Lilac Shrub - Symbolism Medicinal Uses and Other Facts

By Liliana Usvat

Who doesn't love lilacs? The ideal lilac shrub has about 10 canes and produces flowers at eye-level—all the better to enjoy that sweet, haunting fragrance.

Symbolism

Lilacs are often considered to symbolize love (see language of flowers). In Greece, Lebanon, and Cyprus, the lilac is strongly associated with Easter time because it flowers around that time; it is consequently called paschalia.


Syringa vulgaris is the state flower of New Hampshire, because it "is symbolic of that hardy character of the men and women of the Granite State"
The lilacs is the flower weddings and anniversaries, to outdoor parties. For a lilac bush has a long full life, it also means tradition, family, spiritual heritage can be given mother's parents and relatives.



Lilacs are hardy, easy to grow, and low maintenance. They can grow from 5 to 15 feet tall, depending on the variety. The fragrant flowers are good for cutting and attractive to butterflies.

Magical Uses  

Lilac drives away evil flowers by planting flowering plants or sprinkling. Fresh lilac flowers can be placed in a haunted house to be "clean" spirits. The plant is used for peace, clairvoyance, divination, creativity, happiness, harmony, exorcism, protection, psychic awareness, weddings and anniversaries reîncarnare.


Lilac is the flower, the outdoor parties. For a lilac bush has a long full life, it also means tradition, family, spiritual heritage can be given mother's parents and relatives.

Planting

• Grow lilacs in fertile, humus-rich, well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil (at a pH near 7.0). If your soil is in poor condition, add compost to enrich.
• Select a site where your lilac will get full sun—at least 6 hours. If lilacs don't get enough sun, they will not bloom well.
• Make sure the site drains well. Lilacs don't like wet feet and will not bloom with too much water.
• Plant in either spring or fall, although the latter is preferred.
• Transplanting lilacs from a nursery is also easy. If it's container-grown, gentle remove it and any rope before planting. Set the plant 2 or 3 inches deeper than it grew in the nursery, and work topsoil in around the roots. Water in. Then fill in the hole with more topsoil.
• Space multiple lilac shrubs 5 to 15 feet apart, depending on the variety.

Pruning Lilacs

• Lilacs bloom on old wood, so it's critical to prune in the spring right after they bloom. If you prune later in the summer, you may be removing the wood. Here's a tip: If your lilac flower clusters are getting smaller, time to prune!
• Every year after bloom, remove any dead wood. Prune out the oldest canes (down to the ground). Remove the small suckers. Cut back weak branches to a strong shoot. Cut back tall canes to eye height.

Festivals

Several locations in North America hold annual Lilac Festivals, including:

• The Arnold Arboretum in Boston, Massachusetts, which celebrates "Lilac Sunday" every May. The Arboretum shows off its collection of over 422 lilac plants, of 194 different varieties.Lilac Sunday is the only day of the year when picnicking is allowed on the grounds of the Arboretum.
• Lombard, Illinois, called the "Lilac Village", which has an annual lilac festival and parade in May. The village also contains Lilacia Park, a garden with over 200 varieties of lilacs, as well as over 50 kinds of tulips.
• Mackinac Island, in Michigan, which celebrates a weeklong lilac festival and lilac parade each June.
• Rochester, New York, which has held its Lilac Festival since 1898, the longest-running in North America. This celebration is held in Highland Park, which has the most varieties of lilacs at any single place, many of which were developed in Rochester.
• The Royal Botanical Gardens near Hamilton, Ontario, which holds its Lilac Celebration each May.

• Spokane, Washington, known as the "Lilac City", which holds an annual lilac festival and lilac parade.
• Franktown, Ontario, Canada, holds an annual festival

 Medicinal Uses

Decoct of the leaves boiled in sweet milk bat can be used for skin cleansing

Water lilac flowers and alcohol is prepared as follows:  

• a glass half filled with flowers of lilac 
•  alcohol is added to 1 liter, 
• close well and leave 
• in the dark for 30 days, 
•  then strain,  
• squeeze sediment , and
•  the obtained water is mixed with 250-500 ml of distilled water. 

Lilac water is used as compresses for skin.
 

The infusion of the lilac leaves of the  is used to 

• improve the respiratory tract diseases accompanied by cough, 
• bronchitis or
•  and 
•  kidney stones.
• Against rheumatic pain ointment is made from 40 grams of lilac flowers, put to soak in a liter of oil for two weeks in a warm dark place. Painful areas are coated with this mixture several times a day, massaging it easy.
• Lilac leaves, boiled in milk, clean skin spots. 

• White lilac burns remedy - White lilac leaves can be used as a remedy against all kinds of burns. Lilac leaves are picked and boil until the water turns black. Allow broth to cool and when it is hot, remove the leaves and apply on the affected area of the burn. Fitted with a strip of gauze or clean cloth and keep 24 hours, during which the dressing should not be allowed to dry for wound not worsen. 
• Glaucomul - External use White Lilac - Infusion of a spoonful of flowers per cup of water (250 ml)  Leave covered a minute and then strain. It compresses on the eyes, each 15 minute 
  
  

This plant has anti-inflammatory properties enviable.  

• In addition it is used to treat rheumatism,
•  malaria and  
• high blood pressure.

Other uses

•  The lilac has an antiseptic effect on the environment, destroying germs on a surface of up to 1.5 meters around it.

Blog 128-365

Bougainvillea Bushes - Easy Desert Plant

by Liliana Usvat

Let's plant one flower at a time one Bush at a time, One tree at a time.

The bougainvillea is one of plants that you can use in your desert yard that is easy to grow, easy to care for, and looks good all year long.



Bougainvilleas are a tropical and subtropical colorful vine. They are thorny, evergreen and some are fragrant. Bougainvilleas are popular for their large, colorful “blooms” which are produced most profusely in the summer. Like the dogwood and the poinsettia, their colorful “petals” are really bracts (modified leaves.)


History

The first European to describe these plants was Philibert Commerçon, a botanist accompanying French Navy admiral and explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville during his voyage of circumnavigation, and first published for him by Antoine Laurent de Jussieu in 1789.


It is possible that the first European to observe these plants was Jeanne Baré, Commerçon's lover and assistant whom he sneaked on board (despite regulations) disguised as a man (and who thus became the first woman to circumnavigate the globe).




Bougainvilleas are popular ornamental plants in most areas with warm climates. Locarno in Switzerland, with its mild Mediterranean climate, is famous for its bougainvilleas.



Botanical Name

The botanical name for bougainvillea is Nyctaginaceae. Common mispellings for the bougainvillea include: bogainvillea, bougainvillia, bouganvillea and bougainvilla. Sometimes you'll hear the plural of bougainvillea stated as bougainvilleas.


Cultivation and Grow 



Bougainvillea are evergreen desert woody vines that flower several times throughout the year. The most common colors of bougainvillea that you'll see in the Phoenix area are magenta, purple, pink and red. The bougainvillea would like a little shade during the day, but it will be fine in full sun.



The growth rate of bougainvilleas varies from slow to rapid, depending on the variety. They tend to flower all year round in equatorial regions.


Elsewhere, they are seasonal, with bloom cycles typically four to six weeks. Bougainvilleas grow best in dry soil in very bright full sun and with frequent fertilization; but they require little water once established, and in fact will not flourish if over-watered.


They can be easily propagated via tip cuttings.

Bougainvillea plants can be trained into various shapes. They can be used as vines, shaped into bushes, into ground cover, or just let to grow wild. Of all the desert plants I recommend, bougainvillea is the one that is most sensitive to frost, and there will be times during the winter when you should cover your bougainvillea with a light cloth or sheet. Even if the bougainvillea plant dies in the frost, it will probably come back after the winter if it is pruned, but it looks pretty ugly when it is frost damaged until that time. 

Official flower of Cities and Regions



Various species of Bougainvillea are the official flowers of Guam (where it is known as the Puti Tai Nobiu); Lienchiang and Pingtung Counties in Taiwan; Ipoh, Malaysia; the cities of Tagbilaran, Philippines; Camarillo, California; Laguna Niguel, California; San Clemente, California; the cities of Shenzhen, Huizhou, Zhuhai, and Jiangmen in Guangdong Province, China; and Naha, Okinawa.

Water


Bougainvillea are drought-tolerant, requiring infrequent watering once established. Bring the soil to visual dryness, and then water the soil thoroughly (avoid frequent, light watering since this will promote a weak and shallow root system). Do not let your Bougainvillea become too dry, as this will cause flowers and foliage to drop.

Spacing


Bougainvillea grow best when given ample space in well-drained loamy soil (made up of equal parts sand, silt, and clay), mixed with organic matter that allows nutrients and oxygen to more easily reach the roots. When choosing an area to plant your Bougainvillea, remember to plant on higher ground and away from areas where flooding is likely.


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Lemon Tree Lemon Forest Lemon Festival Lemon Medicinal Uses

By Liliana Usvat

Have anyone thought of planting a lemon forest? Apparently Yes. Such a forest exist in Greece.



The Lemon Forest of Poros (Galatas) The lemon forest of Greece is situated opposite the port of Poros on the shores of the Peloponnese and is the only one in Greece. 
 

In May, the whole town of Poros is engulfed in the heavenly scent of lemon blossoms wafting across from the green lemon forest shores. The dense lemon and orange trees add an ethereal beauty and simplicity to the landscape



The lemon  is a small evergreen tree native to Asia.

Well before the birth of Christ, the people of the Eastern Mediterranean were using citrons, first cousins of the lemon, in religious ceremonies to praise God for the sweet aromas he has given to the world.  

Lemon is an Citrus

Citrus is the general name for a group of species and hybrids that includes Lemons, Oranges, Mandarins, Grapefruit, Pummelos and many others.
 
Citrus fruits are the most valuable fruit crop in international trade. All of the numerous Citrus varieties are cultivated in subtropical or tropical regions.  Oranges were already being used in China in 2000 BC, while the Seville orange (also known as the bitter or sour orange) was first grown in northern India.



The lemon comes from the eastern Himalayas; mandarins, however, probably derive from the Mediterranean.

Today, citrus is cultivated in 140 countries. More than two-thirds of global citrus production is done in Brazil, USA, China, Mexico and Spain. In Brazil and the USA, about 70% of the harvest is used for processing, whereas the Mediterranean countries produce mostly for fresh consumption, supplying primarily the European market.

In Asia, most of the citrus produced is consumed domestically.

Citrus Festival in Menton a French Town



Remember the old adage -  When life gives you lemons, make lemonade? Well, seems that some talented artists are way beyond that. 

The theme of the Lemon Festival 2011 has been The Great Civilizations.  About 145 metric tons of bright and juicy world renowned citrus fruits were used to create some elaborate, extraordinary, temporary, giant sized sculptures. Everything from tiny mandarins to juicy lemons are competing for attention in a massive fun theme park where all the great civilizations of the ancient world are represented.

History

Lemons had been brought to North Africa and the Mediterranean from Southeastern Asia sometime between 700 and 1000 AD. In Arabic, lemon is pronounced ‘laymoun‘, or ‘lamoun‘. Even though lemons are thought to have originated in India, and there are numerous Roman mosaics of North Africa that showcase the zesty fruit, the first literary description of lemons is in an Arabic treatise on farming by Qustus al-Rumi from the early 10th-century. Cool, huh?
Did you know that although lemons are known as citrus fruits, they are technically considered berries? They’re also super healthy, containing many phytonutirents and vitamins, the most well-known of which being Vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals and boosts the immune system (WH Foods).
- See more at: http://mideats.com/egyptian-preserved-lemons-with-nigella-seeds-and-dried-safflower/#sthash.lf84dMaa.dpuf

Lemons had been brought to North Africa and the Mediterranean from Southeastern Asia sometime between 700 and 1000 AD.  Even though lemons are thought to have originated in India, and there are numerous Roman mosaics of North Africa that showcase the fruit, the first literary description of lemons is in an Arabic treatise on farming by Qustus al-Rumi from the early 10th-century. 

Although lemons are known as citrus fruits, they are technically considered berries? They’re also super healthy, containing many phytonutirents and vitamins, the most well-known of which being Vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals and boosts the immune system.

The Romans knew the lemon as the Median Apple, which are depicted in one of the Pompeii mosaics. Lemon juice was considered to have excellent anti-venomous properties – the writer Athenaeus states that on one occasion two men felt no effects from the bites of dangerous serpents because they had previously eaten a lemon!  



The first lemons to arrive in England came from Spain in 1289, when 15 lemons, 7 oranges, some pomegranates and dried fruit were landed as a present for Queen Eleanor, a former princess of Castile. The bill for 39 lemons, bought for her during her last illness, was 20 shillings (an absolute fortune at that time).


Persian traders carried the trees along trade routes known as the Silk Road that ran between Asia and the Mediterranean region. According to the BBC, these early traders carried lemon trees to Greece around 300 B.C. During the middle ages, they were known as "golden apples" and were traded for cloth, artifacts and precious metals. Lemons were also prized for their healing properties.

Medicinal Uses

Lemons had been brought to North Africa and the Mediterranean from Southeastern Asia sometime between 700 and 1000 AD. In Arabic, lemon is pronounced ‘laymoun‘, or ‘lamoun‘. Even though lemons are thought to have originated in India, and there are numerous Roman mosaics of North Africa that showcase the zesty fruit, the first literary description of lemons is in an Arabic treatise on farming by Qustus al-Rumi from the early 10th-century. Cool, huh?
Did you know that although lemons are known as citrus fruits, they are technically considered berries? They’re also super healthy, containing many phytonutirents and vitamins, the most well-known of which being Vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals and boosts the immune system (WH Foods).
- See more at: http://mideats.com/egyptian-preserved-lemons-with-nigella-seeds-and-dried-safflower/#sthash.lf84dMaa.dpuf

Lemons had been brought to North Africa and the Mediterranean from Southeastern Asia sometime between 700 and 1000 AD. In Arabic, lemon is pronounced ‘laymoun‘, or ‘lamoun‘. Even though lemons are thought to have originated in India, and there are numerous Roman mosaics of North Africa that showcase the zesty fruit, the first literary description of lemons is in an Arabic treatise on farming by Qustus al-Rumi from the early 10th-century. Cool, huh?
Did you know that although lemons are known as citrus fruits, they are technically considered berries? They’re also super healthy, containing many phytonutirents and vitamins, the most well-known of which being Vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals and boosts the immune system (WH Foods).
- See more at: http://mideats.com/egyptian-preserved-lemons-with-nigella-seeds-and-dried-safflower/#sthash.lf84dMaa.dpuf

Lemons had been brought to North Africa and the Mediterranean from Southeastern Asia sometime between 700 and 1000 AD. In Arabic, lemon is pronounced ‘laymoun‘, or ‘lamoun‘. Even though lemons are thought to have originated in India, and there are numerous Roman mosaics of North Africa that showcase the zesty fruit, the first literary description of lemons is in an Arabic treatise on farming by Qustus al-Rumi from the early 10th-century. Cool, huh?
Did you know that although lemons are known as citrus fruits, they are technically considered berries? They’re also super healthy, containing many phytonutirents and vitamins, the most well-known of which being Vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals and boosts the immune system (WH Foods).
- See more at: http://mideats.com/egyptian-preserved-lemons-with-nigella-seeds-and-dried-safflower/#sthash.lf84dMaa.dpuf

Did you know the Ancient Egyptians believed that eating lemons and drinking lemon juice was an effective protection against a variety of poisons, and that recent research has confirmed this belief?

There are many health benefits of lemons that have been known for centuries.
The two biggest are lemons’

• strong antibacterial, 
• antiviral, and
•  immune-boosting powers and
•  their use as a weight loss aid because 
• lemon juice is a digestive aid and 
• liver cleanser. 

• Lemons contain many substances--notably citric acid, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, bioflavonoids, pectin, and limonene--that promote immunity and 
• fight infection. 
• Lemon contains citric acid, which can be effective in treating acne. The vitamin C found in citrus fruits is vital for that healthy glowing skin while its alkaline nature kills some types of bacteria known to cause acne.  

 

 With your finger or a cotton ball, apply fresh lemon juice on acne and leave it overnight. Wash with water the following morning. There may be an uncomfortable sensation of burning at first, but it will soon disappear.

• Research has shown that lemon balm has a calming effect and therefore may be able to help remove fatigue, 
• exhaustion,
•  dizziness, 
• anxiety, 
• nervousness, 
• and tension.
• The proven antibacterial and antiviral properties of lemons can accelerate the healing process in the case of cankers. Mix the juice of freshly squeezed lemon into a glass of lukewarm water and rinse your mouth with this solution; do this three times a day.

 Other Uses

• insecticide and 
• immune-stimulant
• Lemon oil is used in cosmetics and perfumes as well 
• as soaps,
•  lotions, 
• bug sprays and 
•  lemon-scented cleaning products. 
• Lemon oil may also be used in machine oil or as a furniture polish.
•  Lemon byproducts such as pulp left over from juice making may be used as a livestock feed.

How to grow a lemon tree

Choose the sunniest spot in the yard to plant a lemon tree in the ground, or pot a dwarf variety in a small garden.

Soak the roots in a bucket of water before planting to keep the root ball intact, then dig a hole twice its width, position the plant level with the surrounding soil and backfill.

Fertilise with organic matter or manure every three to six months, or add slow-release fertiliser if potted.

Soil should be kept moist but not wet as too much water yellows the leaves until they drop. Give the tree lots of water in spring and summer, easing off in autumn and winter.

Mulch around the base to protect the roots, suppress weeds and retain moisture. Use an organic variety that breaks down to improve the soil, such as well-rotted cow manure or sugar cane mulch, ensuring it doesn't touch the stem and cause rotting.

Prune to encourage new growth by cutting back half the current season's growth before planting. Prune again when the tree has matured and annually to keep fruit within reach.

Harvest the fruit buds when they appear for the first few seasons, as fruit fails to ripen properly while the tree is young and growing branches and leaves. Twist lemons off the stem to avoid harming the tree.

Soil type  for Lemon Trees

Lemons tolerates a wide range of soil texture and can be grown in light, medium and heavy soils (sands, sandy loams, loams, sandy clay loams, clays, clay loams and sandy clays).

 Lemons in Italy


 Lemon trees grow abundantly on the Amalfi Coast on the southern Mediterranean coast of Italy, thriving in the rich volcanic soil and the dramatic rugged terraced hilltops.

These trees are planted in regular rows about 20 feet apart, and irrigated by means of water channels between the rows. Methods of cultivation have remained largely unchanged since the Persians first started to cultivate lemons in pre-Roman times.

Once established, a good lemon tree will yield between 400 and 600 lemons a year, and it will go on producing for 50-60 years. 

Electricity from a lemon

It is possible to get electricity from a lemon (and a few other acidic fruits and vegetables) using two strips of metal. The most readily available combination is copper and zinc. The zinc piece can be taken from the casing of an old carbon "D" cell (battery); some zinc coated nails may work as well. The copper can be a coin containing a high amount of copper. (Note: some recent copper coins, including the newer U.S. pennies, contain low amounts of copper mixed with zinc. If in doubt, use a pure copper strip.)

 They are stuck into the lemon, and wires are attached to each one. The wires should be attached securely to form a good electrical contact. If the other ends of the wires are attached to a small light bulb (flashlight bulb) there should be sufficient current to light it. Note that the metal pieces should be clean, and that they should not touch inside the lemon. The electric current comes from the chemical reaction between the acid in the lemon and the zinc. Positively charged hydrogen in the acid oxidizes the zinc, causing electrons to flow from the zinc to the acid. In the process, some of the hydrogen in the acid is reduced to hydrogen gas.The copper merely completes the circuit.

A Rhetorical Question

Why there are not more Lemon Trees planted in Public Parks, School Backyards, in areas that are allowing this type of tree Public Places, Office Buildings, Rooftop Gardens? 

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