Herb Gardening For Dummies, 2nd Edition in .NET framework

Maker EAN13 in .NET framework Herb Gardening For Dummies, 2nd Edition

as a cure-all Betony is a 2-foot-tall European perennial that is, like bee balm, a member of the mint family In late spring or early summer it erupts into spikes of small, neon violet, tubular blossoms that continue opening until early fall The leaves are worthy of attention, too, textured as they are with veins, wrinkles, and oil glands, scalloped and hairy along the edges The lower leaves are roughly heart-shaped, whereas those near the top are narrow ovals without any stalks

Hardy in Zones 5 to 8, betony likes its soil deep, rich, and moist but well draining If its feet get wet in winter, it will turn up its toes and die Happy plants spread to form handsome mats that should be divided every two or three years to keep them from flagging (diminishing) Betony prefers full sun but can take some shade, especially in the South You can start the species from seed or by division Plant them at least a foot apart

In addition to the popular lamb s ear, you can grow big betony (S macrantha/ S grandiflora), which is almost identical, but as a native of the Caucasus is hardy farther north, in Zones 4 to 7 It flowers in several colors: white ( Alba ), pink ( Rosea ), purple-pink ( Superba ), and violet ( Violacea )

Ancient Egyptians believed betony had magical powers, and the Romans listed some four dozen ills it would allay It would shield you against both evil spirits and bad dreams, at least if you harvested it without using iron and dried it in the shade with the root still attached It was said that snakes would fight to the death if surrounded by it, and other beasts would search it out when injured

Betony tea is bland, but the tannins in it are good for diarrhea You won t waste your time gargling a betony infusion for a sore throat The jury is still out on its reputed power against what herbalist Mrs Grieve calls languid nervous headaches, but it contains some chemicals that might do the job

Borage (Borago officinalis)

Borage is an annual that can reach 2 to 4 feet high, but it tends to sprawl in a laid-back mound Tiny white hairs on the leaves and on the hollow, succulent stems create something of an aura around it, totally in keeping with the starshaped, heavenly blue, edible flowers that open in humbly drooping clusters Five long stamens with black anthers heighten the drama

Borage is tough, but it is happier when you add well-rotted manure to your soil This herb also needs good drainage and doesn t like competing with weeds; mulching helps retain essential moisture Add full sun, and your plants will repay you by reseeding in perpetuity Plant your first seeds where you want the borage to grow, because it has a long taproot and can be hard to transplant Given borage s floppy nature, you should space plants at least 18 inches apart, mingled with plants of a similar devil-may-care habit, in a wildflower garden, vegetable patch, or among casually arranged herbs

Borage blooms ought to be blue, but if you need a white flower in your garden, look for Borago officinalis Alba; B officinalis Variegata has green leaves marked with white If you live in Zone 5 or warmer, you can try

another species, B pygmaea, creeping borage, a short-lived perennial that has pale blue flowers If you love blue-flowered plants as much as we do here s where all that scientific botany stuff gets to be fun get to know borage s extended family, a Who s Who of the cerulean class: forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica), lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis), Virginia bluebells (Mertensia viginica), alkanet (Anchusa azurea), and Siberian bugloss (also known as perennial forget-menot Brunnera macrophylla)