Category: health

Bulbine frutescens, B. latifolia (syn. B. natalensis), and B. narcissifolia
Family: Xanthorrhoeaceae (syn. Asphodelaceae)

INTRODUCTION

Bulbine species are geophytic (plants that have a subterranean storage organ known as a corm), aloe-like succulent perennials with rosettes of fleshy leaves. The amount of water stored above ground (succulence) in Bulbine species, however, may be more important for survival than the amount stored in the corm (geophytism).¹ The Bulbine genus includes approximately 78 species² with a highly disjunct distribution,¹ occurring almost entirely in southern Africa,^1,2 but with six species in Australia.³ This article concerns the most widely used African species: B. latifolia (syn. B. natalensis), known as broad-leaved bulbine,⁴ and as rooiwortel (“red root”) in Afrikaans due to its red-orange corm⁵; B. frutescens, known as stalk-bulbine,⁶ burn jelly plant, cat’s tail, and snake flower⁷; and B. narcissifolia…

This article reports on market conditions as of mid-April 2020 for herbal ingredients and products. Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs {CBCOH} is not recommending any of the mentioned botanical ingredients as remedies to prevent or treat coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, a global pandemic. By the end of March, about one-third of the world’s population was under some form of quarantine or public lockdown, and the virus has prompted a tsunami of disruptions to the global economy.¹

The pandemic has had ripple effects across every economic sector, as companies and workers have halted travel and adapted to the new reality of “nonessential” business closures, supply chain interruptions, and nationwide stay-at-home orders. It is an unprecedented event for most people and has the potential to forever change life and business.

For the herbal products…

Fennel: A Versatile Powerhouse of Nutrition 

By Marie Olson, RWP, NTP, CA 

Fennel is an interesting and versatile plant. It has several uses culinarily, and also provides benefits herbally and aromatically.

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a perennial herb that is highly aromatic. It has been described as having the flavor of black licorice, or anise (Pimpinella anisum), but many find it to be much milder, which makes it suitable for a variety of applications. There are three different plant parts that are used in cooking: The seeds, the stalk/bulb, and the fronds.

Edible Parts of Fennel

The fronds resemble dill (Anethum graveolens) in both appearance and flavor. That makes sense, since both fennel and dill are from the Apiaceae family, which includes celery (Apium graveolens), parsley (Petroselinum sativum), and coriander (Coriandrum sativum). It is also a relative of anise (Pimpinella anisum), which it resembles both physically and aromatically. The fronds are often used as a garnish…