{"id":28577,"date":"2023-08-01T01:10:09","date_gmt":"2023-08-01T05:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/?p=28577"},"modified":"2023-07-17T18:43:37","modified_gmt":"2023-07-17T22:43:37","slug":"notes-from-the-apothecary-82","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2023\/08\/01\/notes-from-the-apothecary-82\/","title":{"rendered":"Notes from the Apothecary"},"content":{"rendered":"

Notes from the Apothecary: Anemones<\/b><\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n

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Whenever you hear the word \u201canemone\u201d you\u2019ll either imagine a gorgeous yet shy sea creature or a beautiful flower found both in the wild and in gardens all over the world. Of course, here in the Apothecary, we\u2019re excited about the flowers! There are well over a hundred species of anemone, including Anemone blanda<\/i> and Anemone nemorosa, <\/i>both often referred to as wood anemones or the more evocative name, windflowers. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Anemones are in the same family as buttercups (Ranunculaceae) <\/i>and grow from bulbs or rhizomes, usually coming back year after year. In Europe, anemones are keepers of living history, in a way, as large patches indicate you\u2019re most likely standing in a patch of ancient woodland.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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The Kitchen Garden<\/b><\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

There are many varieties of anemone you can get for your garden, including <\/span><\/span>Anemone coronaria,<\/i><\/span><\/span> a species which comes in a range of purples and pinks. This makes it a great choice for attracting pollinators like butterflies and bees<\/a>\u2014great if you\u2019re growing fruits and veggies!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t make the mistake of trying to eat your anemones, though. They\u2019re entirely poisonous, although as we\u2019ll see, some parts have historically been used for medicinal purposes. Remember, these flowers are closely related to buttercups which are also poisonous and can cause irritation to both humans and animals. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Growing anemones is relatively easy. Make sure the soil has good drainage so they don\u2019t get waterlogged. Give them a sunny spot, some compost, and let them do their thing! In colder climates, you may need to dig anemone tubers (bulbs) up and store them carefully until spring when you can replant them.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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The Apothecary<\/b><\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

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Despite being an irritant, anemones have cropped up in folk medicine in many places around the globe. There\u2019s a great article<\/a> on the National Library of Medicine which states that at least 50 species of anemone are used as medicine and that they could offer clues to aid in modern drug discovery. Actions noted include:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n