Artemisia dracunculus, Wild Tarragon, Palmer Sagewort, leaves
Asteraceae, Sunflower family. California native, perennial. Common, valleys, meadows, drainages, <6000'. Coast and foothills, called rare but widespread locally, preferring moist places. Habit erect, spreading with arching stalks, <6'. Leaves narrow, firm, simple, aromatic. Flowers discoid, small. The root of dragon sagebrush, A. dracunculus, was used to make a decoction used to relieve urinary problems, dysentery, and infant colic. An infusion of leaves were used as a wash for rheumatic pain. Strike
Artemisia douglasiana, Douglas Mugwort, leaves
Asteraceae, Sunflower family. California native, perennial. Common by streams, <6000'. Forms colonies. Habit erect. Leaves large, elliptic, grey, often lobed. Chumash - molush. Used for enhancing dreams, neutralize thoughts and let the brain rest. Garcia Luiseno name - pa'aku. Seeds were harvested and used as food. Bugbee Peeled shoots were eaten raw. Strike
Artemisia tridentate, Big Sagebrush, Basin Sage, leaves
Asteraceae, Sunflower family. California native, shrub. Abundant, interior scrub, chaparral, forest edges, desert transitions, >1500'. Not coastal. Colonizes hills, flats on ranchlands. Leaves narrow, three lobed, whitish or blue-grey. Leaves edible, familiar to pioneers. Flowers discoid, wooly, in loose panicle. Used in sweat lodge to purify the air. Infusion of the leaves to cure colds and stomach aches. Adams Seeds gathered in large quantities, parched, ground into flour, and eaten as mush. Strike
Ceanothus leucodermis, Chaparral Whitethorn, Purple flowers
Rhamnaceae, Buckthorn family. California native, shrub. Abundant in chaparral of foothills, mountains, 1000-5500'. Habitat spreading, densely branced, 10'. Bark white or grey. Armed-sharp lateral spurs. Leaves thin, ovate, pale green. Flowers blue-purple. Kumeyaay - 'ipewii. Branch, leaf, berry and sap are boiled and used to treat itch or poison oak. Dumas A tea was made from the bark and roots and used as a general tonic, to restore tissue tone. Adams Root of plant referred to as Red Root.
Eriophyllum confertiflorum, Golden Yarrow, yellow flowers
Asteraceae, Sunflower family. California native, perennial. Common in scrub, chaparral, <6000'. Habit ascending or erect, 3'. Small, radiate, yellow flowers, in clusters. Proliferates after fires, later crowed out by shrubs. Kumeyaay name - chiimanuun. Whole plant was boiled and used as face wash for pimples. Shipek Seeds were parched and ground into flour. Leaf poultice to relieve aches and pains. Strike
Ganphalium californicum, California Everlasting, cream flowers
Asteraceae, Sunflower family. California native, annual. Common, dry open places, <4500'. Habit erect, 3'. Leaves narrow, sticky, fragrant. Flowers cream, in clusters. Used as an analgesic and a treatment for colds and gastrointestinal problems. Adams A heated poultice of leaves and flowers were used to reduce swellings. Strike
Juniperus californica, California Juniper, berries
Cupressaceae, Cypress family. California native, tree or shrub. Common indicator of high desert or desert transition, 1500-4500' also CA interior/desert mountain. Habit shrub like, often multi trunk, 20' ht., branches twisting, leaves scaly, densely layered, green or bluish. Seed cones spheric, berry like-purple, available through winter months. Used as botanical for flavoring gin. The berries were chewed or used as a tea to treat colds and fevers. The twigs were used to relieve pain and induce sweating. The Kumeyaay made juniper tea to stop hiccups. Adams Berries were eaten as they were picked or were dried, pounded into meal, and used as flour. A leaf or berry infusion was used to relieve urinary problems. Red dye was made from Juniperus ashes. Inner bark was used for clothes and mattresses and could be worked with the hands until soft enough for baby. Strike
Quercus agrifolia, Coast Live Oak, Interior Live Oak, acorns
Fagaceae, Oak family. California native, tree. Abundant in valleys, by creeks, 500-4500'. Wide spread, forms woodlands. Habitat erect, spreading, < 75' ht. broad crown. Trunks to 6' wide, main branches massive, twisting. Foliage dense. Leaves green, convex, spiny-toothed. Flowers yellow, male catkins droop. Acorns pointed, with woody cup. Kumeyaay name - snyaaw. Acorns used by Kumeyaay for a staple food source. Cooked acorn mush is called Sha-wii. Acorn contains protein, carbohydrates and fat, as well as Tannin, which must be leached out before making Sha-wii. At least seven species of Native Oaks where used. Dumas, Bugbee
Salvia apiana, White Sage, leaves
Lamiaceae, Mint family. California native, shrub. Common county wide except high mountains, <5000'. Colonizes dry slopes, flats, coast to desert. Habitat low, rounded. Leaves white-grey, folded at mid-rib, pungent. Stalks may soar to 8' high. Flowers white, small with lower lip, in clusters on spikes off stalk. Fresh young stalks edible. Fresh or dried plant and essential oil good for respiratory conditions. Kumeyaay's name for White Sage is pellytaay. Some have mixed the seeds with wheat or wild oats, or roasted, ground fine and eaten as cereal. Dumas Used as smudging herb for traditional blessings by Kumeyaay. Pregnant or nursing women should not use white sage internally. Luiseno name - Qaashil. The seeds of white sage were used as an eye wash and foreign object remover. The glutinous nature of the seed picks up foreign material and is easily removed. Bugbee Chumash - we'wey. "It is our everyday plant. It is a spirit plant. If you don't have it, everything is going to bother you. You drink one leaf in water everyday". Garcia
Salvia clevelandii, Cleveland Sage, leaves
Lamiaceae, Mint family. California native, shrub. Common in sage scrub, chaparral, <4500'. Habitat low, rounded, or ascending, erect. Branches become brittle with age. Leaves pale blue-green, sweetly fragrant. Flowers light blue. Seeds drunk as a beverage or ground and used to make porridge. Strike Salvias used in similar ways.
Sambucus mexicana, Blue Elderberry, flowers and leaves
Caprifoliaceae, Honeysuckle family. California native, shrub. Common from coast to mountain woodlands, < 5000'. Habitat shrubby, multi trunk or tree like to 20'. Semi-deciduous. Leaves large, ovate, green, serrate. Flowers yellow, berries blue. Luiseno name - kootah. Kumeyaay name - kupaat. Thin shavings of bark and leaves where boiled and used to wash and heal open sores. (caution, elderberry leaves and stems are toxic). Elderberry blossoms where used in a tea to control fevers. Dumas Today elderberry jelly and elderberry wine is delicious.
Essential Oils:
Salvia lavendulifolia, Sage, Spanish, leaf, steam distilled, Spain
Salvia officinalis, Sage, Dalmation, leaf, steam distilled, Greece
Helichrysum italicuum, Immortelle, Everlast, flowers & leaf, steam distilled, Corsica
Fixative:
Iris florentina, Orris, root powder
Directions For Making a Dry Potpourri:
In this mix I have used approximately equal portions of wild harvested and dried botanicals. A proportionate amount of fixative and essential oils for personal preference in fragrance is used. Gently mix dry ingredients together. Using a large wooden fork and spoon works well for this. Never use your hands, as dirt and oils will contaminate and affect the quality of your potpourri. Place fixative in a separate bowl. Drop essential oils into the fixative and work into powder with a silver teaspoon. Thoroughly blend the fixative and essential oils until the oils are absorbed and the fixative is a moist but powdery substance. Sprinkle fixative blend over dried botanicals. Gently mix the fixative powder throughout the potpourri. Cover with a seal tight lid or plastic wrap. Allow to sit for several days, gently mixing ingredients several times each day. Place potpourri in a decorative bowl and set where aroma is desired. Potpourris can be fragranced simply for pure pleasure or for aroma therapeutic purposes. In this recipe I created a California Native theme to show diversity and educational aspects in the fine art of Potpourri.
References:
Ethnobotany of the California Indians, Vol. 2, Aboriginal Uses of California's Indigenous Plants, Sandra S. Strike, Koeltz Scientific Books, 1994
Healing With Medicinal Plants of the West-cultural and scientific basis for their use, Chumash-Cecilia Garcia, James D. Adams, Jr., Abedus Press, 2005
Kumeyaay Plant Names, Kumeyaay Plants, Florence Shipek, Ethnobotany, Sycaun College, 2005
Luiseno Ethnobotany, Richard Bugbee, Ethnobotany, Sycuan College, 2005
San Diego County Native Plants, James Lightner, San Diego Flora, second edition, 2006.
The Book Of Potpourri, Penny Black, Simon & Schuster, NY, 1989
Traditional Foods & Medicinal Plant Use, Kumeyaay Elder-Jane Dumas, Ethnobotany, Sycuan College, 2005
Recipe created by & written by, Cindy Christ / Following Seasons Copyright 2006
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