No Meeting this Month!! Happy Fourth of July! Herb of the Month: Lotus
A Look Ahead:
August 1, 2007: Leila Werner will demonstrate cooking techniques using herbs. Herb of the Month: Elderflower
September 5, 2007: Kristin Jayd-Jimenez will present ideas for butterfly gardening. Herb of the Month: Dandelion
October 3, 2007: Miguel Cisneros-Abreu will speak. Herb of the Month: Rue
November 7, 2007: Karen Esty will present again on floral waters for perfumery. Herb of the Month: Sage
December 5, 2007: Holiday Feast! Herb of the Month: Mistletoe
Meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30pm in the Fruit & Spice Park Auditorium. All members and guests are welcome! Our Tasting Table, Raffle Ticket Drawing, and Door Prize Drawing follow each speaker.
Monthly Society Project: Come garden with us! Meet in the Park at 10am on the Saturday following each monthly meeting. You get free park admission and free herbs to take home.
Other Names: Sacred lotus, padma. Also Nymphaea lotus—Egyptian or white lotus, Nyphaea cerulea— blue lotus.
Description: Lotus plants are native to eastern North America, Asia and Australia. It grows up to eight feet high, with round leaves up to four feet across. Flours are chalice shaped and fragrant, occurring in pink or white. Hard seeds form in “pepperpot” cases at the center of the flowers.
Nymphaea lotus is native to warm parts of Asia and Africal, and grows as floating leaves with fragrant flowers that sit above the surface.
Cultivation: Nelumbo plants require at least 24 inches of water with a rich wet soil mix. They are propagated by seed or division. Can be invasive in good outdoor conditions. Nyphaea lotus plants require up to 12 inches of still water with rich soil and a minimum winter temperature of 70
degrees. All types prefer full sun.
Culinary: Seeds and roots of nelumbo lotus plants are eaten as vegetables. Nymphaea roots are boiled as a starchy vegetable or ground into flour in parts of Asia. Its fruits and seeds are pickled. Lotus leaves can be used as wrappers for both sweet and savory fillings.
Medicinal: Nelumbo lotus is used in both Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicines. All parts are used (generally after drying). Some traditional uses for lotus include bleeding disorders, insomnia, restlessness, and urinary frequency. Nymphaea lotus plants are used for their calming
properties, and digestive disorders.
Sources: Encyclopedia of Herbs and their Uses by Deni Bown.
More about Lotus:
• Lotus holds a sacred place in Buddhist mythology and Hindu symbolism.
• White and blue lotus both were widely venerated by the Egyptians.
• The Lotus-Eaters of Greek mythology are not named for the aquatic
plant, but for the unrelated Lotus tree.
There is no meeting this month!
Happy Independence Day!!
The next meeting is August 1, 2007.
This month features the garden of REHS member Melanie Bermudez. Her garden is full of statuary and tropical flowers.
Gargoyles and fairies watch over a canoe used as an elaborate container garden full of herbs.
A goddess image stands among fire bush and frangipani plants.
Melanie’s grandkids love to play in the garden, among the plants or on the trampoline.
The path along the side of the house is full of plants that sprang up on their own.
Plans (and work!) are underway for a vegetable bed in another section of the garden.
Thanks to Melanie for sharing her magical space with us, and thanks to Kristin Jayd-Jimenez for the lovely photographs and explanations!
August 4: Bamboo Workshop. 10am-1pm. $45.
September 1: Tropical Ice Cream Making. 10am-1pm. $25.
September 8: Vegetable Gardening, Container Gardening & Unusual Vegetables. 10am-4pm. $35
October 6: Authentic Thai Cooking. 10am-1pm. $25. Held at the Buddhist Temple.
October 13: Authentic Indian Cooking. 10am-1pm. $25.
July 21: Banana Workshop. 10am-1pm. $25.
For more information on any of these events or to register, call the Fruit & Spice Park at 305-247-5727. Registration is required for all classes.
All members and guests are invited (but not required) to bring a contribution to the monthly tasting table. For those not inclined toward the culinary arts, paper plates, plasticware and beverages are also very welcome.
June’s Tasting Table was filled by: Leila Werner— Salsa & Chips, Tomato Herb Bread; Astrid Zedler—Vegetarian Chili, Lemonade; Tenia Fleming— Mexican Edamame; Tracy Bossinger—Sourdough Wheat Bread; Cristine Worthley—Sprout Salad; John & Marie Thorp—Blue Chips & Salsa; Kristin Jayd
Jimenez—Banana Cake; Delphine O’Hare—German Potato Salad; James O’Hare—Smoked Wild Salmon; Eliat Schmalbach— Fire Water.
Donations are also encouraged for the raffle table. Tickets are on sale at the raffle table during each meeting, and are fifty cents each. Ticket proceeds benefit the Society.
June’s raffle prizes included: Cookbook—James O’Hare; Teddy Bears—Ogee Paint Store; Soap & Lip Balm— American Apothecary; Eggfruit tree—John Thorp; Baby Lettuces—Arturo Gonzalez.