PLANTS ON THE HOMESTEAD - RABBIT TOBACCO
This is the sixth post in a new series, in which @papa-pepper will share about different plants that they plan on growing on the homestead, and why.
RABBIT TOBACCO VIDEO
BACKGROUND
Rabbit Tobacco AKA Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium (yeah, that's why I call it Rabbit Tobacco) is a most peculiar plant that I was first introduced to last year. I love learning about new beneficial wild plants, and this one was a pleasure to meet. The more that I looked into it, the more that I appreciated it. Thankfully, we even have some already growing on our land, and this will be our second year harvesting it.
PLANT INFO
The plant itself is an annual flowering herb that can be found across eastern North America. It can be found growing in fields and other undisturbed locations. When the plant dries, the leaved become a silvery color and, when crushed, smell like maple syrup.
The plant is especially easy to recognize once it is dry, but once you are familiar with it, it can be located when it is still green. It is not a particularly special wild flower to look at, but what it lacks in luster it makes up for in uses.
OTHER INFO
This is an incredibly useful plant for treating certain ailments. The Native Americans used it medicinally in many ways. From muscle cramps to colds and the flu, this plant is very useful as a tea, or even as something to smoke. Can you imagine smoking something to help with asthma? While that might sound strange, that is what many people still do with Rabbit Tobacco to help their issues.
Since the plant has antiviral properties and is claimed to have a positive effect on cancer, I like to use it periodically in some of my tea blends. Rabbit Tobacco is also a diuretic and expectorant. Some even use it as an insect and spider repellent.
It seems that the more I look into this plant, the more research and testimonies I find supporting the incredible possibilities of using this plant to help with various health issues. No wonder another common nickname for this plant "Life Everlasting."
PROPAGATION
Rabbit Tobacco is a type of cudweed. Cudweeds are annual or biennial plants, which means that they only for a season, or might grow for two consecutive years. With this being the case, the best way to make sure to get a yearly harvest is by collecting the mature flower heads in the fall which contain the fully developed seeds.
These seeds can then be sown the following spring to provide you with the plants for the next season.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Any opportunity to grow our own medicine is an opportunity that I would prefer to take advantage of. Having helpful plants available to treat our ailments is a huge blessing, so making sure that Rabbit Tobacco continues to grow on our homestead will be effort well rewarded.
As we move forward, we may even look into offering seeds or dried leaves up for sale, so this plant may not only be able to help our health, but our wealth too!
All photos, video, and writing are original, but some research was done at this website and here also.
IN CASE YOU MISSED MY PREVIOUS VIDEOS FROM THIS SERIES
As always, I'm @papa-pepper and here's the proof:
proof-of-rabbit-tobacco
Until next time…
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Plants can be so amazing. I always wonder what secrets does the chemical company have that they dont want the people to know! As always @papa-pepper awesome post and thank you for sharing!
No kidding, let's get the secrets out!
The secret's out, plants are wonderful!
Thanks for doing your part to create a living guide on the blockchain!
@papa-pepper you might find the black suits coming to visit you one day too stop you from letting out secrets! 😁
I have shades... I can blend in.
Lol awesome!
Thanks for sharing this info about Rabbit Tobacco AKA Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium with us...always learning something new from my dear wild man...keep up the good work,
Yeah, the wild is a great place to be.
welcome bud and do not forget to pay my post a visit if you have time (your constructive comment is always welcomed) . I wish you and @papa-pepper tribe a blessed weekend
I have been gardening like crazy this past year.I love multi-use plants like this. Do you happen to know if this plant can be grown on the west coast?
According to this site the plant needs 4-8 hrs of full sun and dry soil, so I think that sandy soil would work or if you plant it in pots maybe use a cactus mix? It would seem that it grows all the way from Texas to P.E.I. (just off Canada's east coast) so as long as it doesn't sit in water and you can give it enough sun it should work.
Wow! So helpful. Big upvote for you.
It is not native there, but it should be able to be. What state are you in?
Wow! So helpful. Big upvote for you.
Super-duper thank you! :-)
Great and informative video, I noticed in some comments below, you have about 8 acres home-stead. I hail from North East Scotland where we have a home with 5 acres, in the countryside. We do not live there just now, but we had our dogs, ducks, chickens, Cockerals, Rabbits and Guinea Pigs. I wasn't into the plants very much, we did grow some of the common vegetables and a lot of bushy fruits. Living in Dubai now, due to work, but can't wait to go back home to the cooler countryside, rain, wind and our little plot of land. Your videos will be a great referral for us, thanks
i hope you follow or vote me...please
i hope one vote or follow me....please
Looks like you have everything growing... I have not seen beans...any beans ? lolBest wishes to you and your family! - @splendorhub
You just missed them!
Steemit Seed Savers - Chineese Noodle Beans
and
When You Find Out Your Guest Is A Vegan!
Awesome how many sheep are you getting?
Using it as tea sounds like a good idea due to me having asthma ill be checking this out thanks papa!
3 so far!
Thank you for sharing so much information. You know a lot about nature. Greetings.
Never heard of this one before. I like the fact you can make tea with it. I may need to do some more research on this one. Wonder if it will grow in zone 7. Thanks for sharing.
I am on the border of zone 7, I'd say yes. Also, this is a worthwhile plant to research.
Would be awesome if you prepared seed packages and did random draws for winners to receive some of these great plant seeds. I for one would surly enter that. Thanks for all you do.