Edible and Medicinal Plants
Marvin Bouknight, staff naturalist at Oldfield, entertained the Bluffton Rotary on Wednesday, April 9th, speaking about local edible medicinal plants. Stopping along the way to the meeting to pick some plants to show the group, Marvin demonstrated his extensive knowledge of our local flora, as he discussed the medicinal properties of each plant.
Some of his "exhibits" included: Spanish moss, a close relative to the pineapple, not a parasite and known to help reduce blood pressure; St. John's Wort, commonly used as an energy boost when steeped as a tea; wild geranium, good for bee stings; wax myrtle where the berries can be made into candles and the leaves are a good seasoning for our low country boil; and native black willow which has aspirin for headaches. According to Marvin there are hundreds of plants out there that can be used for medicinal purposes.
But, as is true with wild mushrooms, it is best to be sure of what you're picking before eating. Some good reference books include: Tom Brown's Guide to Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants; Billy Joe Tatum's Wild Foods Cookbook and Field Guide.