Author: Badger Johnson

Castanea sativa

~ Badger Johnson

Thanks Chris Chmiel for these pics from the Cevennes region of France. I wish we had a bigger chestnut industry in the US. May have to start one? 🤔 I remember being enthralled in 2007 at Mountain Gardens when I read about the massive chestnut orchard/forests on Corsica (see J. Russell Smith’s “Tree Crops), and have wanted to be part of a chestnut growers’ cooperative ever since. The Savanna Institute (of which I am a supporter) is really pushing for chestnut orchards in the Midwest as a land-regenerating staple crop that can make farmers a good living on small acreage. Empire Chestnut in Carrollton, OH is a good example of this, and has inspired some of their neighbors to grow chestnuts as well and work as a grower cooperative. Chestnut weevils and gall wasps present barriers to organic producers. (Personal Communications)

This tree attains a height of 20–35 m (66–115 ft) with a trunk often 2 m (7 ft) in diameter. The bark often has a net-shaped (retiform) pattern with deep furrows or fissures running spirally in both directions up the trunk. The oblong-lanceolate, boldly toothed leaves are 16–28 cm (6–11 in) long and 5–9 cm (2–4 in) broad.

The flowers of both sexes are borne in 10–20 cm (4–8 in) long, upright catkins, the male flowers in the upper part and female flowers in the lower part. In the northern hemisphere, they appear in late June to July, and by autumn, the female flowers develop into spiny cupules containing 3-7 brownish nuts that are shed during October. The female flowers eventually form a spiky sheath that deters predators from the seed. Some cultivars (‘Marron de Lyon’, ‘Paragon’ and some hybrids) produce only one large nut per cupule, rather than the usual two to four nuts of edible, though smaller, size.

The tree requires a mild climate and adequate moisture for good growth and a good nut harvest. Its year-growth (but not the rest of the tree) is sensitive to late spring and early autumn frosts, and is intolerant of lime. Under forest conditions, it will tolerate moderate shade well. It can live to more than 2,000 years of age in natural conditions, see the poetically-named “hundred-horse chestnut” in eastern Sicily for example.

The leaves provide food for some animals, including Lepidoptera such as the case-bearermoth Coleophora anatipennella and rose chafer Macrodactylus subspinosus.

C. Sativa is found across the Mediterranean region, from the Caspian Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. It is thought to have survived in several refuges during the last ice age in southern Europe, Northeast Turkey and the Caucasus. It then spread North and West throughout mainland Europe, and is thought to have arrived in Italy from Asia Minor with the Greeks.

The species is widely cultivated for its edible seeds (also called nuts) and for its wood.

They are used for flour, bread making, a cereal substitute, coffee substitute, a thickener in soups and other cookery uses, as well as for fattening stock. A sugar can be extracted from them.[5] The Corsican variety of polenta (called pulenta) is made with sweet chestnut flour. A local variety of Corsican beer also uses chestnuts.

As early as Roman times, it was introduced into more northerly regions, and later was also cultivated in monastery gardens by monks. Today, centuries-old specimens may be found in Great Britain and the whole of central, western and southern Europe. Roman soldiers were given chestnut porridge before going into battle.

Leaf infusions are used in respiratory diseases and are a popular remedy for whooping cough. A hair shampoo can be made from infusing leaves and fruit husks.

The tree was a popular choice for landscaping in England, particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries. C. sativa was probably introduced to the region during the Roman occupation, and many ancient examples are recorded. More recently, the tree has occasionally been planted as a street tree in England, and examples can be seen particularly in the London Boroughs of Islington and Camden.

A tree grown from seed may take 20 years or more before it bears fruits, but a grafted cultivar such as ‘Marron de Lyon’ or ‘Paragon’ may start production within five years of being planted. Both cultivars bear fruits with a single large kernel, rather than the usual two to four smaller kernels.

The ornamental cultivar C. sativa ‘Albomarginata’ has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

Sweet chestnut has been listed as one of the 38 substances used to prepare Bach flower remedies.

(Wikipedia)

Desmanthus illinoiensis

~ Badger Johnson

Desmanthus illinoiensis, “Illinois bundleflower”
Fabaceae

Over the past few years I’ve picked up quite a bit of lore about this plant, and I was happy to finally notice it on the roadside yesterday!

A common plant in many areas of the south central and Midwestern US. It can often be found growing on the sides of roads, needing full sun and ample moisture during its short growing season. USDA Zones 5-8 are recommended for outside cultivation (Wikipedia).

People have had good luck interesting it into existing warm season pastures (Dovel, Hussey, Holt 1990). Bundleflower can contribute protein in summer pastures in the Midwest (Fischbach et al. 2005). In a study comparing the possibility of native prairie legumes, sheep found Illinois bundleflower extremely palatable (Sheaffer, Wyse, Ehlke 2009). Illinois bundleflower also appears to have the greatest potential as a forage species among 15 species of native legumes evaluated for forage yield, quality, and seed production (McGraw et al. 2004).

Root bark of D. illinoensis has been found to contain N,N-DMT, NMT, N-hydroxy-N-methyltryptamine, 2-hydroxy-N-methyltryptamine, and gramine (toxic). The root bark is mixed with a native source of beta-Carbolines (e.g., passion flower in North America) to produce a hallucinogenic drink called prairiehuasca, which is an analog of the shamanic brew ayahuasca.

At one time the Land Institute in Salina, Kansas looked into using its seed as breeding stock for a novel, perennial, temperate, leguminous human food but have dropped it and are evaluating other leads.

(Wikipedia)

Lotus corniculatus

~ Badger Johnson

Lotus corniculatus, “birdsfoot trefoil”
Fabaceae

Birdsfoot trefoil is probably best known as a perennial legume forage crop, but this species has also been used for reclaiming strip mine land and as a ground cover on paths with high foot traffic (Personal Communication).

Producing high-quality forage for cattle and sheep in soils with a low pH, poor drainage, poor native fertility, or fragipans prone to heaving can be difficult. Birdsfoot trefoil is a forage legume that is more tolerant of these adverse production conditions. It can reseed itself, is resistant to Phytophthora root rot and numerous alfalfa insects, responds well to fertilization, and does not cause bloat in animals. As a result, it is being grown more often in the northern United States and southern Canada, where production of other forage legumes is limited. In good growing conditions, alfalfa easily out-performs birdsfoot trefoil.

About 25 varieties of birdsfoot trefoil are currently available in the United States and Canada. Varieties are generally characterized by growth habit into two types, Empire and European. Both types are referred to as “broadleaf” trefoils. Empire-type birdsfoot trefoils are better adapted for grazing since they have fine stems, prostrate growth, and an indeterminate growth habit. European-type birdsfoot trefoils are better adapted for hay production since they are more erect, establish faster, and regrow faster after harvest. (Penn State Extension)

It is invasive in upper Midwest, forming dense mats choking and shading out most other vegetation and probably eventually reducing species richness (personal communication). It is most problematic in prairies and disturbed open areas, such as roadsides. Prescribed burns increase seed germination making it troublesome in native prairies (Minnesota DNR).

All parts of the plant are poisonous, containing cyanogenic glycosides (hydrogen cyanide). In small quantities, hydrogen cyanide has been shown to stimulate respiration and improve digestion, it is also claimed to be of benefit in the treatment of cancer. In excess, however, it can cause respiratory failure and even death. This species is polymorphic for cyanogenic glycosides. The flowers of some forms of the plant contain traces of prussic acid and so the plants can become mildly toxic when flowering. They are completely innocuous when dried. An orange-yellow dye can be obtained from the flowers. When ingested by humans in small quantities, the plant is supposed to act as an carminative, febrifuge, hypoglycaemic, restorative, vermifuge. The flowers are antispasmodic, cardiotonic and sedative. The root is carminative, febrifuge, restorative and tonic. The plant is used externally as a local anti-inflammatory compress in all cases of skin inflammation (Plants for a Future). Please see a competent clinical herbalist.