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Garden Gate:  Sweet Annie  |
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Aunt Robo
Farmgirl in Training
23 Posts
Robin
Louisville
KY
USA
23 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 16 2007 : 11:03:46 AM
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Hello! I am just an infant on this site but really enjoy it! Would any of you fine folks happen to know much about Sweet Annie? I live in Kentucky and would love to grow some but not sure if it will grow in this area. I understand it is very invasive so possibly grow it in a pot? Also I was wondering if anyone has ever bought it on line, already dried and ready to use in sachets or craft projects? Any other fragrant plants/herbs that you may suggest for this use? Thanking you so much in advance! Robin 
Life is short.....eat cookiedough! |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2007 : 12:07:59 PM
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I adore Sweet Annie!! I had a farmgirl (Bridge) send me some little seedlings last year to plant. They didn't make it through the winter, but re-seeded and I have little volunteer plants that are growing even better this year. I would love THIS to be invasive..the smell is heavenly. I buy it dried sometimes and use it in little embroidered sachets and in with homemade pottpouri too.
as for other fragrant plants..lemon verbena is wonderful and grows a big pretty plant...I love it! It dries well, is edible (great for herbal tea or tisane) and smells great too.
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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Carol Sue
True Blue Farmgirl
4033 Posts
Carol Sue
Washingtonian
USA
4033 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2007 : 12:34:39 PM
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Okay gals, what is sweet annie, I haven't heard of it before and you majorly have my curiosity. Carol Sue
Enjoying the moments. |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
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Bridge
True Blue Farmgirl
814 Posts
Bridgette
Southern
Indiana
USA
814 Posts |
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abbasgurl
True Blue Farmgirl
1262 Posts
Rhonda
USA
1262 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2007 : 6:23:09 PM
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Sweet Annie is a very fragrant annual artemisia. It starts as a small plant and can grow as large as a Christmas tree if you give it plenty of room. We used to grow enough to cover a five acre plot! It reseeds easily, but doesn't like to be moved after seedlings pop up. Here it is considered a weed and no nursery will sell it.
Sweet annie is used mainly in crafting, wreaths, sachets & such. The fronds are dark green with tiny yellow flowers that show up late in the summer. The flowers look like balls or tiny beads. Many people hang bundles of sweet annie to compliment their primitive or country decor. It's got a very attractive rustic look to it.
I am VERY sensitive to sweet annie, as are many people. Can't go anywhere near it. This is from years of being exposed to it while growing & crafting for our small herb business. I suggest wearing rubber gloves & a dust mask if you work with it in large amounts. Artemisias in general can be very toxic, espcially when burned and the smoke is inhaled. I have had some frightening experiences with plants in the wormwood (artemisia) family. Just stripping leaves from the stems has put me in respiratory distress.
I hate to put a damper on everyone's enthusiasm...and indeed would love to love sweet annie, as it was always a favorite of mine.  I just suggest caution when handling these plants, especially if you have any known plant allergy or sensitivity. I also suggest wearing gloves when handling plant material. You can overload your system, even with natural materials. I believe had I taken precautions from the beginning I would not have developed the issues I have now.
Bridge, I think Aunt Jenny was talking about a tea made from lemon verbena as opposed to sweet annie. I once heard a lecturer at an herb conference say never ingest or smoke any of the artemisias. I believe he said they can paralyze your respiratory system. So, no tea for you! 
Anyway...that's my .02
Rhonda
I'm a one girl revolution. |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
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Bridge
True Blue Farmgirl
814 Posts
Bridgette
Southern
Indiana
USA
814 Posts |
Posted - Jul 17 2007 : 11:38:01 AM
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I was speaking of the tea from the 1st link from wisegeek.
quote:
Sweet Annie is also sometimes administered in tea form, though the efficacy of this method is debatable. In addition to treating malaria, Sweet Annie has recently shown promise against certain types of cancer, notably breast cancer, prostate cancer, and leukemia.
In China, particularly Hubei Province, Sweet Annie is also marinated in rice vinegar and eaten as a salad-like delicacy. It is very prized and often costs more than meat.
I will research this further before brewing up a pot of tea.
I think that the flowers and tiny seeds may be what causes respritory issues with some folk. ( I have never had a problem, but I do wear a dust mask if I am working with lots of it) It does have a fine powder dust that goes all over when you are harvesting.
~~Bridge's Blog~~
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Edited by - Bridge on Jul 17 2007 11:38:53 AM |
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Aunt Robo
Farmgirl in Training
23 Posts
Robin
Louisville
KY
USA
23 Posts |
Posted - Jul 17 2007 : 7:42:18 PM
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Thank you ladies for the info. I had heard also about the fine mist powder associated with it. I was given a swap that was beautifully wrapped with the Sweet Annie tied to the package. It smelled heavenly and was so beautiful with that plain brown wrap. I have found a couple of sites that sell it so perhaps I should leave the growing to someone who knows how to handle it but it just seems so.....prim. Robin
Life is short.....eat cookiedough! |
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Miss Bee Haven
True Blue Farmgirl
4331 Posts
Janice
Louisville/Irvington
Kentucky
USA
4331 Posts |
Posted - Jul 18 2007 : 06:16:26 AM
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Hi, Robin! Yes, Sweet Annie grows here! It comes up each year from seed. I have a large one in a bucket that I weeded out of a daylily bed at my farm in Irvington. If my plans to do plumbing this Saturday at the farm work out, my dh and I could just come out Dixie Highway and make a quick right turn to Farnsley Moorman and meet you in the parking lot if you want it. Or we could drop it off anywhere else in that vicinity. The plant itself is in a large plastic pot. You could probably just leave it like that and let it seed itself if you wanted more next year. Just let me know. I may not be at work after today(planting 1,000 daylilies takes longer than I thought...:) ).
"If you think you've got it nailed down, then what's all that around it?" - 'Brother Dave' Gardner |
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Aunt Robo
Farmgirl in Training
23 Posts
Robin
Louisville
KY
USA
23 Posts |
Posted - Jul 19 2007 : 5:10:48 PM
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Hi Janice! What a sweet gesture! If it is not too much trouble you can drop it off at Farnsley at the community garden on the left. My husband has a large plot there. After turning going into Farnsley, turn left at the community garden and you can leave your pot beside plot marker #3. There are some begonias beside it too. If you are not able to get down this way I understand. I didn't see your post until late. I SURE appreciate the thought. I work downtown so if all else fails maybe we can meet up down there.I am working Saturday myself. Again, thank you and I look so forward to my own Sweet Annie plant! Sweet Annie from Sweet Janice! Robin
Life is short.....eat cookiedough! |
Edited by - Aunt Robo on Jul 21 2007 4:58:07 PM |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jul 19 2007 : 7:55:14 PM
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Oh how fun!! I love to hear things like this..arn't you sweet Janice..and now Robin can have her very own Sweet Annie..I love it!
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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Miss Bee Haven
True Blue Farmgirl
4331 Posts
Janice
Louisville/Irvington
Kentucky
USA
4331 Posts |
Posted - Jul 23 2007 : 07:59:46 AM
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Hi again, Robin. I didn't get your post until today. I don't have access over the weekend. I work downtown, too. But this plant is over four feet tall and kind of heavy from all the dirt. I can definitely drop it off on Sunday, the 29th. for sure, though. We won't be going to the farm on Saturday, because I have tickets to the Antiques Roadshow taping. Let me know if Sunday is ok. I can just follow your good directions and leave it next to his garden plot. I need to check on it tonight to make sure it didn't wilt over the weekend. I put the plastic pot in the bucket and then put water in the bucket to make sure it would have enough water. It should be fine.
"If you think you've got it nailed down, then what's all that around it?" - 'Brother Dave' Gardner |
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Aunt Robo
Farmgirl in Training
23 Posts
Robin
Louisville
KY
USA
23 Posts |
Posted - Jul 23 2007 : 7:07:51 PM
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Hi Janice - Listen gurl.....that sounds great but plezzzzz don't go to any trouble! If you are out this way that would be great, but I don't want you to go out of your way. I so appreciate your thoughtfullness! My husband has been checking "marker #3" but I knew you probably didn't get my post till after you had left work. Are you a member of the Daylilly Society? A lady down there talked to my husband about joining. I knew you were up to your armpits in day lillies and was just wondering. If you get busy or plans change, no big deal. Just know how much I appreciate your offer. The Roadshow taping sounds like a ball! We watch that too! Thank you Sweet Janice! Robin
Life is short.....eat cookiedough! |
Edited by - Aunt Robo on Jul 23 2007 7:11:17 PM |
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Miss Bee Haven
True Blue Farmgirl
4331 Posts
Janice
Louisville/Irvington
Kentucky
USA
4331 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2007 : 06:15:48 AM
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Hi, again, Robin! I almost drowned my poor Sweet Annie 'tree' by leaving it in the bucket with too much water. I'm hoping it will recover. It looked a little cheerier this morning. I took it out day before yesterday and just sat the pot in a partly sunny place in my driveway. I also have three small ones that look good in four inch pots. So on Sunday, on the way to the farm, I will definitely bring the whole 'Annie family' and leave them near your husband's garden plot. We joined the Indiana daylily society the day we bought the thousand plants from them. But we don't belong to one here in KY yet. We need to join. The trouble with summer is, we don't have time to do much but work! Where do you work downtown? I'm a secretary in the Behavioral/Social Sciences division of Jefferson Community College. My office is in the Seminary Building on the corner of First and Broadway. Maybe we could 'do lunch' someday. :)
"If you think you've got it nailed down, then what's all that around it?" - 'Brother Dave' Gardner |
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Aunt Robo
Farmgirl in Training
23 Posts
Robin
Louisville
KY
USA
23 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2007 : 6:46:24 PM
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Hi Janice...My dsl is down and I am on my husbands laptop which is about 1/2 the size screen I am used to so if words are mispelled you will know why! The plan sounds good to me. I will take all the lil babies you have. I am in a craft show in Nov and I would like to have some dried by that time. I love the smell!
I work at AT&T/Bellsouth at 534 Armory Pl. I would love to do lunch some time. I have walked to where you work on occasion during lunch time, when I am in my exercise mood, which aint often. (ha) Have fun at your show and I will circle back with you when I get the orphans. I will be so glad to get my pc back....I am so addicted! Have a good weekend! Robin
Life is short.....eat cookiedough! |
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Aunt Robo
Farmgirl in Training
23 Posts
Robin
Louisville
KY
USA
23 Posts |
Posted - Jul 29 2007 : 3:17:29 PM
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Hi Janice - Well I am the proud mother of some new baby orphan, Sweet Annie plants and I am thrilled! They already smell so good and I am going to cut some and dry some now. I told my husband, if he got pulled over by the police on the way home.....he would have some splainnnnnnnng to do. I am so happy to get them and again thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kindness! I don't know if you noticed my husbands tobacco plants but they are doing so good the tour guides from the house have been bring folks down to the community garden to see Kentucky tobacco. The day lilly society have their garden on the side opposite the garden. I love visiting there. We will have to meet up, sweet janice and again, your plants have made my weekend! Robin
Life is short.....eat cookiedough! |
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Miss Bee Haven
True Blue Farmgirl
4331 Posts
Janice
Louisville/Irvington
Kentucky
USA
4331 Posts |
Posted - Jul 30 2007 : 06:39:48 AM
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You're sure welcome, Robin. I hope you can doctor the one I nearly killed with kindness! And YES, my dh and I both LOVED you husband's garden plot. In fact, the entire Community Garden at Farnsley Moreman was amazing. Just like the house, the community garden area is a real hidden treasure.
"If you think you've got it nailed down, then what's all that around it?" - 'Brother Dave' Gardner |
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Garden Gate: Sweet Annie |
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Sweet Annie
