It is that place, where life itself, conscious self awareness, attaches to the physical vehicle and converts the Puppet, into the Puppetteer...where we can dream, think abstractly, create.... 
it is the Primary Connection to the Universal Consciousness." 

A connection important to all humans, animals and plants, the NS is how we connect to our environment, the Universe...and each other!


In my studies and work, Passiflora has become one of my favorite and most used herbs.
They have been invaluable in helping to ease symptoms of having an auto-immune disease, since symptoms are triggered by stress. Passionflower herb is also invaluable to me with the everyday stresses and cycles of life.

Speaking of cycles, Passiflora is an important ingredient in my personal Moon Cycle tea for all of the intense symptoms of menses, from cramping to emotional and physical stress. I find that regular use of certain nervines in combination with other nourishing herbs stimulate the healing properties of using everyday nervine & other healing herbs in my diet.

Nervine herbs also have the ability to back up and help other herbs function effectively...

I often use nervines in tea blends meant to address other systems in distress or imbalance, because they assist the actions of those herbs. For instance, in my Moontime teas, I often formulate to address a symptom like cramping, which is better aided by a nervine that promotes relaxation and the body's ability to let go of tension. 

Often the biggest part of healing is in our ability to relax, let go, and accept healing, and helping your NS to be the best it can be is the beginning.

Additional Thoughts:
Food Biodiversity, Health & Earth

It is well known that having access to a diverse array of fresh foods (fruits, veggies, seeds, nuts, legumes, seaweeds, herbs, spices, teas, you get the idea) is one of the most important keys to good health and wellness. 

This is also true of the health and wellness of our local ecology. Forsaking our rich heritage of native edible and medicinal plants for, instead mono-cropping of corn, canola, soy and wheat (over 95% of current US agriculture)has depleted our top soil, and toxified our soil and water throughout the world to an alarming degree. This effects not only humans, but every creature and plant on this rock.
The loss of P. incarnata for instance, took a valuable food for many pollinators.

In addition, we have traded in the old world diets that gave us everything we needed for each part of our system, something hybridized and GMO grains cannot replace. We have broken the replenishing systems of life that were fueled and nourished by abundant biodiversity.

It is up to us to re-balance the abundance that our beautiful Earth already possessed.

I hope that you have enjoyed this post, and that it inspires you to learn more about our native edible and medicinal plants. 

Places to purchase Native Midwest & Easter Natives:
https://www.rollingrivernursery.com/
http://companionplants.com/  
http://www.sciotogardens.com/
https://www.facebook.com/CookeForest/

Sources: 
A Modern Herbal, M. Grieves, Volume 2
Rosemary Gladstar's Science & Art of Herbology Courses
Gaia Herbs, herb & botanical buyer trainings
Mountain Rose Herbs, Passiflora Profile, https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/products/passionflower/profile
The Permaculture Handbook, Peter Bane
Herbal Folk Medicine, Thomas Broken Bear Squire, pgs. 143-144
Edible Wild Plants, Eastern/Central North America, Pg. 94

Disclaimer: This blog and all information contained in it, is told through my own herbalist experience and studies, and should not be considered a form of medical consult, treatment or advice for your own ailments, and is to be used solely as an educational reference. ***NEVER pick and eat an herb, or take an herb that you are not 100% sure of. When learning plant identification, it is always advisable to learn in person from an experienced forager or other such professional.

Copyrights: this blog, and all photos and artwork (unless otherwise noted) are the artistic and intellectual property of Kat Firor Colque, will not be used, copied or re-purposed without express written permission from Kat Firor Colque.