Wishing all my followers a healthy and happy new year. Continuing to write just finished books 10 and 11 on the subject of the hidden history of Scotland a very interesting subject
Just about to start a new book on Plant poisons it may take me a year to write but there is so much not written on this subject. A challenge for me
Wishing all my followers a healthy and happy 2022
Hello folks, eventually after all this time you can now buy my books online check on ebay It has only taken me 10 years . I am still writing away finished book 8 “change your diet improve your health” book 9 is “Unknown explorers “
I am working on “The hidden history of Scotland ” a rather interesting topic and also working on “Plant poisons”
Well folks, I have done it , I set out on a mission to write 7 books on the healing properties of plants and this is the last one. My titles have been Tree superstitions, Garden flower histories , Herbal fruit, Herbal Vegetables, Wild flower Histories, Culinary Herbs and Culinary Spices. It has taken me eight years but now I can say my Knowledge of plants will not be lost
This plant is out in flower just now, they come in a variety of colour white, red and a beautiful blue called mc’Connells blue. They are about a month late in the north here
These are in flower 2 months early the trees too are heavy with fruit we are experiencing an early autumn here in Scotland .
IRIS- Iridaceae Aug –Sept
CONSTITUENTS-Furfural, Orris oil, Iridin, Isophthalic Acid, Beta-Sitosterol, Irigenin, Irilone-4-glucoside, Irisolone -4 –Bioside.
HISTORY-This plant is named after the Greek rainbow Goddess “Iris,” it was first written about by Homer in about 700 B.C.
According to Greek myth Iris the Goddess of the rainbow was a messenger of the Gods. Whenever the Gods intended sending a message to the living, she sped across the sky, she would leave a trail of colours, which formed a rainbow. The rainbow was sent as a bridge between Heaven and Earth.
Plutarch wrote that the Iris is- “The Eye of Heaven,” meaning the rainbow and the coloured part of the eye. Iris was also said to accompany the souls of women to the place of eternal sleep. That is why there is a tradition that purple Irises were planted on womens graves, to ensure Iris’s help and blessing. To the Greek’s it is a death flower due to the myths surrounding it.
In ancient Greece and Rome, Iris/ orris root was largely used in perfumes to keep the aroma fresh. In Macedonia, Elis and Corinth, they were famous for their ointments /salves they used Orris root (dried powdered Iris root) in them. Delicately scented oil was produced from the root and this was also used in making perfumes.
Theophrastus (370-400B.C.) and Dioscorides were well acquainted with Orris root, stating that the best came from Illyricum. (Dalmatia)
The Iris is the royal emblem of the Cretan King of Knossos, as there is a painted relief found in the ruined palace. He walks supremely sceptre in hand, through a Lily meadow wearing a crown and necklace of Fleur de Lys. (Irises)
It was dedicated to Juno, Goddess of Marriage, by the Romans and it is where the origin of the sceptre comes from. The 3 petals on the flower symbolise Faith, Wisdom and Valour.
The Iris has been found in a series of drawings on a wall of the Egyptian temple at Karnack dating from 1,500 BC. The Iris symbolises life and resurrection, it is a flower connected to the Egyptian God Osiris, the first Pharaoh to become immortal.
It is the emblem on the medieval arms of Florence –a white Iris on a red background, where we get the plant the Florentine Iris which is white.
The Iris symbol appeared on the crown of Charlemagne and of Edward the Confessor.
It was adopted for the French by Louis 7th during the second crusade in 1145, Louis 9th took this emblem over in 1226.It became known as “Fleur De Louis,” which then corrupted to Fleur De Luce and Fleur De Lys. Gerard calls the Iris “Floure De Luce” or “Floure De Luce of Florence,” hence the name Fleur De Lys.
The wild iris commonly called the flag iris’ name comes from the Middle English word “Flagge,” meaning sword with reference to the sword shaped leaves.
In Scotland it is called “Segs,” “Seggans,” “Cheeper” and “Dugs Lugs.”
Whilst in America it is called “Jacob’s Sword” and “Dragon’s Flower.
The sweet powdered root (Orris) was used to scent linen, but in the 18th century, it was used for powdering the ornate wigs, as it can be used as a kind of dry shampoo. The first wig brought to Britain was called the macaroni and that was in 1772.
The fleshy creeping roots give a black dye and this was used as an ink, hence its use in the Harris Tweed industry. The leaves give a brown green dye.
It was used in the thatching of black houses in the Western Isles as it pads out the roof.
The leaves were also used to prevent leakages from the whisky barrels.
Its seeds were once ground down and used as a coffee substitute.
Used in pot pourri and talcum powder.
MEDICINAL USES- It was introduced into England by the Romans. It was used to stop wounds bleeding, in Roman times.
Dioscorides says that Orris root “Have a warm soothing facility, excellent for use in coughs. They purge thick humours and choler…. drunk with vinegar they help such as are bitten by venomous beasts those suffering from the spleen, troubled with convulsions ,such as are chilled and stiff with cold and such as let fall their food.”
It was traditionally used to treat dermatitis and skin diseases.
Gerard used it “The root of the common Floure De Luce cleane washed and stamped with a few drops of Rosewater and laid plaister wise upon the face of man or woman doth in two daies at the most take away the blacknesse or blewnesse of any stroke or bruse.”
Culpeper says that “The distilled water from the root, fomented on swellings and hot inflammation of a woman’s breast, upon cancers also do much goode.”
He also used it in the treatment of dropsy and bowel pain.
The juice of the roots, were used to cure headaches and to cure toothache.
Traditionally it was used for menstrual problems and to induce labour .
Lightfoot travelling in Scotland in 1777 tells us “A small piece of iris root was mixed with a handful of daisies and pounded in a mortar, the juice was poured into the patients nostrils. This strange application is immediately followed by a kind of salivation or copious defluxion of rheum from the mouth and nostrils which often effects a cure.”
In the 18th century it was used to cure persistent leg ulcers.
It has been found in the Neolithic settlement of Skara Brae and was used as an ancient medicine.
The dried roots were used by parents so their bairn’s could cut their first teeth on them. I have found an old Scottish account of how they gathered the roots “The rootes were gathered at the end of spring preserveth virtue for two years.”
There is a curious remedy of Iris root being crushed along with daisy sap and a teaspoonful being poured into each nostril, to rid the body of copious amounts of saliva and mucus.
It can clear head colds, when used as a snuff.Removes freckles, is a diuretic, cures bronchitis.It has recently been found that the compound Iridin is a toxic poison to humans. The compound Furfural is an irritant to the mucous membranes.
Garden Flower Histories 