HERB - What is.......

Jenne Heise jenne at tulgey.browser.net
Mon Oct 11 12:07:40 PDT 1999


On Mon, 11 Oct 1999, Rauthulfr wrote:
> This may be a case similar to that of Graines of Paradise, in which the
> same name is applied to multiple spices, but one is inclined to accept
> the word of the OED.

I would suspect you are right! Especially if most of the 'spikenard' sold
in the US is actually American spikenard (certainly the spikenard sold by
Penn herb is the american kind.)
 
> >A related question: the alchemists knew both spikenard and spike
> lavender.
> >When a recipe calls for "Oyl of Spike" would oil of lavender or oil of
> >spikenard be more appropriate? 
> Spike Lavender is one of the other plants listed in the OED identified as
> spikenard.   My suspicion has always been that Spike used alone tended to
> refer to lavender, while nard alone tended to refer to spikenard.  At
> this point I think I'm no longer sure.

That would be my thought. Would oil of lavender be an appropriate
substitution for oil of spike lavender?

Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, mka Jennifer Heise	      jenne at tulgey.browser.net
"The Sons of Mary seldom bother, for they have inherited that good part;
But the Sons of Martha favour their Mother 
	of the careful soul and the troubled heart.
And because she lost her temper once, 
	and because she was rude to the Lord her Guest,
Her Sons must wait upon Mary's Sons, world without end, reprieve, or rest."
				-- Rudyard Kipling, "The Sons of Martha"  

============================================================================
Go to http://lists.ansteorra.org/lists.html to perform mailing list tasks.



More information about the Herbalist mailing list