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Best Perennial Herbs and Their Usage
The following are some of the perennial herbs that provide various
usages
VALERIAN
Valerian is one of the tall, graceful, perennial herbs. It yields
pinkish flowers. The plants reach a height of two to three feet and
have greenish-blue leaves. Valerian will spread itself
by seeding
and likes full to partial sun and poor but well-drained soil. It will
not do well in acidic soils. Valerian root formulated into teas, tonics,
or capsules has become a recognized and non-addictive sedative as
well as a mild tranquilizer to help insomnia. It is believed that
freshly picked valerian has the most effective properties.
The greatest of the valerian side effects is sleepiness. If you use
valerian during the day for anxiety, be aware that it may cause drowsiness
in doses above 400mg or if you drink more than one or two cups of
valerian tea. Valerian should not be used with other sedatives, anxiety
medications, or muscle relaxants.
SCENTED GERANIUM
Scented geraniums are easy to cultivate and are actually pelargoniums.
Ranging in scents from apple to lemon, peppermint, and rose, the showy
leaves and colorful flowers of these plants make them a beautiful
and aromatic addition to your garden. They will tolerate full to partial
sun and need moist but well-drained soil.
When used as medicinal herbs, scented geraniums are astringents and
work well as facial scrubs and baths. The leaves and flowers can be
moistened in a mesh bag for application to the face or boiled as a
tea for the steam. Some herbalists claim that scented geranium tea
will heal stomach ulcers and that the leaves, when steeped in vinegar
and applied to the forehead will alleviate headache.
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There are no
known side effects of the use of scented geraniums.
The Internet
Offers Harder to Find Herbs
While standard garden outlets and nurseries will stock common herbs,
more and more gardeners are seeking the variety offered by the Internet
to gain access to harder to find plants. For instance the inconspicuous
Lady’s Mantle, a perennial rosaceous herb, valued as an astringent
is common in South America but rarer in North America. It will grow
in many parts of the United States and can be located much more readily
from online botanical outlets.
Good Planting and Use Information Online
Although paper catalogs will sometimes carry sketchy information about
the planting and subsequent use of herbs, online sites often give
full profiles of individual plants that add enormously in deciding
which will thrive in perennial herb gardens. With more information
at your disposal you can compare plants with which you are not familiar
to those you know will grow in your yard and make a more informed
selection. Normally online outlets sell both seeds and seedling plants.
From the sedative properties of valerian root to the fragrant beauty
of scented geraniums, perennial herbs can populate your garden with
plants that are both beautiful and useful and in most cases require
a minimum amount of care.
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