TKG

<Alt Text 1 of 4> Today’s plant of the week takes us back to our roots. A few of you just tuning into to the Wild Harvest Digest might not remember these posts started by covering plants you can find in the wild that have some use to you be it as food, medicine or for some survival role. Well today we have one of those kinds of plants, but the best part is that it’s a cultivated cousin of a wild one you can find in a few places right here in Fayetteville. Today’s plant is Red Plantain and it is scientifically known as (Plantago major rubrifolia) and the botanical latin breaks down easily enough ‘Plantago’ comes from the classic latin of ‘planta’ or ‘sole of foot’ and ‘ago’ meaning ‘A sort of’. The specific epithet ‘major’ means ‘larger’ or ‘greater’ and ‘rubrifolia’ means red foliage. Everything in that name is straightforward and to the point which is refreshing when it comes to botanical Latin because often the names are nuanced in ways that confuse the casual reader. These Plantains which by the way are of no relation to the little Bananas (Musa acuminata) are native to Eurasia, and thus are non-native. There are species of Plantain that are native to the USA though and they include American Plantain (P. virginica), Rugel’s Plantain (P. rugelii) and California Plantain (P. erecta). <Alt Text 1 of 4>

<Alt Text 2 of 4> [Author's Note: Growing this from seed was a pain in the butt. I only got this one plant to grow and it is fabulous. Remember to surface sow the seed with at most a dusting of soil over and keep them moist in a humidity dome. it may take upwards of 20 days or more to get germination.] There are likely others that are native but Re- Leaf Plantain is a selected cultivar of the much more common Broadleaf Plantain (P. major). This herb is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 12b, and is considered an herbaceous perennial in some parts of the country while in 8b (Fayetteville), it may retain its leaves all year. In terms of soil it prefers soils that have decent drainage but is adaptable to a wide variety of soil types and will accept a pH range between 4.8 and 7.3. Broad Leaf Plantains will grow in full sun to partial shade and are considered a rosette forming plant. A rosette forming plant typically has a growing point that is in the center of the plant that is low to the ground making it resistant to grazing animals and lawn mowers. Typically an intentionally grown Broad Leaf Plantain can have a diameter of twelve inches with a height including flower stalks of about twelve inches. This plant has a bunch of alternate names such as Fleawort, Greater Plantain, Waybread and White Man’s Footprint. Now those last two are of note, but let’s start with the latter one; the name ‘White Man’s Footprint’ came about because this plant would originally only appear wherever Europeans built settlements as they accidentally or intentionally brought this plant to the New World. <Alt Text 2 of 4>

<Alt Text 3 of 4> The former name ‘Waybread’ likely comes from the use of plantain seed to make something like flour in the New World as it is known that a cousin of this plant California Plantain has been used as a food by the indigenous peoples of America circa 6,500 to 1,500 BCE. We know this because there is a period known as the Milling Stone Horizon which is archaeological period where the Indigenous Peoples of what is now California through artifacts left behind were known to be using Manos and Metates to grind seeds into flour. A Manos and Metate is a form of Milling stone that’s operated like a Pestle and Mortar, sort of. The epoch in which this all happened is also called the Encinitas Tradition. So the native Plantains are thoroughly linked to Indigenous traditions and culture and well let’s just say the European ones are no less valuable. Red-Leaf Plantains are useful to us now because they are pretty the red coloration in my specimen really came out in the middle of summer and has gotten more vibrant as it’s gotten colder at night. In the second picture you can see the flower stalks which contain dozens of tiny inconspicuous flowers which are wind pollinated. <Alt Text 3 of 4>

<Alt Text 4 of 4> [Author's Note: There is a purple-leaved variety called 'Purple Perversion' but I could not get a good photo online.] The seed pods follow them and then of course the seeds. I know what you’re thinking, ‘I’d need hundreds of plants to make a pound of flour!’ and you are not wrong. But Plantains have other virtues, Their roots can break hardpan soils and can limit the effects of wind and water erosion of soil. Each plant can produce something like twenty-thousand seeds so they are productive if you want flour or just to use the seeds for their Psyllium fiber for digestive health. If you’re planning to make Psyllium fiber, just soak the seeds and they will create a mucilaginous high fiber beverage that can help with constipation and other digestive issues. Beyond that there is the known use for the leaves, if you are stung, harvest a leaf and chew it up then spit the green mess out and apply it to the sting. The swelling and pain should relieve itself as enzymes in the leave will interact with your saliva to handle the swelling and discomfort. Lastly, the leaves are straight up edible. Young Plantain leaves can be eaten raw like one might do for spinach or other unusual greens while older ones will need to be cooked. Plantain leaves are high in vitamins A, C and K and therefore could be the difference in a survival situation between malnutrition and surviving a bit longer. Most of all, and I’ve said this before, Red-Leaved Plantains add in foliage color to the mix making them extra useful plus the red color means Anthocyanins which have anti-inflammatory properties and are used in the body as antioxidants. Some studies suggest that Anthocyanins also can help heart health by way of lowering cholesterol and may also boost brain function. Lastly, Anthocyanins may also fight cancer by limiting tumor growth. So with all that said, Red-Leaved Plantains are something you should consider including in your back yard Apothecary. <Alt Text 4 of 4>

The Wild Harvest Digest: November 2025, #1

Good Morning Neighbors,

Today’s plant of the week takes us back to our roots. (Please look at the Alt Text for more) #WildPlants #BroadleafPlantain #Red-LeafPlantain

Oh shit, you have an RFK too?!

Kid Rock music; the thing that 9 out of 10 torturers say is more in humane than waterboarding.

Needs an update to include the leather pants grifter-widow and moving the current "marry" to the "kill" box

That's not a landslide, that's more like the political earth opened up below him and a bevy of things from hell dragged him kicking and screaming into the depths never to be seen again.

Yeah due to jet fuel being as explosive as it is even little crashes where it goes up look terrible. So I could not tell if it crashed in a field behind the building we see or not.

Is now a good time to inform you that the nickname for Australia is "Murder Continent" because it's got it's own landmass body count?

My secret is Epsom Salts.

What did it hit?

You know what'd be great? If the interviewer could bonk him in the head with a oversized nerf hammer that comically squeaks, every time he told a lie.

What do they tell their kids/grandkids? Lies about how they acted against him when they did not. They will expect that their kids/grandkids will be too dumb or trusting to ever look into the formal record and find out their parents failed them, their neighbors and their country.

<Alt Text 1 of 3> Today’s plant is all about its unique foliage, the botanical latin name for this plant is (Manihot grahamii) and it is in the Euphorbiaceae family which means it’s related to Fire on the Mountain and Poinsettias. In some older publications this plant has a few synonym botanical latin names such as; Janipha loeflingii var. multifida, Manihot dulcis var. multifida, Manihot enneaphylla, Manihot lobata, Manihot loeflingii, Manihot loeflingii var. multifida, Manihot palmata var. multifida, Manihot tweedieana, Manihot tweedieana var. lobatam and, Manihot tweedieana f. nana. So in short this plant has been around long enough to rack up a lot of alternate Latin names. This plant which is a perennial in our area is commonly called Hardy Tapioca, and that name is indicative. Hardy Tapioca originates in South America specifically Southern Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina, but it has done ok right here in zone 8b. While it is not the source of the Tapioca pearls found in Tapioca Pudding, Boba Tea, or Coconut Milk Beverages it is closely related to the true edible Tapioca (Manihot esculenta). I have to mention here, that the edible Tapioca is also called Cassava, and the part you eat is the starchy roots. If you should ever decide to try your hand at growing Cassava/Tapioca remember, there are two types of Cassava, one that is sweet and one that is bitter. <Alt Text 1 of 3>

<Alt Text 2 of 3> The bitter one is exclusively used for starch extraction. Hardy Tapioca in comparison is largely unpalatable and noted to be mildly toxic. Hardy Tapioca looks like its edible cousin, has similar flowers and similar little fruits but it’s hardy in the USA from zones 7b through 11 according to the USDA. Some nurseries like Cistus say it’s only hardy to zone 8. Whereas Plant Delights says Hardy Tapioca is hardy in 7b to 10b. In the plant trade with plants that are semi-tropical you’re going to see some difference of opinion on the hardiness of a given plant. This is because of two reasons, the aforementioned nurseries may be consulting different sources to get different numbers and also because sometimes they shave a little off the ends of the USDA zone ranges. Taking a little bit off the range lowers the chance a gardener might plant their specimen a bit too far out of the range it does best in. <Alt Text 2 of 3>

<Alt Text 3 of 3> [Photo credit: By SAplants - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=149272297 ] In our zone which is 8B, this plant is herbaceous, meaning it dies back to the ground unless the winter is super-mild. We’ve only had one super-mild winter that I can recall in the last fifteen years roughly speaking so you should be prepared to see it die back leaving sticks kind of like Cotton Rose (Hibiscus mutabilis) leaves behind in winter. Since this plant isn’t known for its flowers being especially fancy, the foliage which almost resembles an ornamental fan does make it stand out amongst garden plants. That it is essentially a tropical that doesn’t need replacing in Zone 8 is a big bonus. However plants can grow as much as ten feet tall in our climate as they get bigger every year up until a certain point. A pretty cool feature of this plant is its seed pods; if they dry out without bursting I’ve read that they rattle in the wind. However all sources indicate they have a spring loaded mechanism that causes them to burst and fling the seed inside the pod several feet. This bursting is audible and triggered by the slightest touch or nearby disturbance but it is also a dispersal mechanism that you can find a lot fo examples of in the plant kingdom. Impatiens, Squirting Cucumbers, Sweet Peas, Wood Sorrel, are just a few well-known examples of plants with this feature. I have to make mention of one of the largest members of the Euphorbia family, the Sandbox Tree (Hura crepitans) which has exploding seed pods and can lob its seed at 160 miles per hour. Thankfully you won’t have to worry about seeds being flung at you at those speeds if you plant a Hardy Tapioca, but folks wondering where you got the plant and pestering you for cuttings may be another issue entirely. <Alt Text 3 of 3>

The Wild Harvest Digest: October 2025, #5

Good Morning Neighbors,

Today’s plant of the week is one that you really don’t see in gardens that often. Yes, I know I say that fairly often however this time I really mean it. #HardyTapioca #Cassava

<Alt Text 1 of 4> [Photo Credit: The picture of the flowers is from the NC State Plant toolbox site and was taken by Miltos Gikas.] Today’s plant of the week is one that I had never seen outside of a book until just a few weeks ago. Photographs of this perennial typically focus on the exceptional blooms however the entire plant is an interesting study into plant biology. That plant I’m talking about is the Gloriosa Lily (Gloriousa superba), which despite the common name is not in the true lily family (Liliaceae), and instead is in the (Colchicaceae) family. That family might sound familiar to you because it’s most medically famous member is the Autumn Crocus (Colchicum autumnale) from which we derive Colchicine which is used to treat Gout. Also this means that Gloriosa Lilies are related to Saffron (Crocus sativus) the culinary herb. With the pedigree of today’s plant out of the way, I do have to mention it has other common names like Cat’s Claw, Climbing Lily, Flame Lily, Glory Lily, Superb Lily and Tiger’s Claw. So, what’s special about this plant? Well, Gloriosa Lily is the only lily in common cultivation that can climb like a vine. Individual stalks can grow up to eight feet long and they readily scramble atop whatever is nearby that allows them to get to brighter light. The leaves of this Lily have little curling tendrils at the leaf tips that allow them to hold onto whatever is nearby. <Alt Text 1 of 4>

<Alt Text 2 of 4> [Photo Note: that is a seed pod that may or may not have viable seed in it given the visible damage, Not the curly tips on the leaves, those are used to allow it to climb other plants.] Other plants that climb have similar adaptations include Garden Peas (Pisum sativum), Sweet Peas (Lathyrus odoratus) and Climbing Aloe (Aloiampelos ciliaris/ Aloe ciliaris) which hooks its leaf tips around other plants it is growing on. While Gloriosa Lilies are hardy in USDA zones 8a through 12b, in our area you can generally expect that they will due back to the ground every fall and start growing again in the spring from their tuberous roots. The flower is what makes this plant truly unique though The picture I’ve included with this article does it no justice, and an internet search will reveal it comes in a fair variety of colors, reds, oranges, yellow, pinks and blends of two or three of the aforementioned colors. The petals are upturned and curled in while the pistils and stamen stick out downward and the whole thing kind of resembles an abstract hot air balloon. <Alt Text 2 of 4>

<Alt Text 3 of 4> Of course there are cultivars with curlier flower petals, thinner flower petals so some varieties might also resemble a large colorful spider. Gloriosa Lilies tend to bloom in the mid to late summer into the fall so you have a fair range of time to enjoy them. As far as I’ve seen they tolerate a range of soil, but do best in soils with a lot of organic matter and need good drainage. Gloriosa Lilies also prefer full to partial sun and need regular watering to do really present a good showing. You can thankfully order this plant from a few growers or if you happen to know someone who has seeds or plants taking root cuttings is a surefire way to get one. <Alt Text 3 of 4>

<Alt Text 4 of 4> [Photo Note: the bright red seeds are of note here as they might be mistaken for berries and eaten.] Now we have to talk about the bad side of this plant. It is not native to the USA, and originates in Southern Africa and Tropical Asia. Normally this is not really a problem, but in some places where it was introduced it has become an Invasive plant. In the USA, specifically parts of Florida it is considered and invasive/noxious weed and chances are other parts of the 9 to 10 USDA zones will eventually classify it as such also. We’re in Zone 8B, which means it would be wise to monitor your plant for undesired escapes from cultivation. Unfortunately this isn’t all of the bad regarding Gloriosa Lily as all parts of this plant are very toxic and can be fatal if eaten. The symptoms of poisoning by consuming this plant are Numbness in the lips, tongue and throat. Additional symptoms include thirst, fever, bloody vomiting, bloody bowels, labored breathing, convulsions, shock, multi-organ damage and the suppression of the bone marrow’s function. In short, this is plant that is safe to handle but not to consume in any fashion. This is par for the course for a lot of members of the family so this is something you should consider planting where pets and children cannot get to it. <Alt Text 4 of 4>

The Wild Harvest Digest: October 2025, #4

Good Morning Neighbors,

Today’s plant of the week is one that I had never seen outside of a book until just a few weeks ago. #GloriosaLily

I get the feeling you don't know. That's ok, these things happen some times.

Nope, and her lack of qualifications and yet still being appointed is a maneuver the Trump machine would repeat over and over again.

Yeah it in this case is a weird version of the southern strategy.

Huh, the AI even gave her what looks like needle tracks in her arms...it's so lifelike!

I thought Info Wars stopped existing?

Where can I get a copy of this?

This is chilling. And it doesn't exist anymore except on the Internet.

I'm not surprised he did that; criminals tend to run together.

Existing and possessing melanin.

Now that's a great quote.

What of the Salamanders?

That's a creepy photo. Where did he get that picture taken, in the basement of Four Seasons Landscaping?

Ghouliani.

It's disgusting but it's also a sign that Cuomo is desperate. When your enemies resort to petty name calling instead of genuinely criticizing your policies they reveal they have no counter and are just appealing to the dumbest voters.

"nearly half..." ???

it's an open book test.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/imm...

More like got a shit judge that sabotaged the effort at every chance. Aileen Canon had a major hand in stalling the entire process.

*Emergency alert tone* Danger! Trumper-tantrum is imminent. Please secure all ketchup bottles and have wall splatter damage control teams on standby. Man-babyologists expect that this will be a category 3 Trumper-tantrum. *Emergency alert tone*