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Phlomis as a cure for burns?

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Marilyn

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Phlomis as a cure for burns?
« on: February 08, 2012, 12:48:16 PM »
Hello all,
It was brought to my attention the other day that the common name for Phlomis in German is "Brandkraut" or burn-herb, and it apparently has the fame of being a salve for burns. Does anyone know whether this is true? Or have we managed to get the wrong end of the stick entirely and "Brandkraut" refers to another genus altogether?
Thanks!
« Last Edit: February 09, 2012, 11:23:06 AM by Marilyn »
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I work in hotel and private gardens, promoting sustainable landscape management in the mediterranean climate through the use of diverse, beautiful and appropriate plants. At home, I garden on two balconies containing mostly succulents.
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Fleur Pavlidis

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Re: Phlomis as a cure for burns?
« Reply #1 on: February 08, 2012, 08:07:02 PM »
Phlomis doesn't appear at all in George Sfikas' 'Medicinal Plants of Greece' . There are more books in the Sparoza library, though, which I'll consult when next I visit.
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JTh

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Re: Phlomis as a cure for burns?
« Reply #2 on: February 08, 2012, 11:00:41 PM »
Phlomis is called both Brandkraut and Fakkelblume in German because rolled up leaves were used as wicks in lamps and candles.
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Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.
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Marilyn

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Re: Phlomis as a cure for burns?
« Reply #3 on: February 09, 2012, 11:25:48 AM »
Ah! Thank you, Jorun, that makes much more sense. And now that you mention it, I have heard that about the rolled-up leaves before, they do take on the ideal form for a wick when they go into their summer mode.
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I work in hotel and private gardens, promoting sustainable landscape management in the mediterranean climate through the use of diverse, beautiful and appropriate plants. At home, I garden on two balconies containing mostly succulents.
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JTh

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Re: Phlomis as a cure for burns?
« Reply #4 on: February 09, 2012, 12:26:36 PM »
There are many plants that can be used as wicks, such as the stems of rushes and Sambucus nigra, because their tissue is 'ventilated', allowing the oil to be drawn up, and leaves of woolly plants like Verbascum and Phlomis have the same effect.
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Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.
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John

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Re: Phlomis as a cure for burns?
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2012, 07:21:48 PM »
I seem to remember something about using the dried calyx of Ballota as a wick on Crete?
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John
Horticulturist, photographer, author, garden designer and plant breeder; MGS member and RHS committee member. I garden at home in SW London and also at work in South London.
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JTh

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Re: Phlomis as a cure for burns?
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2012, 07:46:45 PM »
I read that 'The calyx of this furry plant has an unusual traditional use along the Aegean shores, in that it is floated on oil, then lit, serving as a wick.' and I have seen somebody using the name wick bearing horehound for  Ballota acetabulosa. I guess many hairy-leafed plants can be used as wicks.
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Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.
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