This past week, The Northern Neck National Heritage Area and NNK 250 sponsored a two-day symposium entitled “The Power of Place: The Indigenous Northern Neck” at the Rappahannock Indigenous Conservation Education Center, the former location of the Belle Mount Vineyards and Heritage Park Campground on Menokin Bay of Cat Point Creek. The event began with a nature walk through the property conducted by Heather Bedford, a noted herbalist from Westmoreland County.
The group followed the trails of the North Loop, stopping often along the way for Heather to explain the significance and usages of a variety of native and invasive plants. She has been an herbalist for over a quarter of a century, during which she has developed an extensive knowledge of both the science behind our everyday understanding of plants and their practical applications for treating illnesses as well as their decorative and aromatic usages.
Our first stop was to see what I have considered to be a common weed, namely broadleaf plantain, the prevalence of which I have fought against for years. Now I learn that it is a good remedy for itching due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and antimicrobial qualities. In the future, I shall treat it with more respect, particularly if I need its more beneficial characteristics to alleviate exposure to poison ivy.
We stopped to admire a venerable hackberry tree, where Heather explained its traditional role in the landscape of the Northern Neck, and then on to the old stand-by, the dogwood, which is also anti-inflammatory and a soothing relaxation for muscle aches. Next came the black walnut, almost always a great favorite, except for this time of year when we are picking up the thousands of walnuts that have overwhelmed the squirrels, nevertheless I remain grateful for the nuts they have either eaten or carried away.
From there we went to the sweet gum, for which I have ambivalent thoughts. The tree’s fall colors are magnificent, but the prickly seed balls are a nuisance and the emerging seeds are populating the landscape every spring. Heather explained that the name, “sweet gum,” comes from its leaves being sweeter for making tea than those of its cousin, the black gum.
The latter is a great favorite of mine, particularly in the fall when its leaves turn brilliant red. The black gum has a long taproot, which I have found makes it difficult to transplant successfully once it has established itself in a specific location and it grows in an upright position, towering over neighboring underplantings.
We stopped to learn about Spanish needles, Bidens alba in Latin, another bane of my gardening experience. “Bidens” comes from the two small prongs at the end of its seeds and “alba” from the white flowers. Another name for it is beggartick. The needles are especially proficient at clinging to one’s clothes.
We saw yarrow growing in the wild. Known for its healing properties, it sometimes is called “battlefield herb,” as it could be the first medicinal treatment for wartime wounds. Nearby, we found stinking sumac, another plant without which I could survive quite well. Although non-invasive, it is a challenge to control, but Heather said it is a good anti-fungal treatment. I was delighted to hear that it is good for something.
Queen Anne’s lace, also known as wild carrot, my favorite weed, was less abundant on the walk than it is in our yard. The same can be said for ajuga, commonly called bugleweed, technically an invasive, but as a groundcover its purple flowers cannot be denied their own beauty. After all, bugleweed is a relative of mint, hence it cannot be all bad.
Perhaps the most interesting name for a wild plant is the nickname of Pseudogaphatium obtusifolium, “rabbit tobacco,” which is classified as a “distinguished herb.” Its flowers are beautiful, and it is quite hardy; with a name like that, whether one uses the Latin or the English, it has to be. Lastly, the standard anti-viral medicinal herb, St. John’s wort, a beautiful and practical addition to any landscape.
Heather’s tour was a two-hour outdoor seminar, filled with information for both the advanced and the novice gardener. It was a great “walk in the woods.”
