Sunday, October 21, 2012

just got back from the Birdhouse Buying Club/Taste of the Heights where I bought a loaf of wonderful Ezekiel Bread and a pot of a mint I'd never heard of...on the front of the label, handwritten it says 'Swiss Mint' but on the back is commercially printed 'Pepper Mint'. Ryan was setting up trays of herbs plus what looked to be ripe Seminole Pumpkins....he was super busy so I did not ask when I bought the mint from him. Willow was selling plants of "Kenaf" that she rooted from cuttings I gave her years ago of Hibiscus radiatus, which she told me today I had mis-identified back then, but when I pointed out to her the difference she stated that H. radiatus has yellow flowers, that I had misidentified Hibiscus cannabinicus (kenaf) as H. radiatus. She does not use computers, so once home I re-Googled to be sure I have not been mistaken the last ten years....as I said to her it is Kenaf that has yellow flowers. It is my hope that as more and more folks sell edible plants that they make it a priority to do adequate research, especially when a 2 minute Google can secure accurate information so that misinformation about edibles does not spread through gardening communities. I told her I am psyched about next spring sowing my seeds of 'Everglades 41' kenaf that is supposed to be especially good for eating raw or cooked. As always, Cracker was very well behaved and got lots of attention. I hope that both events there today are a success. On the way home I paid my first visit to the Seminole Heights Community Garden where I saw many thriving plants including what I suspect is the GIANT form of green leaf callaloo that I was given seeds of at Brittany's Permie event....I tasted a young leaf...tender and much milder tasting than other leafy type amaranths I've grown and tasted. Now to Google 'Swiss Mint' to see just what it is...to me the leaf shape and delicious taste was reminiscent of the 'spearmint' that grows RAMPANTLY in Denver. Now to change clothes and garden! Attached is a pic of the lovely magenta blooms of Hibiscus radiatus now in full glory in many gardens.


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