Hey, I've just looked up Privet, Ligustrum valgare, in my " Magic and
Medicine of Plants" and it says: "..... privet has a solid reputation as a
medicinal plant. A century ago physicians used its berries as a laxative,
the flowers were placed on the forehead as a headache remedy (JAG), and the
leaves found use as an astringent in the form of mouthwashes and gargles
for sore throat. Both leaves and flowers have been relied on for assuaging
such female problems as irregular menstruation and vaginal irritations.
Privet's assets do not end there, however. The bark produces a yellow dye,
and the berries yield green and black dyes. The young branches are
sometimes used for basketry." It also warns " do not take internally - the
fruits and leaves can cause gastrointestinal irritation and liver damage,
and may lower blood pressure."
Might work better as a garden hedge do you think?
Anyone for a cup of tea? How about you Mr Pigeon?
T.
At 05:50 26/05/00 +1000, you wrote:
>
>
>G'day all
>just a small point - one of the original postings on this subject [I've since
>deleted it and am not sure who was the author] stated that the "green"
berries
>are toxic/cause sterility or whatever. Surely this could be the key - unripe
>fruits and berries may contain nasty chemical compounds but these are
>lost/modified as the fruit ripens.
>
>Do any of our coastal NSW friends know whether the pigeons eat only ripe
fruits
>of Camphor Laurel or privets?
>
>Anyway, its home time in dark and stormy Melbourne
>
>Peter
>
>
>
>Birding-Aus is on the Web at
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>
ADELAIDE BIRDING, South Australia by 4WD
Tony Russell,
phone : 08 8337 5959 , o/s 61 8 8337 5959
e-mail:
There's nothing quite like the feeling of seeing a new bird is there?
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