Sticking To The Point!

  It has been a while since I have paid much attention to the yucca plant back behind the greenhouse.  It is far more noticeable when it is in bloom except when you happen to bump into the leaves.  Those things have needles for tips!  Today, I found out just how sharp they really are.  I was throwing a blanket over the night-blooming cereus plants since there may be a frost tonight and backed into the yucca.  Oww!  The tip of one leaf poked a hole in my ankle.  I did not think much of it but, later, I realized that the thing actually drew blood!  So, I washed it good and changed the sock.  Things are good but....of course....it got me to pondering things.

  The yucca plant is used for so many things.  Shampoo and soap can be made from the stems and roots.  The plant has some medicinal uses and the dried leaves and stems can be used  as fire starter.  I guess those points make you overlook the other "points"...the stabby ones.  Granddad made sure that I knew a lot of "survival" tips long before the "prepper" craze of today.  He was the first to instruct me in the uses of the yucca plant.  One of the things that was most fun for a pre-school age kid was when he helped me to stitch together a soft fabric with the "threads" and needle from the yucca plant.  He showed me how to carefully snip the point (needle) of the leaf and strip it down the side (thread).  The small pouch we made (complete with a braided drawstring) was my first attempt at sewing.  I admit that I never got much further than that but, hey, I made something!...and from a plant!

  I have heard-tell that the blossoms of the yucca plant are edible but I have yet to try them.  Some folks argue the point saying the blossoms will cause stomach problems so I do not want to take the chance.  Things may change once the plant blooms, however, as I have been known to eat some pretty strange things. Right now, though, being stabbed by the needle was enough of an encounter with the yucca plant..
 

In The Graveyard Or On The Bayou....

  Several years ago, I related a tale about ghosts and misconceptions.  This was in explanation of how the blooms of the yucca blooms had earned the name Ghosts of the Graveyard.  It seems that at some point, a few folks claimed to see ghosts flitting about a local cemetery.  These folks were so convinced by the sight that they hurried to tell others about their find.  It seems that a designated group of ghost hunters were dispatched to the graveyard that very same night to investigate.  Indeed, they, too, saw the ghostly-white images floating about the graves but on closer inspection, they found yucca blooms.  The tall, spindly stalks were supporting huge clusters of blossoms that glimmered in the moonlight.  Hence, from that night's sighting came the "Ghosts of the Graveyard" description.

  The ghosts on the Bayou are of the same ilk.  Some fifteen feet in height and with three feet of that being blooms, it is easy to imagine the mistaken identity.  By the light of a full moon, the creamy white blooms do seem to glow and the least amount of wind can sway those large clusters in a most "spectral" way.  

  The yuccas are just starting to bloom so the blossoms are scanty.  By the weekend, most of the buds will be open creating quite the vision of loveliness.  While I am not a fan of the spiky plant while mowing the grass, let it bloom and it suddenly becomes a favorite!  These "ghosts" can float about the hillside all they want!  

Wonder Plant!

  It seems that not a day goes by without me learning something quite interesting.  These days, my thirst for knowledge tends to lean towards herbs and their uses but I am game for any intriguing tidbit of information.  I often will find a plant (in the garden or not) that proves to be one of many uses. I have found quite a few edible goodies that will definitely be on the table if times are ever rough enough that we have to scrounge for foodstuffs.  Duck potatoes from the marsh, hickory nuts, day lily rhizomes and rose hips to name a few.  Don't even get me started on the healing properties of herbs and plants.  I could be here for hours!  Then I find a plant that is both...healing and nutritious.  This run-of-the-mill plant could possibly be one that folks everywhere might use.  I am referring to the yucca.   True, the saponins in the yucca root might cause problems if enough of them are ingested raw but cooked is a different story.  Word is that you can precook them and then make french fries.  Or if you are so inclined, you can mash them much like potatoes.  Just remember to discard the tough center core and then cook the root well.  I can't imagine anyone wanting to eat the thing raw, anyway, as it is bitter and tastes a lot like soap.  Hmmm?

  This same plant has a plethora of other uses as well!  Granddad showed me how to "string" the leaves from the bottom up towards the needle-like point.  The thread then can be used for sewing using that built in needle. Perhaps if one is ever in the need of repairing a pair of breeches while out hiking, the yucca needle and thread will do the trick!  Granddad also made sure that I knew that the root is a good soap or shampoo!  The root, once again, comes into play.  It can be dried and powdered to be used as a shampoo or used directly as a soap.  The stuff does suds quite a bit!

  Now I find that Granddad did not teach me everything about the yucca plant!  The root has so many medicinal uses that it almost begs to be in our medical cabinets!  This wonder plant can fight high blood pressure, lessen the severity of migraines, help regulate blood sugars, help with circulation, cure skin conditions, and help with gall bladder disorders! Sounds like a miracle remedy to me!  Why!  Some folks even say it cures baldness when used as a shampoo!  There are a few warnings of not to use during pregnancy or breast feeding but other than that, the only side effects seem to deal with the bitterness along with a slight stomach upset.  

  I have several wild yuccas growing down the hill from the house.  For the past few years, I have left them grow as they wish in hopes that they will multiply.  I love the creamy white blooms that tower over most other plants.  They softly sway in the breezes that waft in off the Bay and give a sort of calm to the area.  The slightly sweet, spicy fragrance of the blooms seems to attract honeybees which is another added benefit of having the plant nearby.  Mark never cared for the spiky leaves.  Whenever he would be working nearby, those leaves would poke him relentlessly!  Since I am doing the grass-cutting now, it is not a problem!  I love my yuccas!  They are the new wonder plant of the Bayou!

Poison to Dogs..or "Ghosts of the Graveyard"

Sometimes it takes a while to learn things.  I have been traipsing about this hillside for my whole life and thought I knew just about every "bad" plant there was growing here.  By bad, I mean those that are best left alone if you know what is good for you.  Now, I find that one of my favorite plants is supposedly not too spiffy for animals.  I was once again enthralled by the beauty of the wild Yucca that blooms periodically down the hill from the Little Bayou House.  Every year two different sets of these plants put on quite a show with their creamy white blooms.  Back when I was a mere tyke, Grandpa showed me the pointy ends of the leaves and warned me not to get poked.  During that same lesson, he showed me how you could pull "strings" from the leaves.  These, he informed me, could be used as thread if ever I needed it as a survival item.  These "strings" had a built in needle if you managed to pull the fiber in just the right way. The tip of each leaf holds a spine that is needle sharp!  He, also, told me that the roots could be used as a sudsing soap! Grandpa was a firm believer in being prepared even if it meant using what was at hand.  I learned a lot from this man..I kept tight hold of his teachings.  But..he never told me that this very same plant might be bad news for dogs.  It seems that the roots have a high concentration of saponins.  Saponins when ingested in good quantity can kill a dog or any other animal that eats enough of the root.  Hmmm..this brings to question why a dog might want to eat said root.

To get to the root of a Yucca plant, one must first get past the saber-like leaves.  Trust me on this...You do NOT want to get stabbed by a Yucca leaf! Grandpa was right!  Those things do smart a bit! The needle-like spine can break off and become embedded in the skin!  Why would a dog (at least a semi-smart dog) ever want to risk getting stabbed just to eat some root that tastes like bitter soap?  I cannot see it.  Anyway, the article that I was reading said that I should destroy all my Yucca plants just in case Ms. Ez decided to eat the root.  Now granted, sometimes I ponder the wisdom of my dog but, surely, she has enough sense to steer clear of some pokey, stabby plant!  Hmmm...hopefully she has.  Anyway, I have no plans to eradicate the Yuccas from the hillside.

Just as a note of curiosity..Yuccas are often called "Ghosts of the Graveyard".  I had heard this years ago from an elderly lady that lived down the road.  "Miss Twin" had mentioned this during one visit.  It seems as if Yuccas have a tendency to grow in unattended graveyards.  When in bloom, their thick blooms seem to be floating above the ground..hence the "ghost".  I headed out tonight to put the theory to test.  Braving the myriad of mosquitoes that inhabit the Bayou, I walked the board path to the pier.  There was a nice size Yucca in bloom near the Sawtooth Palmettos.  I wanted to see if after dark, the thing really resembled a "ghost".  Ok..I could see the blooms in the moonlight and if I had not known it was a plant, I would be slightly confused as to this large white thing looming in the darkness.  I tried to photograph it but without a flash nothing could be seen..with the flash, most everything was apparent.  No ghost here!  Still, I suppose with a poor light and vivid imagination, a ghost would appear!  So..the myth will endure!  Yuccas, the Ghosts of the Graveyard!  At least one does not have to be afraid of these ghosts..unless you get stabbed by the leaves or eat the roots!

The World We Overlook

Sometimes we walk right past things and never give them a single thought. Our lives have become so complicated with "must-haves" and "must-dos" that our minds are not aware of what is literally right beneath our feet. Today as I was out gathering firewood, I came across a Yucca plant. Normally, I would mentally take note that it was there and go on about my merry way. This time, however, I dropped my armload of wood to take a closer look. There were tiny curlicues of fiber fluffing out from each leaf. I was fascinated to say the least! My trusty camera succeeded in replicating the image perfectly! hehe.. The thought passed through that cob-webbed encrusted space called my brain that at some point in time, these curlicue fibers might have been useful. After regathering my firewood, I made a point of investigating any possible uses for the Yucca fibers. According to all information that I can find, the Yucca plants were used extensively for all sorts of things ranging from cords to shampoo.The fibers were stripped from the leaves to make threads that were then used in sewing and binding. They were also twisted together to make cords or ropes. These were used in clothing as belts and sandals or used to make fishnets, rope ladders and animal tethers. This jogged a memory from "back in the day". My grandfather had shown me these very same fibers when I was a child. He had told me then that they were used as sewing threads by the Native Americans. Wow! Grandpa was so smart! Today, I also read that the roots were dried and pulverized to use a soap or shampoo! With all that is being written about the harmful additives that are in the present day shampoos, this makes me tempted to try a bit of Yucca root! Perhaps we should all start looking at what is around us, under our feet, in our backyards. As Grandpa used to say "There might come a day that this knowledge is useful." I am finding more and more that everything that he tried to teach me is useful. I only wish that as a child, I had not been so..well..so childlike. I wish that then I would have truly made the attempt to absorb all that was told to me by folks like him. As for the Yucca plant..Amazing! Who would have ever thought that one plant could provide so much??