Algerita Berberis, Mahonia

Algerita Berberis, Mahonia


The algerita is found throughout the State of Texas, but mainly in Central Texas or the Hill Country, as well as many parts of the US. It is an evergreen bush/shrub with thorn covered leaves. In the spring, the bushes are covered with sweet-smelling yellow flowers that later produce small red berries. To avoid the painful thorns when picking the berries, place a cloth on the ground beneath the bush and use a stick to knock the berries off of the branches, which causes the berries to fall onto the cloth. The red berries are great for jellies, pies, drinks/wine, etc.. The woody parts of the algerita bush are bright yellow like the blooms and also have a sweet-smelling scent.

Algerita roots should be gathered during the winter and cut into small pieces to be dried for later use. Other woody parts may be preserved in the same way. The medicinal parts of the plant are the stem, bark, and root. Use the bright yellow wood to make a tincture as a liver purifier and/or to treat jaundice; the small branches can be made into a cold infusion. The flowers, applied to wounds, help prevent infections.

Algerita roots are laxative in action, and in weaker preparations, they are effective in treating diarrhea caused by bacteria, such as food poisoning. The berry may be used for sore throats and acts as a mild local anesthetic. Berberine is the main active ingredient in algerita, which is found in other healing plants such as goldenseal and Oregon grape. The algerita is also used for chronic indigestion; constipation; eye infections; fever; mouth ulcers; and sore throats. This is a wonderful native plant that has no problems with medicinal or food usage.

The algerita and other barberry bushes are used frequently in landscaping. This plant may be bought at your local nurseries specializing in native plants, or they may be grown from cuttings and/or seeds. The algerita makes large full hedges that are colorful during the spring flowering season and again when laden with its berries.

To make a yellow dye from the algerita bush: Use about three parts by weight of the root to one part by weight of cotton or wool. Gather branches and/or roots of the algerita and chop into small pieces. Place the pieces in a piece of cloth (pillowcase) and tie it closed. Soak this bundle several days in water. Soak fabric and/or yarn for several hours in water, then squeeze out the excess water or as much as you possibly can. In a pot, immerse the wet material/wool in the algerita dye solution and, stirring continually, bring this to a boil. Simmer this until it reaches the color or just a little darker then the desired color you are looking for. Rinse the material until the rinse water is clear. In order to not fade your newly dyed material/wool, dry it out of direct sunlight, which may take several days.

The bright yellow woody parts of the algerita may be used around your home/office or in rituals/workings to represent clarity of mind, happiness, power, creative energy, wisdom, and hope. The fragrance is very pleasing, so use it in potpourri. Also, having this wonderful drought-repentant shrub around your home will impart all these useful characteristics listed above, making your home and yard a much brighter place.
Brenda Miller, RM, IAAM
http://www.designsbybrenda.net/
Author of Curiosity Expands Your Mind, a resource book for truth seekers.
Visit http://wwwdesignsbybrenda.net/ or http://www.amazon.com/ or http://www.barnesandnoble.com/
or http://www.amazon.co.uk/ or http://www.trafford.com/ to purchase your copy.

Brenda L Miller is a NAPW 2010 VIP Woman of the Year. The National Association of Professional Women (NAPW) is one of the most exclusive and rapidly growing associations of female executives, professionals, and entrepreneurs in the United States. We span almost every industry, including health and medicine, education, advertising and public relations, manufacturing, publishing, communications, entertainment, law, and more. Visit http://www.napw.com/  for more info.

Charities That I Support.

My new year’s resolution is to not give consumer products as gifts for birthdays or Christmas. I have chosen instead to donate in honor of the recipient to organizations such as http://www.heifer.org/, http://www.nature.org/, and http://www.ocenconservancy.org/. As I see that most people, including me, do not need another dust collector in their abode, I have decided this is the best way to go. I also think that in lieu of flowers/plants in honor of a deceased loved one/friend, that I will contribute “in honor of” to such charities as these.

I am tired of being a pack rat, a collector or consumer goods, and I am tired of feeling guilty in having to keep the gift so as to not hurt the giver’s feelings. In order to not overburdened the already busting at the seams landfills, I can recycle the gift(s) by sending it to Goodwill/Salvation Army, which are good causes, but eventually they may need to toss such goods as their warehouses/stores become overcrowded with such products.

I also donate to http://www.organicconsumers.org/, http://www.votehemp.com/, http://www.arborday.org/, and http://www.npca.org/. These organizations fight for nature and environmental rights. They keep our government from enacting laws that will be harmful for the environment (Mother Earth), which will eventually be harmful to us, as what happens to our environment happens to us.

Vote Hemp is an organization that is removing barriers or misguided beliefs to industrial hemp farming in the US by educating the public and standing up to the lawmakers/our government. Check out http://www.votehemp.com/ for more info as to what they are doing and why we should support this cause/organization.

Organic Consumers Association informs you of what is going on in the organic world, news about food safety, health issues, genetic engineering, etc. To find out more of what they do, go to http://www.organicconsumers.org/. Sign up for their newsletters to keep yourself informed as what is going on with these issues listed plus much more.

Heifer International, through donations such as mine, will provide families with chicks, lambs, sheep, bees, etc. These animals help the families become sustainable by providing eggs, wool, milk, honey, beeswax, meat, etc. These products not only provide food, clothing, wax, etc. but they provide cash in the selling of the products so the families are able to purchase items that are needed to sustain their way of life or to the betterment of their lives. Check out http://www.heifer.org/ to see what it is all about.

Maybe the next time that you are planning to purchase a gift, you may want to stop and think about buying another dust collector for that special someone. These organizations or those of your choosing are very appreciative in your donations, which they will put to good cause. So there will be no dust colleting going on here or guilty feelings about having to keep said gift, etc., etc.

Brenda Miller

http://www.designsbybrenda.net/
Author of Curiosity Expands Your Mind