Weed that roots smell like rootbeer

[dayna]

I have a weed that my rabbits love.

The roots smell like rootbeer. It is NOT sasafrass.

It's a small weed, with small white flowers. I will get a photo tomorrow. Anyone know what it is?

I would like to confirm it's not toxic.

Dayna

www.E-Z-Caps.com

[dayna]

I found it:

Polygala paniculata

Does anyone know if it's a good weed or bad weed?

Dayna

www.E-Z-Caps.com

[Carey]

The PIER listing has listed it as an invasive:
http://www.hear.org/pier/species/polygal...culata.htm

The plant extracts so have some interesting effects, and may have some very beneficial effects:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16259784
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22077163

So maybe if your bunnies are depressed, it may be a good thing to nimble...just don't encourage it to go to seed!

[dayna]

Maybe I should make a tea of it! LOL I'm going to do some more research. I know it smells soooo good when I weed my garden and I pull those up.

Dayna

www.E-Z-Caps.com

[bananahead]

thats a bad weed, not supposed to be here like 20,000 other plants... but its not as bad as some

if you want a good native endemic plant to make tea from try Kōʻokoʻolau (Bidens hawaiensis), it grows wild ONLY in Puna and Kau, and the leaves (tea) are good for brewing medicinal tea (all 19 different Hawaiian Bidens are)
Wild Kōʻokoʻolau, and also Mamaki (Pipturus albidus) can be found on the trail down to Secret Beach (between Kehena and Seaview) and are the best 2 plants for tea we have.... both are very easy to grow from seeds or cuttings


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save our indigenous and endemic Hawaiian Plants... learn about them, grow them, and plant them on your property, ....instead of all that invasive non-native garbage I see in most yards... aloha

[dayna]

Thanks, they are very attractive plants. I will keep an eye open when I'm on the property looking for them. If I can't find any I'll get some seeds.

Dayna

www.E-Z-Caps.com

[bananahead]

here is some info I just looked up on the 2 endemic plants for tea...

Māmaki leaves and fruit are no reported toxicity.
Dried or fresh māmaki leaves are used to make a mild but invigorating and healthy tea and one few commercially available native herbs for consumption. The tea helps with listlessness. Māmaki leaves generally have a more pleasant aroma and taste than koʻokoʻolau. [2] The fresh or dried leaves for mamaki tea have been used to help with many internal disorders such as for the stomach, colon, bladder, liver, and bowels. [3]
Infused leaves can be used in treatment for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, liver problems, depression, bladder problems, bladder infections, and PMS. However, In some people māmaki can cause mild agitation or insomnia. [9]
David Bruce Leonard adds: "A remarkable friend, māmaki has a soothing effect on the nervous system in a similar way to jasmine tea. It works well for irritability or just to decompress after a day in Babylon." [9]


All species of koʻokoʻolau can be brewed as a tonic and each are said to have distinct flavors. Regarding Bidens spp., Isabella Abbott comments that "I find that the roughly half a dozen species common in Hawaiʻi offer two or three slightly different flavors, each a bit more subtle than commercial black tea." [2]

******************************************************************
save our indigenous and endemic Hawaiian Plants... learn about them, grow them, and plant them on your property, ....instead of all that invasive non-native garbage I see in most yards... aloha

[rainyjim]

Hi,

I know a lot of folk who grow the mamaki trees just to make tea for themselves...they claim it is beneficial in preventing diseases for old timers like alzheimers and other old timer stuff.

[YurtGirl]

I was always told that was sassafras! Glad to know better now...

Melissa Fletcher
___________________________
"Make yurts, not war" Bill Coperthwaite, 1973

[msrocket]

Just found this thread, mahalo. I was told it was sassafras, but sure doesn't look like it in the pictures. It is an easy-spreading weed that I am constantly pulling. Roots do smell good, though.