{"id":6971,"date":"2019-08-27T08:12:15","date_gmt":"2019-08-27T13:12:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/?p=6971"},"modified":"2019-08-27T08:14:35","modified_gmt":"2019-08-27T13:14:35","slug":"magic-of-the-hillfolk-herbalism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/2019\/08\/27\/magic-of-the-hillfolk-herbalism\/","title":{"rendered":"Magic of the Hillfolk Herbalism"},"content":{"rendered":"

Magic of the Hillfolk Herbalism<\/h1>\n

BY STEPHEN J. MEEK<\/h2>\n

There\u2019s magic in the plants of these Ozark hills. Third-generation herbalist Lisa Pluth notes plantain (Plantago major<\/span>) has the power to heal a thorn in the flesh when used as a simple green bandage. Of the splinter she got, she says \u201cAfter I put the plantain over it \u2014 the wound healed from the bottom out, so it can push splinters out!\u201d<\/p>\n

The miracle of herbal remedies has been a tradition in the Ozarks for ages past and the practice is still going strong.<\/p>\n

MEDICINAL<\/h3>\n
\"\"

Hanging from the door (from left) comfrey (Symphytum officinale L.), wormwood (Artemisa sp.), and tansy (Tanacetum vulgare). Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is in the glass cup on the counter.
Photo courtesy of Tina Wilcox, Ozark Folk Center.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cTwenty-five percent of vascular plants in the Ozarks can be documented at least folklorically in the Ozarks as being used medicinally,\u201d says Steven Foster, of Eureka Springs. Foster has been an herbalist of 40 years. He was trained by the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village Herb Department in New Gloucester, Maine (the oldest herb dealer in the nation).<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s really not anything unique to Ozark medicinal plant use that would be different from Appalachia,\u201d Foster says. \u201cWe like to think there is and pretend there is, but the devil\u2019s in the details. There\u2019s nothing particularly unique about it except, perhaps, local plant life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even so, people still need the plants. Herbs are special according to Tina Wilcox, head gardener and herbalist at the Ozark Folk Center\u2019s Heritage Herb Garden in Mountain View, Arkansas. \u201cWith gardening comes the realization that plants help people out.\u201d And it\u2019s the relationship between the plants and the people that makes the plants special.<\/p>\n

Think about it: a quarter of all those plants out in the hills can be used as a medicine.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Common Plantain (Plantago major). Photo courtesy of Jim Long, Long Creek Herbs.<\/p><\/div>\n

Jim Long of Long Creek Herbs thought about it and it brought him there to live. \u201cI grew up at the very northern edge [of the Ozarks] and I\u2019ve always been in love with the Ozarks. Some of the reasons I moved south was the rich folk heritage of herb use and the amount of natively grown herbs.\u201d Long has since become successful in his herb-selling business and is known for his lectures, his many books and a number of unique herbal remedies developed on his Long Creek Herb farm near Blue Eye, Missouri.<\/p>\n

What makes these healing plants special? The traditions which surround their uses are varied, coming from cultures around the world.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Lemon Balm detail (Melissa officinalis). Photo courtesy of Jim Long, Long Creek Herbs.<\/p><\/div>\n

LEMON BALM (MELISSA OFFICINALIS<\/span>)<\/h3>\n

Lemon balm is a multipurpose herb and member of the mint family. Pluth said the plant is identified by its square stem and lemony scent. According to Long, \u201cIt\u2019s an awfully good bee attractor. They help pollinate things, especially fruit trees.\u201d So if you see a lot of bees drumming around and smell lemon, you might be onto some Melissa officinalis<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Pluth uses lemon balm as a sedative in some of her tisanes. Wilcox has several uses for the fragrant herb: \u201cI make a tincture of the tops when they\u2019re just in bud and keep it around for when I\u2019m stressed or can\u2019t get to sleep, or I use it for a cold sore, if I have that herpes complex. I also keep it around for mosquitos. I crush it up and use it to keep them off.\u201d<\/p>\n

As lemon balm is popular as a sedative, Long compares it to the better-known chamomile. He says \u201cChamomile will make you sleepy, but Melissa<\/span> will just make you relaxed.\u201d Because of that and its lemony tendencies, Long uses it in teas, cakes and cookies.<\/p>\n

CEDAR (JUNIPERUS VIRGINIANA<\/span>)<\/h3>\n

The Eastern Red Cedar, nearly inescapable for Ozark families as it proliferates on glades and has been cut as cheap Christmas trees for generations, may be used in herbal remedies as well.<\/p>\n

One of the most common uses for cedar is in the building of storage chests as moths are repelled by the scent of the wood. However, the berries may also be used in a bitters formula.<\/p>\n

Wilcox explains. \u201cLemon balm is a volatile oil that will leave the body. Cedar resin tends to stick around, so be careful.\u201d Wilcox also said that \u201cpeople suggest it was used for kidneys but they also suggest that [cedar] could hurt your kidneys.\u201d She added that \u201cFriends who are Native American use it as a smudge, like a smoke or incense to clear the air.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pluth explains the effect. \u201cThe seeds are anti-fungal and burning the branches releases oils which are also anti-fungal so pioneers would burn cedar in their cabins to clean them out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"

\u201cThe world reflected in a drop of water. Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana), StateoftheOzarks Archive, February 3, 2006.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cCedar was used for making tar. Pine tar is more common than cedar tar. Usually it was ground up and mixed with alcohol.\u201d<\/p>\n

Long, who was one of Wilcox\u2019s mentors, knows many uses for the fragrant evergreen tree. And if you\u2019re feeling especially festive during Christmas, \u201cOne of its claims to fame is that its berries are what make gin taste like gin. The primary difference between gin and vodka is flavor, which comes from cedar [in gin],\u201d Long says.<\/p>\n

Long added culinary uses for cedar as well: \u201cThe berries are used as a seasoning herb for things like venison and pioneers would season their cabbage with cedar berries. Try chewing one. They have a nice flavor, especially during early winter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"

Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). Photo courtesy of Jim Long, Long Creek Herbs.<\/p><\/div>\n

GINSENG (PANAX QUINQUEFOLIUS<\/span>)<\/h3>\n

One plant you may think of when hunting herbs in the Ozarks is ginseng. According to Foster, around 95 percent of \u201cSang\u201d harvested in the Ozarks is shipped to Hong Kong and distributed throughout the south of China. But be careful what you do with ginseng. \u201cSangers\u201d can be territorial and the harvested plants do not grow back on their own. They must be replanted. If you find a stash of ginseng, treat it with respect.<\/p>\n

\u201cArkansas is really at the southwestern edge of the plant\u2019s range. The roots tend to be a lot smaller than in the Catskills or upstate New York,\u201d says Foster. \u201cIt\u2019s generally regarded as woodland cash. It grows on shaded north slopes, generally. It\u2019s associated with basswood and other plants that indicate a rich eastern deciduous forest.\u201d<\/p>\n

As far as what to look for, Foster said, \u201cRoots between four- and five-years old are used in the market. Roots younger than that are not as valuable.\u201d The number of prongs can help identify the size of the root, according to Richard Howard from Mountain Creek, Arkansas, who has studied medicinal herbs for 35 years. \u201cThey go from a single prong to a two-prong to a three-prong, then you\u2019ll get up to your four-prong. So the root to this will be really big.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGinseng is generally regarded as an adaptogen. In other words, it stimulates the adrenal cortex and certain hormones and allows an organism to withstand stress,\u201d Foster explained. \u201cIn traditional medicine, it was used with other things because it was believed to make other herbs stronger,\u201d furthers Long. \u201cOverall, it\u2019s just a good tonic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Foster also said that it could be used as a mild central nervous system stimulant.<\/p>\n

STORIES<\/h3>\n

Wilcox remembers one of her personal successes with medicinal herbs: \u201cMy arthritis started showing up in my knees (which is really bad for my work). Another herbalist suggested teasel (Dipsacus sylvestris<\/span>) and Japanese knot weed (Fallopia japonica<\/span>). I took those two together for a series of a couple years to kick [the arthritis].\u201d<\/p>\n

As a gardener, the story exemplifies the close relationship people in the Ozarks still may have with plants. It is beautiful symbiosis. The very plants Wilcox tends help her continue her hard work as an Ozark herbalist.<\/p>\n

European pioneers found synonymous species in North America. In some cases, they brought their plants with them. The common dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis<\/span>) is a colonial import once valued for the culinary and medicinal qualities of root, leaf and blossom.<\/p>\n

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A statue of St. Francis in a bed of impatiens. The connection between spiritual healing and garden plants has a long European history. Photo courtesy of Jenney Head, Ozark Roots & Conjure.<\/p><\/div>\n

The European tradition isn\u2019t the only one to influence these culture- and herb-rich hills.<\/p>\n

The First Nation peoples who lived here left much of their practices and some of their legends behind as they were forcibly removed. As many North American plants were unfamiliar to herbalist settlers, some uses were borrowed from American Indians in each region. An important contributor to this interchange of knowledge were the Cherokee.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Cherokee were originally from Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia\u2014that area. After the Trail of Tears, some went into Southern Missouri and Arkansas,\u201d explains Rod Jackson, owner of Nuwati Herbals, a small company based in House Springs, Missouri.<\/p>\n

Jackson descended from both the Cherokee and the Irish and was taught about herbs by his Cherokee grandmother. \u201cShe would take me to the woods. She would teach me to take plants respectfully,\u201d he reminisces. Jackson also noted the Cherokee were important to the culture of herbal medicine in the Ozarks.<\/p>\n

\u201cDue to the necessity of moving prior to the relocation [to Oklahoma], all natives had an impact on that sort of stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the most important plants in Cherokee lore is the cedar. \u201cCedar is one of the seven sacred woods.\u201d Jackson explained, \u201cEverything with Cherokee is seven. There\u2019s seven clans and seven woods\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

The sacred woods include holly, laurel, pine and spruce, as well as cedar. These trees \u201cstayed awake during all seven days and were blessed to stay green,\u201d according to Myths of the Cherokee<\/span> by James Mooney (19th Annual Report of American Ethnology 1897-98, Part I).<\/p>\n

Burning cedar is important to Cherokee spiritual beliefs. \u201cCedar is used to cleanse an area of negative energy. It\u2019s used as a smudge,\u201d Jackson said, illustrating the tremendous impact his heritage has had. He used his grandmother\u2019s teachings as inspiration for a now-thriving business. While it is difficult to measure the Cherokees\u2019 cultural influence in the Ozarks, it is impossible to discount the significance of their knowledge and respect for healing herbs on later generations.<\/p>\n

THE SCIENTIFIC WITHIN THE MEDICINAL<\/h3>\n

Many question herbalism for a lack of scientific backing or regulation but Foster says that is a misconception. \u201cIf you look at herbs as a dietary supplement, you often hear that herbs are not regulated, when in reality, they\u2019re pretty heavily regulated.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for the science and research, Foster says, \u201cThere\u2019s over 550 studies with Echinacea<\/span> in the title related to pharmaceutical chemistry.\u201d Keep in mind, that\u2019s just one plant! \u201d<\/p>\n

For Wilcox, the knowledge of plant remedies was lost to the masses with the advent of \u201cprogress.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople grew accustomed to buying medicine, both pharmaceutical drugs and herbal supplements. Even with the current resurgence of taking herbs for medicine, the majority of people are more comfortable buying rather than harvesting and making their own preparation,\u201d she notes.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea). Photo courtesy of Jim Long, Long Creek Herbs.<\/p><\/div>\n

The progress in modern medicine indeed seemed to make herbs obsolete but herbalists disagree. The use of herbs for medicine goes back as far as medicine itself. \u201cHerbs have been used from antiquity and were the first medicine used by man, while allopathic medicine (the use of minerals to treat disease) is only about 500 years old,\u201d notes Jethro Kloss in his seminal 1939 book Back to Eden<\/span>.<\/p>\n

In fact, Foster has used herbs in his scientific work to help people as far away as Ukraine.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy claim to fame is at the University of Poltava (Academy of Science in Poltava). They call me the \u201cKing of Echinacea<\/span>\u201d in Ukraine. I studied [the plant] after the Chernobyl incident and its fallout. Echinacea purpurea<\/span> grown in Ukraine is from seeds I collected in the Ozarks in 1986. There it\u2019s used for immune system boosts and help with sperm production after radiation from Chernobyl. One of the main preparations was Echinacea<\/span> in vodka.\u201d<\/p>\n

So from Great Britain to the Ozarks and from the Ozarks to China and Ukraine, herbs and herbalism have a long history<\/p>\n

The people who practice keep the traditions alive with each new season\u2019s garden.<\/p>\n

Originally published FEBRUARY 11, 2016<\/span><\/p>\n

ROOTWORK & CONJURE<\/h3>\n

The idea that plants may heal and protect is commonly held in many cultures. Tina Wilcox\u2019s use of lemon balm to defend from insects is a minor scientific example. There are, however, larger, more transcendent beliefs tied to the spiritual efficacy of native plants. Perhaps the most-developed knowledge of plant-and-spirit use is found in the practice of rootwork.<\/p>\n

Jenney Head, a rootwork practitioner from the Springfield, Missouri-area, says, \u201cI wouldn’t actually say the Ozarks have influenced rootwork or conjure so much as I\u2019d say there is some evidence that rootwork was practiced in these parts in the past.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rootwork is the use of plants and other natural substances to influence people on a spiritual level. Head explains, \u201cMany make a clear distinction between rootwork and Southern conjure, myself included.<\/p>\n

\u201cRootwork is firmly grounded in the historical record as an African-American folk magic tradition. Southern conjure (or simply “conjure”) stems more from a hillfolk tradition, with antecedents in the practices brought over to the states with European immigrants.\u201d Friend has studied under Cat Yronwode and Star Casas, (both nationally known rootworkers).<\/p>\n

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Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is hanging from the cupboard door. Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is on the counter and in the mortar and pestle. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is on the middle shelf.
Photo courtesy of Tina Wilcox, Ozark Folk Center. Photo courtesy of Tina Wilcox, Ozark Folk Center.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI myself decided to focus my rootwork practice largely on those plants, minerals and animal curios which are native to the Ozark Highlands. It seems reasonable to suppose those old-time practitioners did the same out of necessity. I\u2019m doing it out of respect and affection for the region.\u201d<\/p>\n

The natural elements change what can and cannot be done, much like medicinal herbalism.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is commonly believed by workers that the root is stronger than the leaves because the entire plant can usually grow from many roots. However, in some situations, the behavior of the leaves is of greater use. An example might be morning glories (Convolvulaceae<\/span>):<\/p>\n

\u201cThe roots cannot grow the plant (as morning glory is propagated from seeds). And the major utility of morning glories in root work is the climbing habit of the tendrils put out by this plant. These are delicate-looking little things but morning glory can pull an entire trellis right down.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany rootworkers use this plant on behalf of clients to keep a straying partner at home. The growing habits of this plant show why that connection may have been made.\u201d The reason the plant is used in this way is what Head calls \u201cmetaphysical mirroring\u201d where plants\u2019 physical attributes mirror spiritual ones.<\/p>\n

Friend\u2019s ancestors have practiced rootwork and conjure before.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Blooming Chives (Allium schoenoprasum). Photo courtesy of Jenney Head, Ozark Roots & Conjure.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cMy great-grandmother took my grandmother to a cousin with a certain reputation for giftedness,\u201d she recalls. \u201cThat gentleman gave them instructions [for removing a wart] involving a tree stump, a potato and a particular phase of the moon. My grandmother says that wart was gone in no time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rootwork has become Head\u2019s career, but she doesn\u2019t stop there. \u201cI am a very practical person and there have been times when a client expresses surprise that we\u2019re not \u2018just talking about woo,\u2019 but we\u2019re talking about the actual world of work, and LinkedIn and so forth. But, I also add in cleansing baths and prayers and so forth to that mix.\u201d<\/p>\n

Along with her practical streak, Head holds to her spiritual beliefs in rootwork. \u201cWhether or not a particular person believes in the efficacy of prayer or the willingness of plants to work with our Creator to heal people and their lives, there is solid research backing the usefulness of ritual and that is definitely something I employ in my work with clients.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014 by Stephen Meek<\/p>\n

GLOSSARY<\/h3>\n
    \n
  • Adaptogen: stimulates the adrenal cortex and stimulates certain hormones and allows an organism to withstand stress<\/li>\n
  • Bitters Formula: an alcoholic preparation prepared with herbal or other botanical matter<\/li>\n
  • Deciduous: of or pertaining to trees that typically go through hibernation in the winter and lose their broad leaves<\/li>\n
  • Sedative: an effect of some plants that directly depresses the vital forces<\/li>\n
  • Smudge: \u201ca smoke or incense used to clear the air\u201d according to Tina Wilcox<\/li>\n
  • Stimulant: an effect of some plants that temporarily increases vital activity<\/li>\n
  • Tincture: a preparation that involves extracting a liquid from the herb in use<\/li>\n
  • Tisane: A tea used for medicine<\/li>\n
  • Tonic: an effect of some plants that invigorates, braces or refreshes and the preparations that bring about this effect<\/li>\n
  • \u2014 Many of these definitions come from Shaker Medicinal Herbs by Amy Bess Miller, Storey Communications 1998.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
    \"\"

    Oak (Quercus sp.), StateoftheOzarks Archive, February 3, 2006.<\/p><\/div>\n

    ANGLO-SAXON AND CELTIC HERBAL TRADITIONS:<\/h3>\n

    Much of the culture and knowledge attached to herbalism comes from Great Britain as Anglo-Saxon and Celtic immigrants found refuge in the hills. Many brought with them their medicinal knowledge as well as hints of an older, mythological tradition.<\/p>\n

    In Welsh legend, one of the goddesses, Blodeuwedd, is created by the herbal work of other gods.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIt is Math who is skilled in creation. The creation of Blodeuwedd from the flowers of oak, broom, and meadowsweet is well annotated and appears as a first-person interpolation with the \u2018Cad Goddeu\u2019 attributed to Taliesin,\u201d notes author Caitl\u00ecn Matthews in her work, Mabon and the Guardians of Celtic Britain<\/span>.<\/p>\n

    The Welsh people who settled in these hills may have brought memories of this story as well as a deep respect for the healing, even magical, qualities of plants.<\/p>\n

    The great immigration of Irish settlers in the Ozarks may have influenced herb lore as well.<\/p>\n

    Ancient Irish folklore tells of a \u201cSecond Battle of Mag Tuired,\u201d during which herbs were created in this spectacular way:<\/p>\n

    \u201cMiach was buried by Dian Cecht and 365 herbs grew through the grave, corresponding to the number of his joints and sinews. Then Airmed spread her cloak and uprooted those herbs according to their properties. Dian Cecht came to her and mixed the herbs so that no one knows their proper healing qualities unless the Holy Spirit taught them afterwards. And Dian Cecht said, \u2018Though Miach no longer lives, Airmed shall remain.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

    The tale may not be familiar to many today but those who learned the story in childhood could well have learned the names of those 365 herbs as well. Some of this knowledge could have been passed down through the ages, even to the Ozarks.<\/p>\n

    \u2014 compiled by Stephen Meek and Joshua Heston<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Magic of the Hillfolk Herbalism BY STEPHEN J. MEEK There\u2019s magic in the plants of these Ozark hills. Third-generation herbalist Lisa Pluth notes plantain (Plantago major) has the power to heal a thorn in the flesh when used as a simple green bandage. Of the splinter she got, she says \u201cAfter I put the plantain…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6964,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[180,937,582],"tags":[1194],"class_list":["post-6971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arcaneozarks","category-ozarkwriters","category-sotoarchive","tag-herbalism","category-180","category-937","category-582","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6971","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6971"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6971\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6974,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6971\/revisions\/6974"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6964"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6971"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6971"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6971"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}