Plant "Dos and Don'ts" While Camping

There are two parts to this article. Part one is some practical advice on which herbs you might want to bring along when you’re camping. Part two is about some of the things that could harm you if you eat them, use them as firewood or as toasting forks.

Many of the herbal items I mention double as either food or cooking herbs and spices. There are two reasons for this. No one wants to haul more stuff with them than they might reasonably need. Also, these items are familiar, every day things, so you don’t necessarily have to go a special store to get them.

Aloe is an exception, but still very common. It may help with burns and some rashes, but do not ingest it. That would make for a *very* uncomfortable campout. Corn starch and baking soda are also useful for rashes, bug bites and stings.

There are over the counter preparations to help stop the itching of bug bites, and they usually use camphor or menthol. Be careful using these, and follow the instructions carefully. If the bite seems to get worse, it is possible that you are allergic to it. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never had a reaction before, that can change quickly. Stop using the product and contact your doctor.

Eating foods cooked with marjoram may be useful in avoiding bug bites. This herb seems to make perspiration to spicy for the insects, and they tend to go elsewhere. Garlic and cayenne might be helpful, as well. I usually start using these herbs more heavily a week before we plan to spend a lot of time outdoors, and then keep using it while we’re camping.

Peppermint is a great herb to bring along. It can help with a variety of problems. Peppermint may soothe an upset stomach, and the feelings that go along with over eating. It may help ease a sore throat and coughing. Mint candy or gum can be used for these purposes. A tea of it applied to a sore joint or bruise could help with some of the pain.

Here are a few plants to avoid when camping. Using toasting forks made from oleander or hemlock can kill in as little as an hour. The same goes for wood from the locust tree. If you don’t recognize the type of tree your stick came from, don’t use it. Even walnut, apple, cherry, plum and peach trees can cause poisoning if used as toasting forks. It’s not wise to burn hemlock or oleander, either, though the other trees should be ok.

A lot of people tell you that if you see animals eat a fruit, it’s safe for humans. That is not totally the case. Some animals do not have grinding teeth, and can eat berries that we can’t. A good example is the yew tree. It has a brightly colored berry that birds and some small animals devour. The seeds (which are deadly) pass straight through, and don’t cause poisoning. Once the seeds are ground, they take very little time to kill.

Another problem is mis recognition of a plant. If you see "wild celery," don’t eat it. It’s likely to be water hemlock. A great deal of care must be taken with wild mushrooms, as well. Some of them can cause liver damage severe enough to require a liver transplant if the victim is going to live.

Camping is a great deal of fun, and can be an inexpensive means of "getting away from it all." With due care, it can be healthy and safe, as well.

More information about herbs and their uses
This site offers more information about herbs, what they can do and precautions needed.