HARTSTONGUE / Scolopendrium vulgare / Europe. Actions: Diuretic & Strong Laxative. Cultivation: A graceful fern. Products: the Leaves & Stem are used. Used to Treat: Lung Congestion: Lung - Inflammation: quickly as a weak Infusion to relieve. Hiccoughs; to allay.
HAZELNUT / Cobnut, Barcelona Nut / Filbert Nut / Corylus avellana. Kernels contain 15% Protein. Cultivation: Deciduous and likes cool Winters to cold and a mild Summer and grows to 4m high planted 2m apart or if only a few trees required plant 5m apart and two compatible varieties should be grown for cropping. Separate male - catkins - produce fine pollen spread by the wind, and female flowers are found on one tree with the female flowers only tiny. Choose high cropping varieties and up to 3 trees as blossoming time overlaps. Imperial de Trebizonde crops well and produces large nuts, Tonollo is an abundant cropper and flowers at the same time, Barcelona & Kentish Cob are both compatible pollinators. Produces Sucker growths from which new plants can be taken or hardwood cuttings can be propagated. Best planted during the Winter. Keep only one stem and prune 45cm above the ground and remove lateral growth close to the ground and keep 30cm well - spaced branches and shorten these to develop into the mains encouraging upwards and outwards. Keep the centre free of strong growth and remove basal shoots unless required. Do not allow to suffer moisture stress at any time.
HAWTHORN / May Tree / Crataegus oxyacantha / oxyacanthoides monogyna / Europe, Britain, Asia & North Africa. N.B: Requires Specialist prescribing as other Circulatory herbs such as Nettles, Rue & Rosehips may be preferable to it or combined. Main Use: The Berries and sometimes the Leaves & Flowers are used as a major Heart & Circulatory Tonic as one of the most effective aids for Heart Conditions. Actions: Berries / Fruit used as an Astringent, Cardiac Tonic, Coronary Vasodilator, Diuretic, Rheumatism & Sedative. Constituents: Catechins, Flavone, Glycosides, Saponins & Vitamin C among others and high in Rutin / Vitamin P one of the Bioflavonoid group with Vitamins K & C. Cultivation: A common small tree that is east to grow to 9 metres with spreading thorny branches with white flowers Spring to mid - Summer each producing a separate bright red fruit when ripe and grows along the New England Highway in N.S.W. Product: the Fruit is used.
Used to Treat: Angina Pectoris: 1 x teaspoon of the Tincture twice a day. Hawthorn is combined with D - Alpha Tocopherol due to the Ischaemic pain related to this Condition being a consequence of inadequate Oxygenation of the Myocardium. The ideal treatment is to increase Blood flow in the Coronary Vessels while decreasing the Myocardial requirement for Oxygen. Hawthorn is able to increase Blood Flow through the Myocardium by dilating the Coronary Arteries and as a Mild Sedative assists to cope with the Anxiety about the Heart and the gripping pain. D - Alpha Tocopherol / Vitamin E - is a powerful Fibrinolytic agent and Anti - Oxidant preventing the available Oxygen in the Blood from being converted into Toxic Peroxides leaving the Red Blood Cells with more Oxygen increasing the Oxygen for the Myocardium and reducing pain. Arteriosclerosis: as the Berries are effective in increasing the Muscular action of the Heart. Blood Pressure - High: if there is Anxiety associated with this Condition it should be treated by a qualified herbalist under medical supervision. The Berries combined with Lime Flowers are used with certain other herbs as the Berries are effective in increasing the Muscular action of the Heart. Combined with a low Salt and well balanced natural diet, Hawthorn 500mg dried Berries with Garlic 200mg dried bulb and Cereus grandiflorus 40mg used for 12 weeks. Cardiac - Arrhythmia: as the Berries are effective in increasing the Muscular action of the Heart. Circulatory Conditions: as the Berries are effective in increasing the Muscular action of the Heart. Heart Disease - Irregular Pulse - Palpitations: as the Berries are effective in increasing the Muscular action of the Heart as a Tonic. 1x teaspoon of the Tincture twice a day or 2 cups of the Tea made from 2 teaspoons of the dried crushed Leaves & Berries a day. Insomnia: as a Tea. Intermittent Claudication: as the Berries are effective in increasing the Muscular action of the Heart. Hay Fever: Kidneys: used as a Tea to maintain Health. Myocarditis: as the Berries are effective in increasing the Muscular action of the Heart. Paroxysmal Tachycardia: as the Berries are effective in increasing the Muscular action of the Heart.
Horses: used to maintain the Blood and adjust the flow and constituents to improve the Circulation of the Feet in particular. Used to Treat: Bleeders: Foot Conditions: Heart - Strain: Laminitis: Navicular Disease:
HAYSEED / Anthoxanthon odoratum (Mixed Seeds) Used to Treat: Sciatica:
HEARTEASE / Herb Constancy / Herb Trinity / Johnny Jump up / Love in Idleness / Love lies Bleeding / Wild Pansy / Viola tricolor / British Isles. N.B. Do not use if Pregnant or Breast Feeding. N.B; Use under professional advice. Actions: Anti - Inflammatory, Soothing.
Cultivation: Easy to grow hardy Annual or short lived spreading low growing Perennial to 30 cm x 20cm wide that is similar to garden Pansies with small purple and white flowers in Spring & Summer used as an edging plant for the front of herb and flower beds. Loves constant moist cool conditions but can survive in low light but requires moderate fertilising and is a self - seeding plant requiring a slightly Acid soil. Edible Culinary Flowers resemble little gold & purple smiling faces but they have little flavour but make very cute garnishes on Cheese boards, Fruit Salads, Pastas & Salads. The crystallised flowers are use to decorate cakes. Leaves & Stems - Aerial parts used Medicinally, whole plant above the ground. Flowers collected as required and Aerial parts when in full flower and hang up side down in a well ventilated position out of direct Sunlight. Flower Partners: Blue Borage, Cream Elder Flowers make a charming garnish. Grown from seed lightly covered and Seedlings planted out in Autumn or sow directly into the soil. Cut back lightly over Summer to bloom in Autumn.
Used to Treat: Blood - Purifier: used in mixtures. Bronchitis: Catarrh: relieves. Chest - Congestion: to relieve, especially for Children. Cystitis: Eczema: Lung Conditions: Skin Conditions: Topically as a Compress or as an Infusion. Urinary Conditions:
HEDGE MUSTARD / Sisymbrium officinale / Northern Hemisphere. Cultivation: A straggling plant with light green leaves and small yellow flowers. Product: the Leaves are used. Used to Treat: Colds: Influenza: Laryngitis: Specific.
HELLEBORE BLACK / Christmas Rose / Helleborus niger / Europe. Cultivation: A plant that flowers each year. Product: the Rhizomes only used. Main use: as an Emmenagogue. Used to Treat: Period - Conditions: Nervous - Depression: as a Stimulant.
HELLEBORE, FALSE / Peasant's Eye / Adonis vernalis / Asia & Europe. N.B: Should only be used under Specialist prescription. Actions: also a Diuretic & Tonic. Cultivation: A small plant with a large yellow flour. Product: the Whole Herb is used. Used to Treat: Cardiac Conditions: to relieve.
HEMLOCK (Poisonous) Poison Hemlock - Conicum maculatum / Europe. N.B: Taken only under specialist prescription. Actions: Quick and powerful Anodyne and Strong Sedative. Cultivation: A tall Herb with long strip - leaves. Products: the Leaves & Fruit used. Used to Treat: Mental - Upsets: to relieve. Nervous - Spasms:
HENBANE / (Poisonous) Hogbean / Hyoscyamus niger / Europe. N.B: Should only be taken on Specialist Prescription. Effects similar to Hemlock but it is a stronger Narcotic and can create Insensibility quickly. Cultivation: A strong growing perennial plant with a profusion of yellow flowers. Product: Leaves & Small Flowers used.
HENNA / Lawsonia alba / inermis / India & Middle East . Actions: Astringent. Cultivation: A strong plant of erect growth with distinctive Leaves. Product: the Leaves only used.
Used to Treat: Fungal Infections: Hair - Colour - Conditioner: as an Essence or Extract used to colour and can be combined with other organic substances to vary such as Coffee, Eggs, Lemon Juice, Onion Skins and Wine. As a Conditioner and nourishing treatment use clear Henna to smooth Hair Shafts previously roughened by commercial treatments such as perming and to reduce split ends and fragile Hair conditions. It conditions as it dries giving each Hair body, lustre and strength. Darkening: use the powder and add dried Indigo Shoots, Lucerne & Walnut Husks. Redden: combine with Betel Nuts. Used to make a quality dye. Use the whole herb above the ground. Nail Polish: mix up the paste according to the manufacturer's directions and apply it to clean dry Nails and leave to dry in the Sun or by the fire as any warmth intensifies the colour. When dry, buff the Nails to a high polish and they will have a soft apricot tint.
HERBE ROYALE / Basil /
HOLLY / Ilex aquifolium / Europe. Cultivation: A small tree with glossy, shiny - eyed leaves, bearing a profusion of red and yellow berries in Winter. Product: the Berries & Flowers used. Used to Treat: Chest Conditions: Laryngitis: to relieve, Rheumatoid Conditions:
HOLY THISTLE / Carbenia benedicta / Southern Europe. Actions: A Diaphoretic and safe Emmenagogue used in Cough Medicines. Cultivation: a typical thistle. Products: the Leaves & Stem used. Used to Treat: Used originally for Menstrual Conditions:
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