Introduction to Medicinal Plants (Part One)

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No I don't feature in one of Agatha Christie's books as one of the famous murderers who kills victims by poisoning them with Atropa Belladonna, a poisonous plant more commonly known as Deadly Nightshade.

Nor have I become the third gardener to accompany the two gardeners / detectives Rosemary Boxer and Laura Thyme in the British TV series Rosemary & Thyme.

I have however become quite the detective when it comes to Medicinal Plants, but through a less scandalous and more simplistic way than by carrying out a murder. I simply visited the Botanical Gardens in Palermo, those of Naples and those of Pisa, instead.

I've become fascinated by the medicinal properties of plants, especially those from the Asteracea family.This has inspired me to write four short articles on 4 plants from the Asteracea family, with accompanying photos. All four can be found in Europe and are widely used in medicine today.

The Asteracea family is commonly known as the sunflower and daisy family. These plants are found in the Mediterranean and Europe.

Whilst I still watch Rosemary & Thyme, Agatha Christie's Poirot and Agatha Christie's Miss Marple, today I've decided to put my knowledge of plants to do good, not harm.

Therefore, I will focus on medicinal plants rather than poisonous ones, and write and not murder. Enjoy this knowledge!

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