Sometimes
the plants just speak to you. Not like we speak to each other, but
with different means. You might find yourself attracted to a plant for no known
reason, you may notice a plant that you've never noticed before, or
you may just think a certain plant is pretty or cute. There's an herb
that grows in my yard, and on quite a few trails here in Central
Florida. My husband is completely enthralled with this herb. It was
the first herb that he learned to identify in the wild, and every time he
sees it he gets so excited. It's rather adorable. But for some
reason, I had never thought to find out what it's medicinal uses
could be. Once I did look it up, I found that it's almost the perfect
herb for my husband who grew out of childhood asthma just to have a
different set of breathing problems as an adult, and who has a
tendency to work himself so hard that he has major muscle cramps.
Rabbit
Tobacco, Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium, is also known as Sweet
Everlasting because of it's sweet smell and the fact that even after
the plant is dead, the seed heads remain on the stalk and look like
little white flowers, so that it appears to be alive even after it's
dead. There is a whole group of herbs that are considered the
“everlastings,” and they are used all over the world for various
things. From pillow and mattress stuffing to medicine. Here in
America, it has mainly been used by the Native American tribes of the
South East, and has become a Southern Folk Medicine for a great
variety of ailments. But what's with it's other name?
There
are two explanations for the name “Rabbit Tobacco” from Native
American traditions. In one story, rabbit discovered how wonderful
this herb was for wounds when it became tangled up in a briar patch.
As all native people know, rabbit skin is super thin and easy to
tear, even just when running away from a predator. So finding such a
useful herb was very good and important for rabbit. This story
explains some of the medicinal uses of the plant, and some of it's
connection to rabbits, but it does not explain the “tobacco” part
of it's common name. However a Native American observation does
explain this. Long ago, Native Americans noticed that rabbits would
congregate around where these plants tend to grow. So this must mean
that it was their connection to the Creator, just like Tobacco is the
Native American connection to the Creator. So the plant was deemed
Rabbit Tobacco.
I found a great video that might help anyone who wants to be able to identify this plant. It may also provide a good introduction to the beautiful world of Rabbit Tobacco.
Medicinal
Uses:
Common
Names- Rabbit Tobacco, Sweet
Everlasting, Cudweed, Old Field Balsam, Sweet White Balsam, Indian
Posy, Life of Man, Poverty Weed, Fussy Gussy
Parts
Used- The whole plant.
Summary
of Actions-
Anaphrodisiac, Antiphlogistic, Antispasmodic, Astringent,
Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Expectorant, Sedative, Vermifuge.
Upper
Respiratory- Used internally,
as a tea, to treat most chest complaints, especially those involving
mucus in the chest. The tea also helps to sooth throat ulcers. You
can also burn the leaves, as incense, and waft the smoke into your
face. This is done to help treat symptoms of asthma. An alternative
to this is to boil some water and add Rabbit Tobacco leaves to the
boiling water. Cover your head with a towel and put your head over
the boiling water. Breath in the steam to help ease your asthma
symptoms or to help clear up congestion.
Smoke
It!- Aside from burning
Rabbit Tobacco as incense, it's also used in several smoking blends,
along with other herbs. Most of these help people who are trying to
stop smoking cigarettes, but often these blends can also help
alleviate symptoms of asthma and clear chest congestion. The smoke is
not harmful to the lungs, but if you're worried about the heat of the
smoke being too warm, feel free to burn the leaves as incense and
waft the smoke into your face. This makes sure the smoke is much
cooler when it gets to your lungs.
Digestive-
A tea made from the leaves is slightly bitter in taste. Anything that
tastes bitter is going to help with your digestion. The bitter flavor
helps to release bile into your digestive tract. The bile helps to
break down hard to digest foods. This helps prevent flatulence, ease
stomach aches, and improves nutrient absorption. Rabbit Tobacco,
specifically, is also an antispasmodic and diuretic, helping to ease
intestinal cramps and improve kidney function. This herb is often
called upon when digestive issues involve cramps or spasms.
Skin
and Wound Care- Native
Americans of Virginia have used Rabbit Tobacco as a wound herb for a
long time.
Muscle
Cramps and Twitching- Rabbit
Tobacco is great to add to a bath for muscle cramps and spasms. It's
also great to use in a sweat lodge or sauna, for the same symptoms as
well as fevers. It also makes a great fomentation for sprains and
bruises.
Sleep
Pillows and Sedative Effect-
Rabbit Tobacco is a traditional stuffing for mattresses, cushions,
and pillows. It works especially well in a sleep pillow because it
has a slight sedative effect. Sleeping on a sleep pillow stuffed with
Rabbit Tobacco can help ease you into a calm, fulfilling sleep. A
sleep pillow made from Rabbit Tobacco is also a traditional remedy
for those who suffer from “consumption,” or tuberculosis.
Aphrodisiac
or Anaphrodisiac?- Some
sources list fresh Rabbit Tobacco juice as a mild aphrodisiac, but
even more sources list it as an anaphrodisiac, having the opposite
effect. However, those sources that consider it an aphrodisiac tend
to use it specifically in cases of impotence, so maybe it only works
as an aphrodisiac in those cases.
Contraindications
and Warnings- None known,
though several people avoid the use of this herb for various reasons.
I
only included a basic introduction to this amazing herb. I hope you
have learned a new appreciation for how beautiful Rabbit Tobacco is.
If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below.
Refrences:
A
Few Late Summer (Possibly Underappreciated) Plants: Elephantopus:
https://bandoteam.wordpress.com/tag/elephantopus/
An
Engaging Herb, Rabbit Tobacco: The Annotated Flora:
http://www.ibiblio.org/carrborocitizen/flora/2009/11/an-engaging-herb-rabbit-tobacco/
An
Intuitive Study of Rabbit Tobacco: Rabbit Tobacco:
http://www.rabbittobacco.com/gnaphalium.html
Helpful
Herbs & Plants with a Purpose- Rabbit Tobacco: Steemit:
https://steemit.com/nature/@papa-pepper/helpful-herbs-and-plants-with-a-purpose-rabbit-tobacco
Plant
Database: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center:
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=PSOB3
Pseudognaphalium
obtusifolium: Go Botany, New England Wild Plants:
https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/species/pseudognaphalium/obtusifolium/
Pseudognaphalium
obtusifolium: Plants for a Future:
https://www.pfaf.org/USER/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Pseudognaphalium+obtusifolium
Rabbit
Tobacco, Everlasting: Alternative Nature Online Herbal:
https://altnature.com/gallery/rabbit_tobacco.htm
Sweet
Everlasting (Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium): Identify That Plant:
http://identifythatplant.com/sweet-everlasting-pseudognaphalium-obtusifolium/
Sweet
Everlasting: Illinois Wildflowers:
http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/sw_everlasting.htm
Sweet
Everlasting: Prairie Moon Nursery:
https://www.prairiemoon.com/gnaphalium-obtusifolium-sweet-everlasting-prairie-moon-nursery.html
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