Swale Plant Report 1 & 2 : Echinacea&strawberry

Echinacea

Overall:
Echinacea is a genus, or group of herbaceous flowering plants in the daisy family. 

The Echinacea genus has nine species, which are commonly called purple coneflowers. 

They are found only in eastern and central North America, where they are found growing in moist to dry prairies and open wooded areas. 

They have large, showy heads of composite flowers, blooming from early to late summer. 

The generic name is derived from the Greek word ἐχῖνος (ekhinos), meaning "hedgehog," due to the spiny central disk.

These flowering plants and their parts have different uses. 

Some species are cultivated in gardens for their showy flowers. Echinacea purpurea is used in folk medicine.Two of the species, E. tennesseensis and E. laevigata, are listed in the United States as endangered species.

Genus: Echinacea

Family: Asteraceae

Common name: purple coneflowers

Physiological aspects:

Echinacea species are herbaceous, drought-tolerant perennial plants growing up to 140 cm or 4 feet in height. They grow from taproots, except E. purpurea, which grows from a short caudex with fibrous roots. They have erect stems that in most species are unbranched.The leaves are normally hairy with a rough texture. The flowers are collected together into single rounded heads at the ends of long peduncles. The corollas are pinkish, greenish, reddish-purple or yellow and have tubes shorter than the throats. The pollen is normally yellow in most species.

List of Species:

Echinacea angustifolia – Narrow-leaf coneflower

Echinacea atrorubens – Topeka purple coneflower

Echinacea laevigata – Smooth coneflower, smooth purple coneflower

Echinacea pallida – Pale purple coneflower

Echinacea paradoxa – Yellow coneflower, Bush's purple coneflower

Echinacea purpurea – Purple coneflower, eastern purple coneflower

Echinacea sanguinea – Sanguine purple coneflower

Echinacea serotina – Narrow-leaved purple coneflower

Echinacea simulata – Wavyleaf purple coneflower

Echinacea tennesseensis – Tennessee coneflower

Preferred growing conditions:

Prefer in moist to dry prairies and open wooded areas

Easy-care, low-water plants produce strong pink blooms.

Plant in full sun; prefers rich soil, but is very adaptable.

Grow from direct-seeding, nursery stock or division.

Attracts bees and butterflies.

Blooms from midsummer to fall; tolerates light frost.

Region of origin:

Native to the plains of North America, echinacea does not grow wild anywhere else in the world, but is widely cultivated, especially in Europe and the US.

History of global migration or use:

Early settlers soon adopted the plant’s medicinal value from Native Americans as a remedy for colds and influenza, and took it to Europe in the 17th century. Although this herb was popular during the 18th and 19th centuries, its use began to decline in the United States after the introduction of antibiotics. Echinacea preparations became increasingly popular in Germany throughout the 20th century.

Medicinal use:

Archaeologists have found evidence that Native Americans may have used echinacea for more than 400 years to treat infections and wounds, and as a general "cure-all." Throughout history people have used echinacea to treat scarlet fever, syphilis, malaria, blood poisoning, and diphtheria.

Today, people use echinacea to shorten the duration of the common cold and flu, and reduce symptoms, such as sore throat (pharyngitis), cough, and fever. Many herbalists also recommend echinacea to help boost the immune system and help the body fight infections.

Culinary use:

Echinacea is one of the best-known herbal remedies, it has not only been used for medicinal uses but also been made into echinacea powder, echinacea teas and nourishment.

Flavor profile:

A pleasant sweetish smell and a faint aroma characterizes the Echinacea herb, the herb leaves behind a tingling sensation in the mouth which is almost similar to the taste of aconite herb, but the flavor of the Echinacea is without the lasting sensation of numbness and it is also bereft of any dangerous poison.

Other uses:

Besides its medicinal uses, many people also plant echinacea flowers at home to lighten their garden and decorate their house.

Symbolism:

Strength or Health, Love or Respect.

Bibliography:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echinacea

http://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/echinacea

https://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/garden/grow-echinacea

Strawberry

Overall:

The garden strawberry is a widely grown hybrid species of the genus Fragaria, collectively known as the strawberries. It is cultivated worldwide for its fruit. The fruit is widely appreciated for its characteristic aroma, bright red color, juicy texture, and sweetness. It is consumed in large quantities, either fresh or in such prepared foods as preserves, juice, pies, ice creams, milkshakes, and chocolates. The strawberry is not, from a botanical point of view, a berry. Technically, it is an aggregate accessory fruit, meaning that the fleshy part is derived not from the plant's ovaries but from the receptacle that holds the ovaries. Each apparent "seed" (achene) on the outside of the fruit is actually one of the ovaries of the flower, with a seed inside it.

Genus: Fragaria

Family: Rosaceae

Common name: Strawberry

Physiological aspects:

Strawberry is a perennial, 5-20 cm high plant with short rhizome and long runners (stolons) that grow on the soil surface and turn into roots to form new plants.The plants have light-green trifoliate leaves with toothed margins that have silky hairs on the underside.The small white flowers sit on thin stalks, followed by small, red and aromatic fruits. The plant is in bloom from April to May and the seeds ripen from June to July. The fruits of strawberries are actually accessories, or false fruits which are in part developed from the swollen top of the flower stalks. The tiny achenes embedded in the surface are the true fruits.

List of Species:

The strawberry genus, Fragaria, is part of the Rose (Rosaceae) family. Genera, species and varieties within this family are located throughout the world in various types of climates. Fragaria contains at least 21 different species native to the Americas, Europe and Asia. The garden strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa), also known as the cultivated strawberry or commercial strawberry, can be traced back to 18th century Europe. Many different hybrids abound.

Preferred growing conditions:

Strawberries prefer a well drained and slightly acidic soil, high in organic matter. They need full sun for the highest yields, at least 6 hours per day. They have shallow root systems and need frequent watering to ensure that the soil stays moist.Strawberries are often grouped according to their flowering habit.

Region of origin:

The strawberry fruit was mentioned in ancient Roman literature in reference to its medicinal use. The French began taking the strawberry from the forest to their gardens for harvest in the 14th century. 

History of global migration or use:

The garden strawberry was first bred in Brittany, France, in the 1750s via a cross of Fragaria virginiana from eastern North America and Fragaria chiloensis, which was brought from Chile by Amédée-François Frézier in 1714. Cultivars of Fragaria × ananassa have replaced, in commercial production, the woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca), which was the first strawberry species cultivated in the early 17th century.

Medicinal use:

All parts of the plant have been used in herbal medicine. The leaves and roots have been used in herbal teas to improve bile and liver function, to treat inflammation of the bowel, and the berries have been used as a diuretic and an herbal remedy for gout.Using the berries as herbal medicine is not especially common today, but the berries are often used in conjunction with other medicinal herbs in so-called blood-purifying teas.

Culinary use:

Strawberry is consumed in large quantities, either fresh or in such prepared foods as preserves, jam, juice, pies, ice creams, milkshakes, cakes, chocolates and many others.

Flavor profile:

A strong sweetness with a faint sour flavor.

Other uses:

Artificial strawberry flavorings and aromas are also widely used in lots of products like lip gloss, candy, hand sanitizers, perfume, pigments and many others.

Symbolism:

A symbol for Venus, the Goddess of Love, because of its heart shapes and red color. Also symbolize perfection and righteousness

Bibliography:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry

https://www.herbal-supplement-resource.com/wild-strawberry-benefits.html

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/type-plants-fruits-strawberries-closely-related-55614.html


It was a pity that I could not go to the Swale with my classmates so I did not get a chance to see all the amazing plants on the Swale.
Special thanks to Lisha and Jiawen for taking the photos of the strawberry for me.