POTPOURRI - Potpourri is a natural air freshener made from dried flowers, leaves, seeds and cones. Pronounced po-pur-ree, it is used to make rooms and cupboards smell fresh. Anything can be added to potpourri as long as it is dry, to ensure that the contents last longer and do not become moldy. Potpourri can be arranged in bowls or stuffed into small cotton pillows to be hung in cupboards. Cinnamon sticks can be added to give potpourri a spicy scent. Other uses for potpourri include masking the smell of mothballs in cupboards and deterring insects. Sachets can be placed in drawers or in shoes to leave a fresh scent. You can place loose potpourri in ashtrays in cars and in the fillings of soft toys. Scent is also usually added to the dried flowers and can be sprayed on every few days to be absorbed into the flowers. A fixative is necessary to absorb the scent, and the most often used is orrisroot. Other types of fixative include calamus root, dry lavender, tonka bean and sandalwood bark. There are also powdered fixatives, but these are usually used in sachets of potpourri. The powder will not look good on an open decorative arrangement and will not hold the scent as well as the chopped fixatives. Lavender is a popular addition to potpourri. There are many different scents and oils that can be used in a potpourri arrangement. If you have knowledge of aromatherapy, you can select different scents to create a mood or atmosphere in a room.

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Potpourri

What is Potpourri?

Garry Crystal

 Tonka beans, which is sometimes used in potpourri.

Potpourri is a natural air freshener made from dried flowers, leaves, seeds and cones.

Pronounced po-pur-ree, it is used to make rooms and cupboards smell fresh.

Anything can be added to potpourri as long as it is dry, to ensure that the contents last longer and do not become moldy.

Potpourri can be arranged in bowls or stuffed into small cotton pillows to be hung in cupboards.

Other uses for potpourri include masking the smell of mothballs in cupboards and deterring insects.

Cinnamon sticks can be added to give potpourri a spicy scent.

Sachets can be placed in drawers or in shoes to leave a fresh scent.

You can place loose potpourri in ashtrays in cars and in the fillings of soft toys.

Scent is also usually added to the dried flowers and can be sprayed on every few days to be absorbed into the flowers.

A fixative is necessary to absorb the scent, and the most often used is orrisroot.

Other types of fixative include calamus root, dry lavender, tonka bean and sandalwood bark.

There are also powdered fixatives, but these are usually used in sachets of potpourri.

Lavender is a popular addition to potpourri.

The powder will not look good on an open decorative arrangement and will not hold the scent as well as the chopped fixatives.

There are many different scents and oils that can be used in a potpourri arrangement.

If you have knowledge of aromatherapy, you can select different scents to create a mood or atmosphere in a room.

Always be sparing with essential oils, as they can smell quite strongly.

Eucalyptus leaves can be used in potpourri.

Always sprinkle tiny drops of the oil directly onto the chopped fixatives.

With powdered fixative, sprinkle the oil randomly and then mix it in.

The best scents to use are flower scents. These include rose, lavender, violet and carnations. Spices can also be used, including rosemary, cinnamon, sage, thyme and nutmeg.

For citrus scents, try lime, mandarin peel, lemon, dried orange and kumquat.

Mint is often used when making potpourri.

Leaves to use in your arrangement include mint, bayberry, cedar, eucalyptus, balsam and pine needles.

Fillers are used in potpourri to add bulk to the arrangement or when stuffing pillows.

Filler can be anything from small marbles to pine cones. You can also try using extra leaves, seashells or colored wood shavings.

With potpourri flowers, you should go for color rather than scent, as bright colors make the display more eye-catching.

Sunflower petals are good to use for an extra burst of color.

Rose petals are a common ingredient in potpourri.

It is easy to make your own potpourri. Simply collect all the flowers and filler and leave to dry for a few days in a well-ventilated area.

Placing absorbent paper under the mix will help absorb any moisture, but remove the paper after the first day.

The petals will be ready to use when they are crisp and dry. A potpourri arrangement makes an ideal gift and brightens up any room.

Wisegeek provides millions of readers with clear answers to common questions. It’s built for curious people of all ages, backgrounds, and areas of interest.

https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-potpourri.htm#

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DANGER OF THE OLEANDER - Though often grown as an ornamental, all parts of the plant contain poisonous cardiac glycoside toxins that interfere with the functioning of the heart if ingested. All parts of the oleander shrub are poisonous, from the nectar in the flowers to the stems, twigs and leaves. Water in a vase that has held oleander flowers is toxic, and honey produced by bees that have visited the shrub may also be toxic. Burning any part of the plant will result in smoke that can cause respiratory problems. The sap will often lead to skin rashes. Oleander poisoning can cause a range of symptoms, including but not limited to blurred vision, diarrhea, loss of appetite, stomach pain and nausea. People poisoned by an oleander may feel confused, dizzy or weak, with a slow or irregular heartbeat and a feeling of weakness. Extremities eventually become cold, and the person may tremble, collapse and fall into a coma. Death may follow. Toxins are especially dangerous for the very young and elderly.

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Danger of the Oleander

Michelle Wishhart

Oleander (Nerium oleander) is a flowering evergreen member of the dogbane family (Apocynaceae) that grows easily in sunny, well-drained sites in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 to 10.

Though often grown as an ornamental, all parts of the plant contain poisonous cardiac glycoside toxins that interfere with the functioning of the heart if ingested.

Call the National Poison Control Center immediately if you suspect poisoning in yourself or someone else.

Toxicity

All parts of the oleander shrub are poisonous, from the nectar in the flowers to the stems, twigs and leaves.

Water in a vase that has held oleander flowers is toxic, and honey produced by bees that have visited the shrub may also be toxic.

Burning any part of the plant will result in smoke that can cause respiratory problems.

The sap will often lead to skin rashes. Oleander has not been proven to cause allergies, though some people dislike the fragrance of the flowers.

Symptoms

Oleander poisoning can cause a range of symptoms, including but not limited to blurred vision, diarrhea, loss of appetite, stomach pain and nausea.

People poisoned by an oleander may feel confused, dizzy or weak, with a slow or irregular heartbeat and a feeling of weakness.

Extremities eventually become cold, and the person may tremble, collapse and fall into a coma. Death may follow.

Toxins are especially dangerous for the very young and elderly, according to the University of Nevada.

Pets

Curious pets may nibble on the plant, with potentially fatal consequences.

Symptoms of poisoning in a cat or dog resemble symptoms in humans and may include drooling, vomiting, abnormal heart rate, trembling and seizures, according to the Pet Poison Helpline.

If poisoning is suspected, the University of Nevada recommends calling a veterinarian immediately and keeping the pet as calm as possible to reduce stress on their heart.

The sooner your pet gets medical care, the better their chance of surviving.

Prevention

Oleanders in the home garden must be regarded with caution. Wear protective gloves and eyewear, as well as long sleeves and pants, when pruning or handling the shrub.

Never burn or mulch with oleander plant debris: dispose of it in a landfill.

The shrub may not be suitable for households with pets or children and should not be grown near vegetable gardens or livestock areas such as pastures and corrals.

Oleanders should be kept away from pathways and entryways where people could potentially brush up against it.

Michelle Wishhart is a writer based in Portland, Ore. She has been writing professionally since 2005, starting with her position as a staff arts writer for City on a Hill Press, an alternative weekly newspaper in Santa Cruz, Calif. An avid gardener, Wishhart worked as a Wholesale Nursery Grower at Encinal Nursery for two years. Wishhart holds a Bachelor of Arts in fine arts and English literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/danger-oleander-67061.html

PHYTOREMEDIATION - Cleaning the Soil with Flowers - All plants need some heavy metals in small amounts; iron, copper, and manganese are just a few of the heavy metals which are essential to plant function. Also, there are plants that can tolerate a high amount of metals in their system, even more than they need for normal growth, instead of exhibiting toxicity symptoms. Over 500 plant species are reported to have hyperaccumulation properties. Phytoremediation is popular in theory due to its low establishment cost and relative simplicity. Problems with the technology include the fact that plant roots cannot reach far enough into the soil core to accumulate some pollutants, and the disposal of the plants after hyperaccumulation has taken place. The plants cannot be plowed back into the soil, consumed by humans or animals, or put into a landfill.

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Phytoremediation

Cleaning the Soil with Flowers

by Shanon Trueman

According to the International Phytotechnology Society website, phytotechnology is defined as the science of using plants to solve environmental problems such as pollution, reforestation, biofuels, and landfilling.

Phytoremediation, a subcategory of phytotechnology, uses plants to absorb pollutants from soils or from water.

The pollutants involved can include heavy metals, defined as any elements considered as a metal that may cause pollution or an environmental problem, and that cannot be further degraded.

A high accumulation of heavy metals in a soil or water can be considered toxic to plants or animals.

Why Use Phytoremediation?

Other methodologies used to remediate soils polluted with heavy metals can cost $1 million US per acre, whereas phytoremediation was estimated to cost between 45 cents and $1.69 US per square foot, lowering the cost per acre to the tens of thousands of dollars.

How Does Phytoremediation Work?

Not every plant species can be used for phytoremediation.

A plant that is able to take up more metals than normal plants is called a hyperaccumulator.

Hyperaccumulators can absorb more heavy metals than is present in the soil in which they are growing.

All plants need some heavy metals in small amounts; iron, copper, and manganese are just a few of the heavy metals which are essential to plant function.

Also, there are plants that can tolerate a high amount of metals in their system, even more than they need for normal growth, instead of exhibiting toxicity symptoms.

For example, a species of Thlaspi has a protein called a "metal tolerance protein".

Zinc is heavily taken up by Thlaspi due to the activation of a systemic zinc deficiency response.

In other words, the metal tolerance protein tells the plant that it needs more zinc because it "needs more", even if it doesn't, so it takes more up!

Specialized metal transporters within a plant can assist in the uptake of heavy metals also.

The transporters, which are specific to the heavy metal to which it binds, are proteins which assist in the transport, detoxification, and sequestration of heavy metals within plants.

Microbes in the rhizosphere cling to the surface of plant roots, and some remediating microbes are able to break down organic materials such as petroleum and take heavy metals up and out of the soil.

This benefits the microbes as well as the plant, as the process can provide a template and a food source for microbes that can degrade organic pollutants.

The plants subsequently release root exudates, enzymes, and organic carbon for the microbes to feed upon.

History Of Phytoremediation

The "godfather" of phytoremediation and the study of hyperaccumulator plants may very well be R. R. Brooks of New Zealand.

One of the first papers involving an unusually high level of heavy metal uptake in plants in a polluted ecosystem was written by Reeves and Brooks in 1983.

They found that the concentration of lead in Thlaspi located in a mining area was easily the highest ever recorded for any flowering plant.

Professor Brooks' work on heavy metal hyperaccumulation by plants led to questions as to how this knowledge could be used to clean polluted soils.

The first article on phytoremediation was written by scientists at Rutgers University about the use of specially-selected and engineered metal-accumulating plants used to clean polluted soils.

In 1993, a United States patent was filed by a company called Phytotech. Titled "Phytoremediation of Metals," the patent disclosed a method to remove metal ions from soil using plants.

Several species of plants, including radish and mustard, were genetically engineered to express a protein called metallothionein.

The plant protein binds heavy metals and removes them so that plant toxicity does not occur.

Due to this technology, genetically engineered plants, including Arabidopsis, tobacco, canola, and rice have been modified to remediate areas contaminated with mercury.

External Factors Affecting Phytoremediation

The main factor affecting a plant's ability to hyperaccumulate heavy metals is age.

Young roots grow faster and take up nutrients at a higher rate than older roots, and age may also affect how the chemical contaminant moves throughout the plant.

Naturally, the microbial populations in the root area affect the uptake of metals.

Transpiration rates, due to sun/shade exposure and seasonal changes, can affect plant uptake of heavy metals as well.

Plant Species Used For Phytoremediation

Over 500 plant species are reported to have hyperaccumulation properties.

Natural hyperaccumulators include Iberis intermedia and Thlaspi spp.

Different plants accumulate different metals; for example, Brassica juncea accumulates copper, selenium, and nickel, whereas Arabidopsis halleri accumulates cadmium and Lemna gibba accumulates arsenic.

Plants used in engineered wetlands include sedges, rushes, reeds, and cattails because they are flood tolerant and are able to uptake pollutants. Genetically engineered plants, including Arabidopsis, tobacco, canola, and rice, have been modified to remediate areas contaminated with mercury.

How are plants tested for their hyperaccumulative abilities? 

Plant tissue cultures are used frequently in phytoremediation research, due to their ability to predict plant response and to save time and money.

Marketability Of Phytoremediation

Phytoremediation is popular in theory due to its low establishment cost and relative simplicity.

In the 1990's, there were several companies working with phytoremediation, including Phytotech, PhytoWorks, and Earthcare.

Other large companies such as Chevron and DuPont were also developing phytoremediation technologies.

However, little work has been performed recently by the companies, and several of the smaller companies have gone out of business.

Problems with the technology include the fact that plant roots cannot reach far enough into the soil core to accumulate some pollutants, and the disposal of the plants after hyperaccumulation has taken place.

The plants cannot be plowed back into the soil, consumed by humans or animals, or put into a landfill.

Dr. Brooks led pioneering work on the extraction of metals from hyperaccumulator plants. This process is called phytomining and involves the smelting of metals from the plants.

Shanon Trueman

Associate or adjunct professor of biology, botany, and microbiology (past and present) at New England schools including Quinnipiac University, Goodwin College, and Springfield Technical Community College, among others

Plant research analyst for Nerac and Earthgro for over 15 years

A published writer whose work has appeared in a number of scientific journals including for the University of Massachusettes, Amherst

Experience

Shanon Trueman is a former writer for ThoughtCo who developed articles covering topics of biology and botany over the course of five months. After graduate with a master's degree from Amherst, Shanon was the director of research quality assurance for Earthgro and an analyst for Nerac for over 14 years before she started teaching. Throughout her professional career, Sharon has published in multiple scientific journals and has held associate or adjunct professor positions at a number of New England colleges and Universities including Goodwin College, Manchester Community College, Springfield Technical Community College, and Quinnipiac University.

Education

Shanon received a master's degree in microbiology and plant pathology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a bachelor's degree in agronomy from the University of Connecticut.

Awards and Publications

"The Effect of Fungal Disease on Basil Plants" for UMass Amherst

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https://www.thoughtco.com/phytoremediation-cleaning-the-soil-with-flowers-419222