PLANT OF THE MONTH
May, 2009
Plant of the Month Feature
by Anne Schmidt
Arboretum Roots Board Member
May Baskets - An Invasion of the Heart
For this merry month of May, I will cover two topics - May Baskets and the "invasive" plants used to fill them. As a child, I remember making May baskets from multi-colored construction paper, home-made glue (flour and water mixture) and bunches of beautiful flowers harvested from my own backyard. The flowers included Lily of the Valley, Violet, and Dandelion, often deemed troublesome by the landowner. After arranging the leafed lovelies into the basket, I would sneak to my favorite neighbor's (Mrs. Gool) and silently leave the basket hanging on her front door. I wonder if she didn't see me and that was the reason she always invited me to her house on Saturday afternoons to lick the batter remains from the bowl of her famous chocolate cake! I would heartily agree that Lily of the Valley, Violet, and Dandelion are indeed "invasive" for they do invade the hearts of many who receive them with a sense of childish wonder at the beauty of Spring.
May Baskets
The tradition of the ancient Roman and Druid holiday of May Day has endured for centuries. It has been a celebration of Spring turning into the pleasures of Summer. Gathering flowers and branches became a tradition and "bringing in the May" became a popular activity on May 1. The giving of baskets became part of the festivities later in the evolution of May Day. Fading in popularity since the late 20th century is the giving of May Baskets, which are often made by children, filled with candy or flowers and then placed on people's doorsteps or tied to the door handle, as they ring the bell and dash away before they are caught. If the basket giver were caught, a kiss was to be exchanged.
Lily of the Valley - Convallaria majalis - is a slow but aggressive spreader. These "lilies" will tolerate dry conditions but after blooming the foliage will die back. Constant moisture will keep the plants green throughout the growing season. They prefer shade and will grow in most soil types. Fragrant bell shaped flowers are followed by glossy red berries. I remember as a child having many sweet-smelling plants grow under the hedge separating our yard from the neighbor's.
Ordinary Violet, Common Blue Violet, Sweet Violet, Garden Violet - Viola rostrata - prefers broken soil with good drainage. The flower color is extremely variable, and this "invasive" can be found growing in most any soil or situation.
According to an article by Deb Jackson and Karen Bergeron on the Altnature.com website, violets are easily cultivated through root cuttings or seeds. With over 900 species, plant identification to the exact is an expertise in itself; however, all have practically the same medicinal and edible herb values.
The Ancient Greeks considered the Violet a symbol of fertility and love. They used it in love potions. Pliny recommended that a garland of them be worn about the head to ward off headaches and dizzy spells.
Dandelion - Taraxacum officinale - is a perennial, herbaceous plant with long, lance-shaped leaves. They're so deeply toothed, they gave the plant its name in Old French; Dent-de-lion means lion's tooth in Old French.
There are no poisonous look-alikes. Dandelions are especially well-adapted to a modern world of "disturbed habitats," such as lawns and sunny, open places. They were even introduced into the Midwest from Europe to provide food for the imported honeybees in early Spring. They now grow virtually worldwide. Dandelions spread further, are more difficult to exterminate, and grow under more adverse circumstances than most competitors. Most gardeners detest them, but the more you try to weed them out, the faster they grow! You can also eat dandelion flowers, or use them to make wine. I have an old family recipe for Dandelion Wine, if you are interested. The leaves are more nutritious than anything you can buy. They're higher in beta-carotene than carrots. The iron and calcium content is phenomenal, greater than spinach. The specific name, officinale, means that it's used medicinally. The decoction is a traditional tonic. It's supposed to strengthen the entire body, especially the liver and gallbladder, where it promotes the flow of bile, reduces inflammation of the bile duct, and helps get rid of gall stones. This is due to it taraxacin. It's good for chronic hepatitis, it reduces liver swelling and jaundice, and it helps indigestion caused by insufficient bile. Don't use it with irritable stomach or bowel, or if you have acute inflammation. Dandelions are also good for bladder, spleen, pancreas, stomach and intestine. It's recommended for stressed-out, internally sluggish, and sedentary people.
Sources:
Virginia Tech website
www.WiseacreGardens.com
www.Altnature.com
About the Author: Anne Schmidt is a member of the Roots Advisory Board, gardens as a hobby, and is a naturalist at heart. She serves as the Community Education Specialist at Clinton Community College.