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Hi'iaka's Healing Herb Garden : Column Index : 2005 : Aug05
Coming Soon...
Make Money Growing Carefree Medicinal Plants
The herbal supplement industry continues to grow as more people turn to alternative medicine, and because of this, the companies that make herbal teas and sell bulk dried herbs need growers for the many plants in their catalogs. The beauty of the medicinals that I'm suggesting Hawaiian farmers consider growing is that they're easy to grow and often thrive in poor soil and neglectful conditions. Why spend a lot of time and money creating an environment that is conducive for a particular plant (like a greenhouse) when there are plenty of plants that need no special care? Here are the traits that I believe medicinal cash crops should have:
* They require very little fertilization and irrigation.
* They will not escape cultivation and become yet another invasive species in our already-fragile environment.
* They have no significant insect pests.
* They have a short harvest so you can realize a quick return on your investment.
* They have a good market in the herbal supplement industry.
Every year for the past four years I have put together a "Top 10" list of the medicinal crops that I believe can and should be grown commercially in Hawai`i. Well, it's time for the 2005 edition! To refresh your memory (or for our "malihini," or newcomers to the island), here is last year's list:
10. The mints
9. Chamomile
8. Lemon Balm
7. Stevia
6. Mugwort
5. Kamani
4. Fo-ti
3. Red Zinger hibiscus
2. Siberian motherwort
1. Green tea
This year, I've moved number 2, Siberian motherwort, to number 9 and replaced chamomile with psyllium as number 8. All of the others remain, but have advanced one number. Here's why:
Siberian motherwort grows and naturalizes beautifully and I wish there were a better market for it. It is because of the small interest in this plant that I am demoting it.
Chamomile is available in abundance and I don't believe the market price for it is very good. Psyllium, on the other hand, is a good seller in today's market, especially in cleansing formulas, and it's easy to grow.
I believe the other herbs in the list remain excellent choices for the medicinal market.
Which Medicinal Plants Should Be Grown in Hawai`i?
What if you could grow a crop that required very little fertilizer, irrigation and insect controls? And what if that crop matured and gave you a harvest within the first year of planting? Here's my 2005 Top 10 list of the plants I've had success growing that fit these criteria:
10. The mints (Mentha spp.; peppermint, spearmint, etc.)
Used by companies such as Celestial Seasonings in many of their tea blends.
9. Siberian motherwort (Leonurus Sibericus)
This is used in Chinese medicine. It's an excellent heart tonic and is helpful for women's health concerns such as pre-menstrual syndrome and menopausal symptoms. It's also used in the practice of moxibustion.
8. Psyllium (Plantago psyllium)
Psyllium is in the plantain genus (not the cooking banana, the lawn weed plantain). The seeds are a powerful intestinal cleanser that gets rid of toxins and improves regularity. Psyllium seed currently sells for about $10 a pound.
7. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Delicious lemony herb used in tea blends. It's mildly sedative, good for stomachaches, and helpful when you have a cold.
6. Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana)
A natural sweetener, this plant makes a product that is increasing in popularity as health-conscious consumers discover this delicious substitute for sugar and calorie-laden honey.
5. Mugwort (Artemesia vulgaris)
This is the exact species used in Chinese medicine for nervous conditions and the lungs.
4. Kamani (Calophyllum inophyllum)
Although it takes longer than one year to get a crop from a young tree, the oil from kamani nuts (called Tamanu in Tahiti) is said to be a miraculous skin healer.
3. Fo-ti (Polygonum multiflorum)
Known as He-shou-wu in Chinese medicine, the root of this attractive, spreading plant is a "rejuvenating tonic that will restore energy, increase fertility and maintain strength and vigor," according to Michael Tierra in his book, "The Way of Herbs."
2. Red Zinger Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
This delicious, nutritious edible hibiscus is used in many commercial tea blends such as Red Zinger and Lemon Zinger, both made by Celestial Seasonings.
1. Green tea (Camellia sinensis)
Sales continue to increase, partly due to studies that have demonstrated that it's effective against the formation of certain types of cancerous cells. It's delicious and refreshing and is a staple of life in Asian countries. It should become a staple of life in the United States as well.
More About Green Tea
Green tea belongs to the camellia family. According to The Way of Herbs, green tea is a stimulant (it has caffeine), diuretic (increases urination), and an astringent (constricts or binds, meaning that it's useful for stopping hemorrhages and secretions). It also halts diarrhea. Green tea mouthwash also helps to prevent cavities. Most importantly, several clinical studies have proven that green tea helps to prevent certain types of cancer, especially cancers of the pancreas, colon, small intestine, stomach, breast and lung. (Physician's Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines) Recent research shows that green tea may also be useful in preventing osteoarthritis by blocking the body's enzyme that destroys cartilage. (American Botanical Council, www.herbalgram.org)
It's a shrub that thrives in very little soil on my pahoehoe. I sometimes toss a shovel full of compost at the base of my plant, but have only fertilized it with worm castings. Chinese rose beetles like to munch on the leaves, but the new growth is unaffected, which is fine because the medicinal part is the young leaves. When it doesn't rain for two weeks or more, I water it if I remember. I consider it to be a hardy survivor and a good candidate for commercial production. It grows even better at higher elevations and I know a number of Big Island growers who are experimenting with it.
Where to Buy Seeds
I get most of my medicinal herb seeds from two companies in Oregon, both organic:
Horizon Herbs: www.horizonherbs.com; 541-846-6704.
The Thyme Garden: www.thymegarden.com; 541-487-8671.
Idea for Selling Medicinal Crops
Frontier Natural Products Co-op, located in Iowa, contracts with growers and buys bulk herbs for their large catalog. Call them at 1-800-669-3275 or visit their web site: www.frontiercoop.com.
Make Money Growing Carefree Medicinal Plants
The herbal supplement industry continues to grow as more people turn to alternative medicine, and because of this, the companies that make herbal teas and sell bulk dried herbs need growers for the many plants in their catalogs. The beauty of the medicinals that I'm suggesting Hawaiian farmers consider growing is that they're easy to grow and often thrive in poor soil and neglectful conditions. Why spend a lot of time and money creating an environment that is conducive for a particular plant (like a greenhouse) when there are plenty of plants that need no special care? Here are the traits that I believe medicinal cash crops should have:
* They require very little fertilization and irrigation.
* They will not escape cultivation and become yet another invasive species in our already-fragile environment.
* They have no significant insect pests.
* They have a short harvest so you can realize a quick return on your investment.
* They have a good market in the herbal supplement industry.
Every year for the past four years I have put together a "Top 10" list of the medicinal crops that I believe can and should be grown commercially in Hawai`i. Well, it's time for the 2005 edition! To refresh your memory (or for our "malihini," or newcomers to the island), here is last year's list:
10. The mints
9. Chamomile
8. Lemon Balm
7. Stevia
6. Mugwort
5. Kamani
4. Fo-ti
3. Red Zinger hibiscus
2. Siberian motherwort
1. Green tea
This year, I've moved number 2, Siberian motherwort, to number 9 and replaced chamomile with psyllium as number 8. All of the others remain, but have advanced one number. Here's why:
Siberian motherwort grows and naturalizes beautifully and I wish there were a better market for it. It is because of the small interest in this plant that I am demoting it.
Chamomile is available in abundance and I don't believe the market price for it is very good. Psyllium, on the other hand, is a good seller in today's market, especially in cleansing formulas, and it's easy to grow.
I believe the other herbs in the list remain excellent choices for the medicinal market.
Which Medicinal Plants Should Be Grown in Hawai`i?
What if you could grow a crop that required very little fertilizer, irrigation and insect controls? And what if that crop matured and gave you a harvest within the first year of planting? Here's my 2005 Top 10 list of the plants I've had success growing that fit these criteria:
10. The mints (Mentha spp.; peppermint, spearmint, etc.)
Used by companies such as Celestial Seasonings in many of their tea blends.
9. Siberian motherwort (Leonurus Sibericus)
This is used in Chinese medicine. It's an excellent heart tonic and is helpful for women's health concerns such as pre-menstrual syndrome and menopausal symptoms. It's also used in the practice of moxibustion.
8. Psyllium (Plantago psyllium)
Psyllium is in the plantain genus (not the cooking banana, the lawn weed plantain). The seeds are a powerful intestinal cleanser that gets rid of toxins and improves regularity. Psyllium seed currently sells for about $10 a pound.
7. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Delicious lemony herb used in tea blends. It's mildly sedative, good for stomachaches, and helpful when you have a cold.
6. Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana)
A natural sweetener, this plant makes a product that is increasing in popularity as health-conscious consumers discover this delicious substitute for sugar and calorie-laden honey.
5. Mugwort (Artemesia vulgaris)
This is the exact species used in Chinese medicine for nervous conditions and the lungs.
4. Kamani (Calophyllum inophyllum)
Although it takes longer than one year to get a crop from a young tree, the oil from kamani nuts (called Tamanu in Tahiti) is said to be a miraculous skin healer.
3. Fo-ti (Polygonum multiflorum)
Known as He-shou-wu in Chinese medicine, the root of this attractive, spreading plant is a "rejuvenating tonic that will restore energy, increase fertility and maintain strength and vigor," according to Michael Tierra in his book, "The Way of Herbs."
2. Red Zinger Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
This delicious, nutritious edible hibiscus is used in many commercial tea blends such as Red Zinger and Lemon Zinger, both made by Celestial Seasonings.
1. Green tea (Camellia sinensis)
Sales continue to increase, partly due to studies that have demonstrated that it's effective against the formation of certain types of cancerous cells. It's delicious and refreshing and is a staple of life in Asian countries. It should become a staple of life in the United States as well.
More About Green Tea
Green tea belongs to the camellia family. According to The Way of Herbs, green tea is a stimulant (it has caffeine), diuretic (increases urination), and an astringent (constricts or binds, meaning that it's useful for stopping hemorrhages and secretions). It also halts diarrhea. Green tea mouthwash also helps to prevent cavities. Most importantly, several clinical studies have proven that green tea helps to prevent certain types of cancer, especially cancers of the pancreas, colon, small intestine, stomach, breast and lung. (Physician's Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines) Recent research shows that green tea may also be useful in preventing osteoarthritis by blocking the body's enzyme that destroys cartilage. (American Botanical Council, www.herbalgram.org)
It's a shrub that thrives in very little soil on my pahoehoe. I sometimes toss a shovel full of compost at the base of my plant, but have only fertilized it with worm castings. Chinese rose beetles like to munch on the leaves, but the new growth is unaffected, which is fine because the medicinal part is the young leaves. When it doesn't rain for two weeks or more, I water it if I remember. I consider it to be a hardy survivor and a good candidate for commercial production. It grows even better at higher elevations and I know a number of Big Island growers who are experimenting with it.
Where to Buy Seeds
I get most of my medicinal herb seeds from two companies in Oregon, both organic:
Horizon Herbs: www.horizonherbs.com; 541-846-6704.
The Thyme Garden: www.thymegarden.com; 541-487-8671.
Idea for Selling Medicinal Crops
Frontier Natural Products Co-op, located in Iowa, contracts with growers and buys bulk herbs for their large catalog. Call them at 1-800-669-3275 or visit their web site: www.frontiercoop.com.
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