Growing Echinacea?

August 9, 2000

Hi Joan,

Sorry for the lag on answering your e-note, but that happens with my schedule.

Of course you can make a tincture with the aerial parts, but I've found (my own opinion) that these softer parts are better for tea and the roots are best for tinctures. You can even make the tea as an infusion rather than a decoction. The more tingle, the better the echinacea, as that tingling numbing effect is its signature. The best way to test is to just stick a raw plant part in your mouth and start chewing. That way you can determine for yourself which is stronger. On my last batch, I put in a 1/2 inch piece of root and my mouth went numb for the next half an hour. I could hardly talk. I didn't get quite that effect with aerial parts.

But try out your own the above way and let your tastebuds be your quide.

Best,

Ian

Dr. Ian ShillingtonDoctor of Naturopathyian_shillington

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joanr

herbal remedies

Monday, August 07, 2000 6:22 PM

Re: [herbal remedies] Growing Echinacea?

Ian Shillington wrote:> The upper parts of the plant including the flowers, are great for making > Echinacea Tea. The roots of course are best for your tinctures. I'll be> growing it when I get out to NM so I'm interested in the responses to your > other questions.Hi, Ian. Apparently studies have been done that indicate E. purpureaaerial parts are just as good as E. angustifolia or purpurea roots fortinctures. Some herbalists I know swear by the aerial parts now and sayit tingles your tongue just as much as the root. They are saying thatthe tingly sensation is the proof. So I will be doing my own test thisyear. Do you have any other up to date information?..........Joan*************************joanrlower Fraser Valley, B.C.http://mygarden.cjb.net

August 10, 2000

I understand how you feel. Waste naught, want naught

Echinacea tea is actually very good tasting (I like it anyways), and the softer, aerial parts make an infusion which is fast to prepare and good for you. It is much slower to try and make a tea from the roots as you need to cut 'em, grind 'em and then soak 'em overnight and use in a decoction to get the most out of them, whereas the leaves, stems and flowers give up the goodies within a few minutes in distilled boiling water. The tea is very effective against colds, flu and the like. You could use the aerial parts in a tincture and I'm sure it would have some effectiveness, however my motto is: "If I can't make the best there is, I ain'ta gonna make it". I make my Echinacea tincture (using only fresh roots) so strong that I really don't notice much of a difference even when I 3X it. I'd have to say that a tincture is always stronger than a tea, simply because it has a longer time to extract the vital chemicals and then it is pressed which squeezes out even more of the goodies.

Whatever you eventually decide to do, have fun with it.

Love,

Ian

Dr. Ian ShillingtonDoctor of Naturopathyian_shillington

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joanr

herbal remedies

Wednesday, August 09, 2000 7:38 PM

Re: [herbal remedies] Growing Echinacea?

Hi, Ian. I guess I am looking for a way to use my plants over and overagain...........I hate to dig up some of my plants ( guess I have about10 of them) and have to start over although you are supposed to be ableto replant some of the root. I wonder if you do just use the aerialparts in a tincture how effective the tincture would be. I don't evenknow why I am making echinacea tincture <g> - I have had only one cold(just a few months ago) in 15 years!! Maybe I will just make some of theroot tincture and try to replant a bit of the root and see what happens.I am just learning about tinctures and making my own medicinalconcoctions since last year. So the root tincture would be thestrongest. Do you think an aerial part tincture would be stronger thanan aerial part tea? Also, do you think an echinacea tea be adequate totake a cold away??*************************joanrlower Fraser Valley, B.C.