Thank you @Weedom1 for guiding me into a world I can only see from the outside. I know so little about trees and your posts are like being introduced to a neighbor who speaks a different language. I admit to being startled by some of the science ... "A noraporphine allkaloid called norstephalagine, found in the leaves, has shown relaxant activity on rat uterine smooth muscle."
For some reason, that just makes me wonder at the interconnected web of life ... why would a tree manufacture a substance that has an effect on a rat uterus ... and how did science come to explore the two? So awfully many questions.
You're a true explorer, and I'm glad that you're digging into this territory.
It's amazing to think of trees fighting off attackers, for hundreds of years, with biochemistry! Imagine what that smooth muscle relaxant- norstephalagine is doing to the bugs :-D
So we might be able to employ it for digestive hypermotility, or premature labor or lowering blood pressure, depending on whether the compound is absorbable, and more effective than toxic, in a particular situation.
The aroma, and that twig on the agar plate- with a big zone of inhibition for Staph..... this tree has strong meds in it. The baskets will smell amazing for sure. Room freshener, maybe.
We have a property full of tulip poplars!! So fascinating! Also got to meet Matthew Wood EARLY in my herbal journey at a Veterinary herbal retreat... didn't realize who he really was until after!!! I was too green at that point!
See if you can grab some of that nectar! Matthew Wood is definitely his own guy. Massively full of ethnobotanical stories. It's cool how veterinary herbology is growing, and you got onto it pretty early.
The traditional herbalism and biochemstry support each other, because those old observational records are real, and more people will get accustomed to this.
Grew up with a huge tulip tree in the front yard. Man those prickly things hurt to step on! Sibs & I ran around barefoot quite a bit but avoided the vicinity of the tulip tree.
Wow. I just discovered you beautiful substack off of Dr Malone's. Whee! So much fun to look forward to! I am currently experimenting with lobelia inflata, and I am surprised how little info there is, beyond the superficial. I took a fair dose, no nausea or vomiting. But several days later, profound runs lasting 4 days. I am cleaned out like never! And relaxed like I have not been since childhood. :-)
I don't see Lobelia as particularly long acting. But that herb is very potent, with a toxic limitation, and is well known as a smooth muscle relaxant. Look up Patrick Jones if you want to hear from an herbalist who has employed Low doses of that herb a lot in his practice. You just have to remember that the lobeline from your herb is similar to nicotine and to coniine (from poison hemlock), so punting with the dose is risky.
To tell you the truth, I am rather sick of the whole "safety culture" that has taken over everything. And as far as I can tell, nobody ever died from lobelia. Despite Thomsonians giving people heroic doses. That's good enough for me. (Don't worry, I am not a fool. Would anyone be, on your substack? ;-)
Usually the puke and purge saves them, But that freeking lobeline affects so many neurtransmitters and neuronal Ca++ that it's not a joke. True that most of the herbs are pretty safe for people who aren't prone to binging out.
Love this tree! Thanks for sharing some of its medicinal aspects. I planted a massive one in our front yard to make up for one my father chopped down and burned when I was a kid.
When you have a tree outside of a natural forest stand, and close to where you live, you must prune. Isolated trees can drop some biiiiig branches when they self prune.
Thank you @Weedom1 for guiding me into a world I can only see from the outside. I know so little about trees and your posts are like being introduced to a neighbor who speaks a different language. I admit to being startled by some of the science ... "A noraporphine allkaloid called norstephalagine, found in the leaves, has shown relaxant activity on rat uterine smooth muscle."
For some reason, that just makes me wonder at the interconnected web of life ... why would a tree manufacture a substance that has an effect on a rat uterus ... and how did science come to explore the two? So awfully many questions.
You're a true explorer, and I'm glad that you're digging into this territory.
It's amazing to think of trees fighting off attackers, for hundreds of years, with biochemistry! Imagine what that smooth muscle relaxant- norstephalagine is doing to the bugs :-D
So we might be able to employ it for digestive hypermotility, or premature labor or lowering blood pressure, depending on whether the compound is absorbable, and more effective than toxic, in a particular situation.
Great article! I have to take out two on my property this spring and I will try my hand at making baskets from the inner bark.
You might experience some interesting transdermal effects to write about. :-D That's how we go in herbalism.
We'll see. I'll be using my great grandfather's draw knife though so I probably won't be handling it too much at the wet stage.
The aroma, and that twig on the agar plate- with a big zone of inhibition for Staph..... this tree has strong meds in it. The baskets will smell amazing for sure. Room freshener, maybe.
Here is a fellow UGA Bulldog who specializes in Tulip Poplar and Kudzu https://youtu.be/LnOdcJMTHpk?si=xNw-HJzzlpaovbVK
We have a property full of tulip poplars!! So fascinating! Also got to meet Matthew Wood EARLY in my herbal journey at a Veterinary herbal retreat... didn't realize who he really was until after!!! I was too green at that point!
See if you can grab some of that nectar! Matthew Wood is definitely his own guy. Massively full of ethnobotanical stories. It's cool how veterinary herbology is growing, and you got onto it pretty early.
I love these trees. Another very interesting fact is that they are both pioneer and climax species.
Yaaaa, with that rapid upward growth, longevity, and their zillions of propagules.
Magnolia family, of course! Very interesting to see traditional and research info together / thanks!
The traditional herbalism and biochemstry support each other, because those old observational records are real, and more people will get accustomed to this.
Grew up with a huge tulip tree in the front yard. Man those prickly things hurt to step on! Sibs & I ran around barefoot quite a bit but avoided the vicinity of the tulip tree.
For sure! You'd think I would learn, but naaa need to get poked every spring.
Interesting tree, that's for sure!
What a treat! Why is it called a tulip poplar?
Likely because of the blooms, but maybe the shape of the leaf evokes a tulip profile.
Thank you! That makes sense.
Wow. I just discovered you beautiful substack off of Dr Malone's. Whee! So much fun to look forward to! I am currently experimenting with lobelia inflata, and I am surprised how little info there is, beyond the superficial. I took a fair dose, no nausea or vomiting. But several days later, profound runs lasting 4 days. I am cleaned out like never! And relaxed like I have not been since childhood. :-)
Hope you have fun reading!
I don't see Lobelia as particularly long acting. But that herb is very potent, with a toxic limitation, and is well known as a smooth muscle relaxant. Look up Patrick Jones if you want to hear from an herbalist who has employed Low doses of that herb a lot in his practice. You just have to remember that the lobeline from your herb is similar to nicotine and to coniine (from poison hemlock), so punting with the dose is risky.
Thank you for writing back! :-)
Indeed I will have a lot of fun here.
To tell you the truth, I am rather sick of the whole "safety culture" that has taken over everything. And as far as I can tell, nobody ever died from lobelia. Despite Thomsonians giving people heroic doses. That's good enough for me. (Don't worry, I am not a fool. Would anyone be, on your substack? ;-)
Usually the puke and purge saves them, But that freeking lobeline affects so many neurtransmitters and neuronal Ca++ that it's not a joke. True that most of the herbs are pretty safe for people who aren't prone to binging out.
Love this tree! Thanks for sharing some of its medicinal aspects. I planted a massive one in our front yard to make up for one my father chopped down and burned when I was a kid.
I’ll bet your tree will get Huge! Ours struggle with the wind and dryness once they get about 50 feet tall.
Interesting that bit about the voluntary, lower-limb pruning. I trimmed mine, but maybe I shouldn't have bothered?
When you have a tree outside of a natural forest stand, and close to where you live, you must prune. Isolated trees can drop some biiiiig branches when they self prune.
Thanks, weedom!