Surprising Uses for Plants and Flowers

Basil

The same herb that makes spaghetti sauce so flavorful can also be used to soothe your stomach if you overeat at your favorite Italian restaurant. Basil has antiviral properties and has been shown to alleviate stomach ailments. Pluck four-five sprigs of fresh basil from the garden, mix with boiling water and let the herb steep for 20 minutes.

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Strawberries

This fruit is a source of vitamin C and antioxidants. Mix six strawberries with a cup of sour cream for an all-natural facial mask. "The fruit acids in the berries even out skin tone and the sour cream provides a mild lactic acid exfoliation," says Julie Gabriel. "Plus, it smells fantastic." The vitamin C in strawberries may even promote collagen formation.

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Roses

The flowers of romance, are fragrant and flavorful accents to dishes ranging from rose petal jam to morning muffins. [Use] the colorful petals in salads, adding them to homemade lemonade or garnishing ice cream with rose petals and dark chocolate. Just remember, the darker the petals, the stronger the flavor.

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Coconut

The fiber material of the husks, called coir, can be used to make ropes, brushes and baskets. Recently, the fibers have become a staple in the eco-friendly clothing lines of manufacturers like Marmot, Timberland and Merrell. The fabric, marketed under the trade name Cocona, is derived from the coconut shells.

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Witch Hazel

Move over Purell, there is a new hand sanitizer in town. Beneath its long branches and canary-colored flowers, witch hazel is hiding antibacterial properties. Extract from the bark has a high antiseptic content and is rich in essential oils like eugenol and hexenol, which helps kill bacteria on the skin.

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Willow

Willow is often called "Nature's Aspirin" because the salicylic acid in the inner bark acts as a natural pain reliever. "Native Americans brewed a tea from the bark to use as a pain reliever," says Tamara Walkingstick, Ph.D., with the Department of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service at the University of Arkansas.

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Milkweed

In gardening circles, milkweed is best known for attracting Monarch butterflies.  Milkweed is edible (the leaves need to be boiled to eliminate toxins and reduce the bitter taste), the white tufts that are released with the seedpods make excellent tinder to help start a fire and the inner bark of the stem can be twisted into rope or used as a thick bowstring.

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Juniper

It's ironic that the same evergreen whose coarse needles can trigger a minor skin irritation can also help reduce itching. The juniper's small blue berries can be used to help soothe the skin after an insect bite. "Juniper berries have strong antiseptic properties that help kill off infection," notes California-based naturopath Ann Boroch.

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Black Walnut Tree

Forget the fishing rod; catch "The Big One" using crushed walnut hulls. The hulls contain a chemical called juglone, which depletes water of oxygen and causes fish to rise to the surface. Juglone doesn't kill the fish; it acts as a sedative that makes the fish sluggish and easier to catch. The technique is best used in the slow-moving waters of ponds or lakes.

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Passionflower

Is Fido depressed? Cheer him up with flowers! Passionflower, a showy vine that is popular in tropical gardens, is also an effective mood elevator for pets. Research found that the plant extract helped reduce anxiety and lessened depressive symptoms like fatigue and lethargy. It's also a mild sedative that is effective for calming fearful dogs.

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Dandelion

Both the flower and leaves are used in recipes and can be found in salads, teas, simple syrups and even cookies! These little weeds are believed to improve skin’s appearance and cleanse the liver!

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Lavender

Lavender is well known as a staple in aromatherapy with the powers of relaxation. You can invest in lavender oils, soaps, bath salts etc. or  simply add a handful of crushed lavender (dried or fresh will do) to a warm bath. Let the flowers soak in for a few minutes and then enjoy the relaxing benefits.

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Aloe Vera

Reduce hair dandruff by mixing aloe vera juice with coconut milk and wheat germ oil. Massage into scalp and rinse.

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Tulips

The Dutch sure do love their tulips! They even used to use the bulb as a substitute for onions in recipes! If this sounds like a great idea to you, be careful, modern varieties are most likely filled with pesticides and thus not edible.

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Roses

Use on your skin as an astringent. Simply boil the rose petals in water, strain, and refrigerate. Flowers are believed to help ease redness, eczema and other skin irritations.

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Aloe Vera

Make skin new again with an exfoliating, organic sugar scrub by mixing together two tbsp. of aloe vera, 2 tbsp. of organic brown sugar and 1 tsp. of organic lemon juice.

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Flax Plant

We all know that a great deal of the fabrics we use come from the plant cotton. But did you know that linen comes from a plant too? The flax plant is one of the oldest textile plants in the world.

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Bamboo

Known for its antibacterial capabilities, bamboo is used to make cloth. The super soft fabric made from bamboo is possibly the best material for re-usable baby diapers. 

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Mint

Mice (and other rodents such as squirrels, rats and chipmunks) are allergic to mint, and because of their acute sense of smell, will avoid those areas. It’s like rodent kryptonite.

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Sunflowers

These tall cheerful flowers are able to soak up radiation! They used sunflowers on sites like Chernobyl to aid in ridding the area of radioactive contaminants.

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Borage flowers (and leaves),

These flowers, have a cucumber-like flavor. Add the flower to wine for an hour before straining to impart a cucumber flavor throughout the whole bottle.

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Poppy

A natural sedative, the poppy is a potent flower. This may not surprise many, but it sure is bizarre that this beautiful flower is the source of many narcotics like opium, heroine, and morphine.

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Speckled Alder

The speckled alder is found in North America's marshlands and streams. Boil the bark of this plant into a tea to decrease swelling and soothe a toothache.

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Horsetail

When boiled, this plant, also known as snake grass makes a useful liquid for cleaning and polishing metal and wood.

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Roses

Rose petals, long considered a French delicacy, can be candied and eaten alone or added to cakes as decorative touches. Simply brush them with egg yolks and then dip in sugar.  Let them dry and you’ll have a sugary unique treat.

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