Thursday, September 2, 2010

There's Nothing Like A Cone On A Hot Day

















Perhaps you have bought Echinacea at the drug store to help a cold or boost your immune system. It is a big seller and found everywhere. But till now I didn't really know where it came from. These are the coneflowers around here, they have been everywhere, and they attract so many flying things. In these pictures I caught honey bees, carpenter bees, and skipper butterflies enjoying them. The proper name for the coneflower is echinacea. This is from the Greek word for hedgehog, because of the spiky bristles in the middle. Native Americans used it for snake bites, headaches,mumps,colds, you name it. Taking echinacea daily is supposed to reduce your chances of getting cold or flu. In the 1870's, a medicine salesman named H.C.F. Meyer sold a coneflower mixture as a cure for pain, disease, and snakebites. He became one of the first so-called snake oil salesmen. But it made the medical community take notice, and they found some truth to this plant extract claim. The rest is history. Here is the greatest healer of all time.


"Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain...and he healed them." Matthew 4:23

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Ginny, Yes, I thought when I saw the pictures that it was Cone Flower. I use the ground up root tincture when I have a upper respiratory infection - not medical advice - but it does seem like it helps me. Nice post!

What Karen Sees said...

How very interesting! Thank you for sharing. And you sure caught a variety of flying critters taking a rest on these beautiful coneflowers.

Reanaclaire said...

It is so beautiful, Ginny..

SquirrelQueen said...

Great photos Ginny, the bees and skippers love coneflowers as much as we do. I have taken Echinacea in the winter if I felt a cold coming on, it does seem to work. I didn't know it history however, thanks for the info.

Everything is fine over this way, I am just taking a little break and getting ready for the weekend.

Anonymous said...

Spectacular photos Ginny! We are noticing lots of bees and skippers on our sedums. Lots of activity on the flowers this time of the year. Beautiful verse you have shared too.

I wish you both a very lovely Labor Day weekend. Take care.

Remington said...

I love those flowers. Very interesting! Thanks for sharing!

From the Kitchen said...

The photos are great!! I've never seen an orange cone flower but, since autumn is on the way, I'm seeking out those colors in nature daily.

Best,
Bonnie

MadSnapper said...

the flowers are goregous, the visitors are wonderful, the info is super great. love the skippers, much more than the bees. i thought when i saw your title, that the bee thinks that is his ice cream cone. there are so many plants that are helpful and these are pretty to look at and good for us. i wonder if they are edible? and if that would work, you know like salad. some people eat hibiscus, my neighbor does. they also use the leaves off of our grapefruit tree in some of their potions and even cook with it. every plant in their yard has a purpose, she doesn't speak very good english, so when she pointed them out and said what she uses them for, i only got about half of it. one she uses for cold symptoms, but they are bushes not flowers like these.
I had to laugh, the word verification is
stormout.... and i know they want Earl out right now.

Ruth's Photo Blog said...

You had me thinking ice-cream,when I saw the title.These cones don't add inches to my hips,so I guess they are better.Beautiful pictures.We have quite a few Purple Coneflowers on our yard.Medications are good,but I agree the ultimate healing comes from God.Hope your day is super.
❤ Ruth

Karin said...

God is our Healer - and He looks after the whole person! He has left us an amazing pharmacy - for those who take an interest and learn from Him. Love those Echinacea plants! When I feel a cold coming on I immediately start the Echinacea for a 10 day treatment schedule. I have read somewhere - can't recall where - that it shouldn't used indefinitely but just therapeutically - for a certain length of time to help the immune system. Good stuff here Ginny! Thanks for those great photos - bees and bugs and butterflies 'n all!

srp said...

I love coneflowers and this summer the butterflies have too. And those bees... I saw one on ours that had been sipping nectar to the point he was too full to fly, just sat there for hours. I haven't yet learned the technique to keep them going longer and I think most of mine are spent for this year. I love all the different color variations they have.

Stephanie V said...

Beautiful photos. I love echinacea and you have found some gorgeous colors, too. We have a lavneder and echinacea farm here that sells a wonderful tea mixture that I like to drink when I have a cold. Not sure if it does any medical good but it is comforting.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Ginny, Thanks be to God for Jesus the HEALER... You have a great post --as usual.... When you first mentioned 'cones on a hot day'--I thought you were talking about a good ole' ice cream cone!!!!! ha (Seems like I am always thinking about food)....

Anyhow your coneflowers are pretty--all of them... And your article describing the healing aspects we sometimes get from flowers and other things... Neat!!!

Have a great weekend.
Hugs,
Betsy

photowannabe said...

Hi Ginny, I like how you weave your pictures and the scriptures together into such a meaningful post each day.
Thanks for the interesting information and the beautiful photos. I'm thankful for God being our healer.
I have to say I do like the other cone on a hot day too. Oerhaps too much!

Debbie Taillieu said...

Good Morning Ginny!
I used to grow these in my garden when I lived in Central Nevada and that is when I learned it was echinacea. I used to think how cool and would point it out to anyone who came over.
I am taking my echinacea pill now in preparation of my treatments that will start on the 13th.....maybe it will help! :)
May I ask what type of camera you use? I am in the market for a new one and I just love the way your pictures have turned out with all the little bees on the flowers!
Thank you for sharing!
Have a fabulous day!!
Debbie

Kilauea Poetry said...

These are some of the most beautiful captures I've seen in awhile!! Gorgeous with the sunny bees- your header is so lovely! What a nice little variety and activity! I've taken the stuff but enjoyed your background info as I tend to have to look stuff up again anyway- didn't know about that guy:)

Together We Save said...

Those flowers ar just beautiful!! Don't like the bees as much though!

Velvet Over Steel said...

Very interesting, & beautiful pictures of the flowers & the 'flying critters', Ginny!

Have a Wonderful LONG Weekend!
Hugs,
Coreen

Ann, Chen Jie Xue ι™ˆζ΄ι›ͺ said...

May be I should find some Echinacea seeds and grow them. Then you can tell me how to use them. I have been taking garlic and Echinacea . I think they work. when I am taking them, I don't get the flu. 3 times, I run out and I got lazy and not get some more, I catch a cold/flu.

I should contact wildlifewatcher for advice.

Fred Alton said...

A beautiful post about the Great Physician! By coincidence I've just finished my lesson on the Book of James for Sunday School this coming Sunday - and Chapter 5 talks about, "The prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord will raise him up and if he have committed any sins they shall be forgiven" Thanks for identifying the coneflower for me. ☺

Doris Sturm said...

What great photos! What an interesting post. I love learning something new each day.

I would rather use herbs and natural remedies instead of pharmaceuticals any day!

p.s.

(I know the previous post had 3 cats on the last mailbox, not 2)....

George said...

These are beautiful pictures of the cone flowers. I didn't realize there was a connection between them and echinacea. Thanks for the history lesson and interesting information.

DawnTreader said...

You will have seen these flowers at my blog too lately :) There are a lot of them in the park that I call my "butterfly park".

ruthi said...

this series of photos are so gorgeous. I love them Ginny. I am so jealous. There are some of these flowers in the garden where I work but I wasn't able to take photos of them because I was afraid that I might get so absorbed with photography and forget all about the kids I am taking care of... or worse my boss sees me and get me fired from my job. hayyyy

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