I know many of you are fascinated with herbs. I receive many emails, asking for more information on herbs, their medicinal uses and how to start growing them. I have done several articles on herbs and I’m always on the look out for more useful information. I saw an interesting article in the Sunday Tribune, by Ingrid Shevlin and I have borrowed that, for this article.

I don’t know if I’m allowed to alter the story, so I’ll just copy it as is and give credit to Ingrid and the Sunday Tribune. By the time you read this, the events, listed below, will be over. This article was written in South Africa and was addressed to South Africans, so please just change seasons and things, to your local conditions. Ingrid was reviewing a new book, by British herb guru, Jekka McVicar, who will be in Durban, in a few days, to share her passion for these culinary wonders and to address members of The Herb Society Of Southern Africa. She writes:

“If you are in any way interested in herbs, Jekka McVicar’s latest book is guaranteed to inspire you to even greater enthusiasm, packed as it is with information on how to identify, cultivate, propagate and use more than 150 herbs, including some indigenous to South Africa.

Jekka has been cultivating herbs for 20 years, on her organic farm, outside Bristol, in England, where she grows 600 species from around the world. Her passion for herbs has won her 2 gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show and 46 gold medals awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society of the UK. A regular contributor to the BBC Good Food and Gardens Illustrated magazines, Jamie Oliver is her biggest fan and has written a glowing dedication to her, in her new book, the lavishly illustrated Jekka’s Complete Herb Book (Kyle Cathie).

What lifts Jekka’s book out of the ordinary, is it’s comprehensiveness and practical approach to herbs. Herbs and their different varieties are identified, and their cultivation and maintenance discussed in detail, including how to protect them from pests. She then goes on to detail their cosmetic, medicinal and culinary uses, and includes recipes.

Don’t think for a moment that because herbs are “natural” they can’t harm you. As she points out in her book, the seeds from the castor oil plant are extremely poisonous and comfrey can cause serious liver damage if taken in large amounts over a long period.

What I particularly liked about her book is her advice on how to grow herbs in containers, most of which she says are happy there. This is good news for those who live in complexes with tiny gardens, or in flats with balconies, who like a bit of fresh basil on their sliced tomatoes, or coriander to flavour their mushrooms (see recipe below).

The book includes plants that are not traditionally known as herbs, such as honeysuckle, beetroot and iris. Which raises the question: what exactly is a herb? In the author’s note, Jekka says that it can be argued that all useful plants are herbs. She points out that the Oxford English Dictionary defines them as “plants of which the leaves, stems or flowers are used for food or medicine, or in some way used for their scent or flavour.

She has also included 4 herbs that are indigenous to South Africa. The African bulbine, also known as the burn jelly plant, grows in the desert grasslands of the Cape. Its medical uses are many, but include treatment of minor burns, eczema, herpes and rheumatism. It is currently being researched and the leaf gel is being used to aid the healing of post-operative scars.

Sutherlandia frutescens (cancer bush) has been used for centuries by Zulu sangomas who call it “unwele” (the great medicine). Afrikaners call it the kankerbossie or cancer bush because of  properties in treating people with internal cancers. In the Cape it was a traditional remedy used to treat chickenpox, piles, backache and rheumatism. The SA Medical Research council has investigated its immune-boosting properties to support anecdotal evidence that it improved the lives of HIV/Aids sufferers. Dr. Nigel Gericke, a botanist and a medical doctor, found it contained a powerful combination of molecules useful in the treatment of cancer, TB, diabetes and depression, and as an anti-viral agengy.

There has been some controversy about Sutherlandia, which is probably why Jekka suggests that it should only be taken under professional supervision. That aside, it’s a pretty plant that grows happily in containers.

Wild rosemary is a drought-loving plant from the Cape which can be used in a similar way to rosemary, especially with lamb dishes. Medicinally, it is used to treat such ailments such as coughs, colds and colic. It grows well in Durban and makes a good rockery plant and a spectacular container plant.

Scented geranium was originally native to South Africa, but now grows worldwide. Very rewarding plants, they grow easily in Durban and the oil is an ingredient of certain perfumes and an essential oil for aromatherapy. Rose, lemon, orange, peppermint, eucalyptus and peach are some of the scents.

Mushrooms And Coriander.
500g of button mushrooms
2 tbs oil
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 clove garlic
2 tbs tomato puree
300 ml dry white wine
Salt and pepper
Coriander leaves to garnish
Wipe mushrooms and slice in half. Put oil, wine, coriander seeds and garlic in large saucepan. Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and tomato puree. Cook for 5 more minutes. Remove mushrooms and put in a serving dish. Boil the liquid for 5 more minutes, reducing by half. Pour over mushrooms. When cool, sprinkle with chopped coriander.

The Herb Society of Southern Africa meets monthly, in Durban, to share information. Call Maureen, at 031 464 4339 for more details.”

Well, that is exactly as she wrote it, so I hope she doesn’t mind me sharing it with you. For those of you, who live in South Africa and especially if you live in, or near Durban, this is a perfect occasion to find out a lot more about herbs. Make use of the opportunity.

Sally Robson is an up and coming, South African internet marketer, with a vision of empowering all fellow South Africans and non U.S folk, to have equal opportunity and success on the internet. She and her husband Derek, have started a string of sites, resources, courses and articles, as part of Dersalsites. She also has a passion for gardening.

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