Rocalba : Hobby Catalogue

VARIETY DESCRIPTION USES AND PROPERTIES AROMATIC ANDMEDICINAL DESCRIPTION WILD SORREL Perennial herbaceous plant with rounded leaves in the form of a ro- sette at the base of the stem. Flowers form spikes. Pleasant sour taste, used raw in salads and cooked as a vegetable. Used in hou- sehold remedies as a pick-me-up, laxative and astringent. CULTIVA- TION: humid climates and non-limy soils. Cut leaves every 25 days after nascency. In cooking, the leaves are used as a vegetable, like spinach, or fresh, in salads; it is also very appreciated in soups. It has a tangy flavor. It contains a lot of vitamin C. In medicinal use, it has laxative and diuretic qualities. SAVORY Annual plant. Height 25-40 cm. Fine and very aromatic foliage. Har- vest leaves for flavoring dishes or for medical use. Antiseptic, stimu- lant and digestive. CULTIVATION: well-drained soil, sunny position. Slow germination, activated by light. Cover seeds very little, then compress ground with a slat. It is a spicy plant very appreciated in the kitchen for its very perfu- med aroma. It has interesting medicinal properties, being antiseptic, promoter of gastric secretions, as well as acting against gout, rheu- matism and intestinal parasites. WORMWOOD Perennial plant. Up to 1 m high. Stems and leaves covered with grey hair. Blossom: panicles with yellow flower heads in leaf axils. Leaves and flowers are harvested. Contains absentine, a very bitter alkaloid. Effective against digestive disorders, stimulates appetite. CULTIVA- TION: permeable ground, never humid, full sun. Suffers during hard winters. Wormwood is toxic at high doses; it contains absinthe which gives the plant a bitter taste. It has appetite stimulating properties, as well as digestive, because of the aid in the secretion of gastric juices. It also acts as a liver protector. BEAR'S GARLIC Vivacious bulbous plant, 30-40 cm high, from the Liliaceae family, also called wild garlic. The whole plant is edible and gives off a strong garlic smell. Very aromatic, slightly spicy taste. CULTIVA- TION: Collect the leaves fromMarch to May, until the flowers appear. Plant in a cool and shady place; always keep the soil moist. It helps the circulatory system, regulating cholesterol and sugar; it is used as an antiseptic against various digestive infections, helps to purify, tone and detoxify the body. In the kitchen it is used garlic style for seasoning. BASIL Variety with dark purple leaves, very aromatic. Annual plant, 30-50 cm high, big leaves. Bright pink blossom. CULTIVATION: exposed to sun, well-drained soil, water frequently. Due to its pleasant fragrance, Basil is widely used in cooking to sea- son all kinds of dishes, sauces and salads. Lemon Basil contains citral and limonene; Cinnamon Basil contains methyl cinnamonono- nate, these compounds give it its particular perfumes. It is suitable against intestinal and gastric disorders. It has anti-bacterial effects and is anti-inflammatory. CAPERS Perennial shrub with long thin stems. Two thorns at the base of the stem. The buds and new fruits (capers) are used as seasoning and appetiser. CULTIVATION: next to walls which catch the midday sun, or in loose, limy soils, in a sunny position. Salted or pickled capers are used as an appetizer or dressing. They are a common ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine. Indica- tions: it is diuretic, aperitif, depurative, anti-hemorrhoidal, vaso- constrictor, unclogs the gall bladder, astringent, and expectorant. Used against capillary fragility. ANGELICA Biannual plant. Melliferous. Thick roots, contains yellow aromatic latex, which is harvested during the second year. Seeds are harves- ted when ripe at the end of the plant’s cycle. Properties: tranquili- zing effect on nervous system, digestive. Alleviates migraine and muscle cramps. Native to northern Europe and mountainous areas. CULTIVATION: needs both sun and shadow. Humid, fresh soil. Re- sistant to cold. Petioles and stems are used in confectionery as candied fruit and in liqueurs. Its roots are a great tonic of the general state against tiredness. It is a stimulant of the digestive system and is indicated against intestinal spasms. It also has sedative properties in case of anxiety. SWEET ANISEED Annual shrub-like plant with a smooth thin stem and flowers for- ming umbels. Yields strong smelling seeds, which are used in phar- maceutics as a stimulant and stomachic, as well as in the liquor and confectionery industries. CULTIVATION: sow in spring in loose, rich soil. Requires general care and is harvested when plants turn yellow. Leave bunches of stems to dry. Its seeds are used as a condiment in cooking, baking, confectio- nery and in the preparation of liqueurs. All parts of the young plant are edible. The stalks have a texture similar to celery and are much milder in flavor than the seeds. Its infusions are carminative, antis- pasmodic and stimulate endocrine secretions. MUGWORT A perennial herbaceous plant measuring one and a half metres in height, with a large number of branches growing from the stem. It has hairy leaves and yellow flowers which form small ears. Highly valued for its aroma, it is also used to make liquors. In household remedies it is used to treat convulsions and epilepsy. CULTIVATION: permeable soils. It is used for flavoring meats and liquors. Mugwort is used as a bitter, aromatic, stomachic and digestive plant. It contains thujone, which can be toxic. GARDEN CRESS Annual plant, 30 - 50 cm height, erect and ramified. Small white or rose flowers. Aromatic and spicy flavour that combines well with salads. CULTIVATION: fresh, light and rich in organic material soil. Superficial sow at full sun or shade. Frequent watering. It is consumed mainly in salads, also as a flavoring of dishes like parsley. It has a pronounced spicy flavor. Watercress has a very high iron and calcium content. It also provides a lot of vitamin C which is suitable for preventing anemia and scurvy. WATERCRESS Aquatic annual plant, develops creeping stems deep inside water and stems outside that can overpass 2m in horizontal length. Fles- hy texture leaves can be eaten in salad. CULTIVATION: Humid and aquatic medium, needs clear and shallow water, slow current. In addition to raw, garden cress can be consumed boiled as a vege- table. High in antioxidants, which prevent the harmful effects of free radicals and protect against cardiovascular diseases. The leaves are rich in vitamin C. BORAGE Annual plant measuring about 40 cm in height, covered with hair. Rough leaves and clusters of blue flowers. Widely used in pharma- ceutics. In household remedies it is used as a blood tonic and aga- inst gout and rheumatism. CULTIVATION: light, fertile soils. The borage leaf is consumed as a vegetable. For its medicinal pro- perties, the flowers, in infusion have sudorific properties and the leaves are used in decoction for their diuretic qualities. In addition, other qualities are known: anti-stress, skin emollient and against prostate inflammation. 156 TECHNICAL INFORMATION Aromatic and Medicinals