Beautiful phormium silhouette against the night sky. Almost my view from my study! We are lucky - like you and can grow these lovely plants (until you try to mow around them!).
This is a beautiful shot - hope I have to vote on it!
Phormium (New Zealand Flax, also known here as Harakeke) has been very important in Maori medicine in the past.
I found this with Google :) A very useful plant !!
For centuries, Māori had collected the abundant nectar from the flowers to make a crude honey and to generally sweeten foods, but it was the myriad of medicinal uses that made the plant so important to the everyday health of Māori.
Flax roots were boiled and crushed and applied externally as a poultice for boils, tumours and abscesses, as well as to varicose ulcers.
Juice from the pounded roots was widely used as a disinfectant, and taken internally to relieve constipation or expel worms. It was also applied to bullet or bayonet wounds.
The gum-like sap produced by flax contains enzymes that give it blood clotting and antiseptic qualities to help healing processes. Though unaware of the enzymes, Māori were fully aware of its curative properties and that it is a mild anaesthetic, and widely applied the sap to boils and various wounds, to aching teeth, to rheumatic and associated pains, to ringworm and various skin irritations, and especially to scalds and burns.
Splints were fashioned from bases and flax leaves, and thin strips of muka fibre were disinfected in the gel before being used to stitch wounds. Flax leaves were used as bandages and to secure broken bones much as plaster is used today, and the pulp of pounded leaves was applied as dressings.
The fibres of various strengths were used to fashion eel traps (hinaki), surprisingly large fishing nets (kupenga) and lines, bird snares, cordage for ropes, baskets (kete), bags, mats, clothing, sandals (parara), buckets, food baskets (rourou), and cooking utensils etc.
Thanks for all the info on that beautiful plant and for capturing it in silhouette as you did, Lyn. Wow.. I wish somedays that we would make more of the natural remedies and elements around us instead of having to rely on manufacturers, but I won't open up that can of worms. I'm already in hot water over that natural pic of cynlee's Pequots :( ......sounds like a cureall and I wish I had some right now for my aching tooth :) It's a lovely post :)PJ
Just what I need for a new desktop. This is well done. Both silouette and background are in sharp focus. The colors all blend together so well and are so beautiful. I like the suggestion of detail in the far background down in the lower right hand corner. This is a keeper.
Pat
I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn't, than live my life as if there isn't and die to find out there is.
Albert Camus
........
My Gallery
Always remember to follow the Yellow Brick road, it will lead to the Emerald City and OZ......... A very nice place to live, trust me on this one. The Lion
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift, that is why we call it the present."
...live well ...love much ...laugh often ..... mygallery
Hey there Mister Madman, wat'cha know that I don't know
Tell me some crazy stories, let me know who runs this show
Glassy-eyed and laughing, he turns and walks away
Tell me what made you that way
Nice sunset, Eve, the phormium looks great. I have a couple of phormium tenax in my garden, but they haven't bloomed. I don't know if they will bloom in Oregon. So I'm counting on you to post more of them when they are in bloom.