Don't eat it kids!

[Shannon Graham]

The recent rains around Lake Tahoe have given local plant and lichen life a boost.

Wolf Moss is flourishing which apparently was utilized for its poisonous properties. Specifically, deer carcasses were stuffed with this moss so that when wolves in the area ate the carcasses, the moss would poison and kill them. Historically, Native Americans would boil the moss and coat arrowheads, creating poison-tipped arrowheads.

As well, the moss was also used by Native Americans to make yellow dye.

Original artical can be found here.

Closer to home, I've heard that Mountain Laurel seeds were used by ancient peoples in Texas for hallucinogenic properties. What are some the uses for local plants in your area?

Shannon

[silverback]

I thought I heard that eating the Mtn. Laurel seeds can kill you quicker than most poisons. The local cow turd mushrooms are safer, just be sure they turn purple when you break them apart before ingestion.

[manoman]

Originally Posted by silverback

I thought I heard that eating the Mtn. Laurel seeds can kill you quicker than most poisons. The local cow turd mushrooms are safer, just be sure they turn purple when you break them apart before ingestion.

That is too funny. I am still rolling on the floor!

[kentlangreder]

HAR !!!! that is funny i can remember uhhhhhhhhhhhhh

kent

[manoman]

Peyote was a locally ingested fungi that a lot of Native Americans used as a halucinagenic drug. They were harvested and then dried out. When I was in High School, we called them "buttons". After they were chewed (yuck!) and swallowed, a person would become violently ill and barf out their guts, but after that it was a natural mushroom high with the kick of a mule. All sorts of visions and stuff. Anyway, this is what I was told.

[Ayla]

Around here I've heard of a few things --

Yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) - I've been told they would make a tea that could induce vomiting.

Prickly ash - toothache tree - chew the leaves for an effect like novacaine.

Arrow wood - used for *you guessed it* arrows because it grows so straight & strong.

Yucca - the point can be broke off and with attached fibers from the leaf you have a ready made needle & thread.

I knew those hort classes would come in handy sometime. . .

[Shannon Graham]

Originally Posted by cpiefer

Around here I've heard of a few things --

Yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) - I've been told they would make a tea that could induce vomiting.

Prickly ash - toothache tree - chew the leaves for an effect like novacaine.

Arrow wood - used for *you guessed it* arrows because it grows so straight & strong.

Yucca - the point can be broke off and with attached fibers from the leaf you have a ready made needle & thread.

I knew those hort classes would come in handy sometime. . .

Yup, good stuff. We'd probably be surprised at the amount of wisdom lost over time...knowledge about medicinal and other uses of plants right under our noses.

Shannon

[tomclark]

We have lots of Ilex vomitoria, yaupon holly, in FL. Yes, it is the "Black Drink".

We've roasted the leaves and made tea to drink. It's just fine tea, similar to mate. It has caffeine. It would take great quantities of concentrated tea to make one puke. I believe they drank it like we do regular tea. I do.
Red Mangrove makes a good tea, used by settlers, too.

Plantain herb/plant, not the banana, can be used to staunch flow of blood from a wound.
Sometimes, if you don't have insect repellant, you can scrub together fern fronds and rub the juice on. It has worked...
So many uses for local plants......

[Ayla]

Soapberry - this small tree produces berrys with soaplike qualities.

Sassafrass - root beer scent, original flavoring for root beer (now banned by the FDA),, leaves or roots are used for tea. If your Cajun you probably know the dried leaves are the source of file. Also an anticoagulant.

Acorns, wild seeds, grains, hickory nuts - roasted & ground for flour. Many used for medicinal teas and dyes as well.

Dollargrass - tastes like carrots