R. Sharp

Phylum: Asteraceae

Scientific name: Echinacea purpurea

Common name: Echinacea

Good plant

The Echinacea plant was first used by the Native American Indians. It is found in the United States and Canada. It is a daisy like flower with a rich purple hue. It grows to be two to three feet tall. It is prepared by simply infusing the leaves, stems, flowers and roots in hot water. It can be used to treat the common cold, influenza outbreaks, and mild to moderate infections. It can also be used to supplement treatment of cancer and syphills. It is very well known to boost your immune system. It is made available in the form of capsules, creams/sprays, or herbal tea.

Since studies on Echinacea have not been completed, it should be used with caution and never without guidance from a medical practitioner. It is now being studied to see if it helps those suffering from AIDS. Studies have shown that Echinacea increases the number of white blood cells. In certain European countries, it is said to be already used in the treatment of cancer by giving it to patients as an IV supplemental treatment. In Germany, it is an approved medication used for the treatment of upper respiratory infections, but it is restricted to only eight weeks at a time. Echinacea is one of the best-selling herbal products in the United States.

Phylum: Solanaceae

Scientific name: Solanaceae nigrum

Common name: Black Nightshade

Bad plant

The Black Nightshade plant is a flowering plant that has five white petals. They were first introduced from Europe. They sometimes have a yellow inner star. It has triangular stems, and the leaves are thin-textured. The grow in open woods, old fields, waste areas, pastures, along roadsides, and around farm buildings. The berry fruit on the plant is green when immature and purplish-black when ripe. It grows to be one to two feet tall. The major toxin in the black nightshade is "solanine."

Call Poison Control when someone has eaten the plant. When your central nervous system gets poisoned by this plant, the signs are; depression, difficulty breathing, weakness, convulsions, and possible death. The toxic risk is higher if the plant is included in processed feeds. Normally, only curious or bored pets are at risk to eat the black nightshade. Animals normally know to stay far away from it. Animals rarely consume enough to cause a serious poisoning. It may be contaminant in hay, but still cause toxicity. The unripe berries are more serious than ripe berries. Children have been known to die from eating the unripe berries. The most important species in Ohio are Eastern Black nightshade, Bittersweet nightshade, and Horsenettle. Black nightshades are also known as the "deadly nightshade."

Works Cited

"Black Nightshade « Forager's Harvest." Forager's Harvest. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. .

"Echinacea Tea Benefits." Tea Benefits. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. .

Quality Dating Personals, Hot Adult Personals, Chinese Personals, Sport Personals, and More! Web. 13 Feb. 2012. .

"Taking Echinacea to Treat Colds: Benefits & Side Effects." WebMD - Better Information. Better Health. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. .

W.Schuster

Bad Plant: Red Baneberry

Red baneberries are part of the Anthophyta phylum and are a member of the buttercup family. They are commonly called red baneberries but their scientific name is Actaea rubra. These plants are generally found in cool, moist, nutrient filled soil. A red baneberry plant is deciduous. They fruits are showing and are poisonous,there are usually 4-10 cream colored pedals, and the seeds are a light brown color. All parts of this plant are poisonous, but the roots are the most. If this plant is eaten, it will usually attack the nervous system over time. But shortly after eaten, a person will have burning of the mouth and throat, salvation, severe stomach aches, headaches, diarrhea, dizziness, and hallucinations. Many children in Europe have died from eating the berries of this plant. If the juice from the berries comes in contact with human skin, then it will cause blistering. But oddly, some birds and small animals can eat the berries and not be harmed them. When growing, they grow upward in big clusters. They grow next to white baneberries and are usually grouped together, even though they are different. When the berries are fully grown, they are red, but when they aren't fully grown they can be white or pink. Some people call them "doll's eyes" for obvious reasons, they look like the eyes that are in children's dolls. These plants were used by Native Americans for medicinal purposes until they realized they were harmful, which is how we know to be careful with them now.

Good Plant: Wild Strawbery

Wild starwberries are also a part of the Anthophyta phylum. The name wild strawberry is not the plants original name, they are scientifically called Fragarla vescas. Being a member of the rose family, they are very close to Blackberries and Raspberries.These plants are generally found in moist, fertile, well drained areas in the sun. They are very common plants in Illinois. It is very common for wild strawberries to be grown in someone's backyard. This is because they have bright color which adds to a garden. Also they are very easy to grow and they do not send out runners. The only bad thing about growing them in your garden may be that the bear fruits and must be picked every day. They bloom in early spring and continues through fall. Habitats for many plants are different, this particalar plant likes meadows and woodlands. They are grown in containers, hanging baskets, berry patches, and edging in gardens. Usually, they are about 9 inches tall and spread about 9 inches from the roots. Once fully grown, the leaves are dark green, the flowers have 5 white pedals, and the seeds are dark brown. The flowers of these plants attract many birds and insects. These plants have many different uses which includes medicines to treat liver disease and help diabetes, juices and teas, berries to eat, and cosmetically used to lighten freckles and whiten teeth. These plants are useful and have been dated back to the Stone Age. There has actually been a movie name Wild Strawberries after them which was produced in 1957. Wild strawberries are very common in many places and well known as well.

Works Cited:

"Wild Strawberry Health Benefits of Wild Strawberry." Plants Medical Plants Medicinal Plants Medicinal Herbs. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. http://www.liveandfeel.com/medicinalplants/wild_strawberry.html.

"Wild Strawberry (Fragaria Virginiana)." Illinois Wildflowers. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/wld_strawberryx.htm.

"Facts on Wild Strawberry Plants Which Fruit Tree." Find Fruit Trees for Sale and Buy Fruit Trees Online WhichFruitTree.com. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. http://www.whichfruittree.com/strawberries/.

"Actaea Rubra, Red Baneberry." Rook.Org Home Page. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. http://www.rook.org/earl/bwca/nature/herbs/actaearubra.html.

Guides, Step. "Actaea Rubra (Red Baneberry) NPIN." Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ACRU2.

"Wild Strawberries." Flower Garden Gardening Tips Garden Design and More... Web. 13 Feb. 2012. http://garden.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Wild_Strawberries.

z.mullins

For my project and am going to start with the good plant I have researched. It belongs in the phylum Anthophyla. Its formal name is Aloe Vera, commonly known as Aloe. This plant is found through land that is subtropical and tropical areas as in South America, Latin America, and in the Caribbean’s. Some background info on Aloe Vera is that there is 250 species of aloe. They are all members of the lily family. Aloe contains 99% water. And has the consistency of gel. The reason Aloe is very popular is it contains Glycoproteins and Polysaccharides which help speed up the healing process by stopping pain and inflammation. Polysaccharide stimulates skin growth by 8% repair. You can get aloe in many different forms and it has many different uses like if you have a burns, wounds, skin irritations. you can just break off a leaf and use the gel found in side and apply it to the surface where the problem is. You can also get the gel in a bottle at the store but as we all know there’s nothing like the real thing. Aloe is also present in a capsule. The weird thing is you can use aloe for constipation. You can make a drink or just take the pill to help you. All though today oral use is not recommended, in the 18th century and 19th century it was the most prescribed medicine. But still remains the country’s most used herb.

For my bad plant, Its scientific name is Nepenthes Attenborough. But it is most commonly known as the pitcher plant. There is around 600 different species. This plant is only found in the Philippians. It was first found more then 5,000ft above sea level on Mount Victoria. Believe it or not this plant is a carnivore; and it is the largest known. It feeds on rats and insects. It contains a nectar like substance that lures its meals into a pool of enzymes and acid. Around the bowl the plant has sticky downward ribs that make it impossible for the victims to crawl out of the bowl. The plants bowl ring is 30 centimeter in diameter. It tends to grow in nitrogen deficient environment, it gets its energy from decaying victims. This plant has been described back in the times of Linnaeus. But then they only ate spiders and small insects. Its most common name was named after a famous naturalist and tv personality sir David Attenborough. This is a very neat plant. It is breaking barriers, plants are not suppose to be a carnivore.

Nepenthes, Tropical Pitcher Plant Care, Carnivorous Plants." Redirect. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. http://mysite.verizon.net/elgecko1989/Nepenthes.html.

"Nepenthes, Pitcher Plant Growing." Botanique, Carnivorous Plants, Orchids, Wildflowers, Native Plants, Pitcher Plant, Flytrap. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. http://www.pitcherplant.com/care_sheets/nepenthes_care.html.

Hensely, Josh D. "Aloe Vera." Web.

J Burton

My good plant that I chose is the Clove tree. They belong to
the Anthophyta phylum, and its scientific name is Syzygium aromaticum, and its genus is Eugenia. They are found in
the Maluku islands in Indonesia. They are used as spices in dishes found all
around the world. It can be anywhere from 26-65 feet tall. Its needs rich soil
and a hot climate to grow properly. If
it tries to grow in an area with standing water, it can’t grow well. The Cloves
are reddish brown in color. They are harvested when the tree is 6 to 8 years
old, and they can only be hand-picked. The pest the stem borer bothers them. If they
dig into the plant, they can dry it out. The bark is a greyish color. It is
said to have a delicious taste, and in history it was used as a form of
medicine which is why it’s good. The
leaves are dark green, with an oval shape. The leaves are glossy.
McGuire, Greg. "Clove Tree Facts EHow.com." EHow
How to Videos, Articles & More - Discover the Expert in You. EHow.com.
Web. 13 Feb. 2012. .

The plant I chose for my bad plant is the Desert Rose. It belongs to the tracheophyte phylum, and
its name is Adenium obesum and is
commonly found in Africa and Arabia. It
can be 6-12 feet tall, with a greyish color trunk. It has a flower that sprouts and it’s a pinkish
color. These flowers grow on short branches. They grow well which is why they
are used commonly for house plants, but they need plenty of sunlight to grow. Branching
can be induced by pinching tips which can make them easier to control in your
home. Their trunks expand when filled with water, and pests don’t bother them. The
negative about this plant is that all parts of it are poisonous, but are more
poisonous to pets. The sap of the plant is extremely poisonous. The natives of these countries often times
use the sap to create poison tip arrows. This makes the Desert Rose a bad
plant.
“Desert Rose, Adenium Obesum." Master Gardener -
Tropical Plants Library Online. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. .

N.Covault

White snakeroot is in the Anthophyta family. The scientific name is Ageratina altissima. This is my harmful plant. White snakeroot is found in woods of all types and along streams in wooded pastures throughout the Midwest. It persists after woods are cut, and often may be found many years after the land has been cleared, although usually in such areas it occurs only as scattered unthrifty plants. In prairie regions, it is not often found except in the woods bordering streams. An animal may die from eating either a large amount of white snakeroot at one time or small amounts over a long period. The eating of small quantities more or less continuously gives rise to the animal disease known as trembles. It is also the cause of the well-known and much-feared milk sickness of man -- a disease that is contracted from drinking milk or eating milk products from poisoned cows. Milk sickness claimed thousands of lives in the early 1800s, perhaps the most well-known victim being Abraham Lincoln's mother. Nursing calves and lambs may die from their mothers' milk contaminated with snakeroot even though the mother animals show no signs of poisoning. Cattle, horses, and sheep are the animals most often poisoned. Although animals that have fed on white snakeroot may belistless and somewhat inactive at first, the first noticeable manifestations of poisoning are loss of weight and trembling following exercise. Trembling is especially marked in the muzzle and legs. As poisoning progresses, cattle lose appetite, become constipated, lose weight, and gradually become weaker until they are not able to stand. Additional signs may include a peculiar odor to the breath and urine, excessive salivation, and quickened, difficult breathing. Later, complete relaxation without tremors and coma are seen, with deathfollowing in 2-10 day Leaves and stems of white snakeroot plants contain tremetol, which is extremely poisonous. The plant is unpalatable to animals, but they will consume it if other forage is scarce.

Bawang is my helpful plant. Bawang is known as "garlic", it mainly reduces cholesterol in the blood and helps control blood pressure. Bawang or Garlic with scientific name Allium Sativum, is a low herb, which only grows up to sixty centimeters high. Its leaves are flat and linear, with bulbs . This herb is one of the most widely used herbal medicines s and can also be found commonly in the kitchen of households as it is used to spice up food preparations. Its medicinal properties have been known for a long time and have been especially proven during World War II when it was used to treat wounds and infections of soldiers. Garlic’s antibacterial known as allicin, saved many lives of the soldiers as this property prevented the wounds from being infected and developing into gangrene at a later stage by extracting the juice of bawang or garlic and applying to the wounds. Bawang, sometimes spelled as bauang or in English, garlic is known as nature's antibiotic. Its juices inhibit the growth of fungi and viruses thus, prevent viral, yeast, and infections. The preliminary test conducted on this medicinal herb showed some positive results in the treatment of AIDS. Several clinical tests that followed and published studies have shown the efficacy of garlic in lowering cholesterol in the blood and is beneficial to the circulatory system of the body. Today, as more research is done on garlic, more medicinal and therapeutic properties become more evident. As of the present time, lowering of the blood pressure, reduction of platelet aggregation, and the boosting of fibrinolytic activities are among the list of herbal functions of garlic, which is supported by medical findings. Although more clinical studies are needed to support the contention stronger, marked improvements in benign breast diseases have been traced to make progress because of the regular intake of supplements, of which the primary ingredient is garlic. Although controlled trials in terms of anti-cancer activities of garlic have been performed in medical research, it has been proven through population-based studies that substances contain in garlic help in reducing the risk of some types of cancer. Some helpful benefits are Good for the heart, Helps lower bad cholesterol levels (LDL), Aids in lowering blood pressure, Boosts immune system to fight infection, Cough and cold remedy, and relives sore throat.

Mendham, Trevor. "Garlic Health Benefits." Garlic Central. Jan.-Feb. 2003. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. http://www.garlic-central.com/garlic-health.html.

White Snakeroot (Ageratina Altissima)." Illinois Wildflowers. Ed. John Hilty. Fall 2002. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/woodland/plants/wh_snakeroot.htm.

"White Snakeroot Toxic to Animals Veterinary Medicine Library at U of Illinois." University Library at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Summer 2002. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. http://www.library.illinois.edu/vex/toxic/snkroot/wksroot.htm.

T.Pancake

This is also known as the Devils walking stick. this plant has spikes all around its buttom. this plant can be almost 10ft tall!. this is found around Water and damp places. it mostly appears in Alaska Canada Oregon and Idaho this plant can be used to keep people and Critters out of places, the Berry's at the top are posinones, and can be use to Treat lice. and leaves hair looking shiny. the phylum is anthophyta the genius name for the plant is oplopanax.then the species name for the plant is O.horridus. this would be a bad plant.

this is known as konjak, konjaku, voodoo lily, snake palm, or elephant yam. this plant has been used in japan and china for over 2000years. things they do with the plant are taking and peeling the roots,boiling them, smashing the roots, then it is mixed with dissolved limestone to coagulate. this will help you lose and maintain a healthy wait because the root can absorb and hold up to 100times its body weight in water. this will also help keep blood sugar levels normal. the phylum this plant belongs to is called cyadophyta. the scientific name is amorphopahllus the species name for this plant is A. konjak. this would be a good plant.

"Devil's Club." Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. www.nativeplantsociety.org/devilsclub.htm>.

"Konjac Root Fiber Health Benefits - Article - IHealthTube.com." Your Source for Natural Health Videos - IHealthTube.com. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. www.ihealthtube.com/aspx/article.aspx?id=3313>.

"Top 10 Devil’s Plants Alternative Energy Solutions." Energy Solutions. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. .

M.McKee

The bad plant that I have chosen is poison sumac. It is part of the phylum anthrophyta. Its genus and species name is Toxicodendron vernix. This plant is very bad. It only takes 1 nanogram of oil from this plant to cause a rash, and the average human get 100 nanograms of oil every time they come in contact with the plant. The only place where this plant can be found is in wetland areas and areas with flooded soil. Some facts are that it is really woody and it actually grows into a tree instead of a small plant or shrub like poison ivy and poison oak. The poison sumac tree can actually grow to be 30 feet tall. According to some people, poison sumac is the most dangerous plant in the United States. Poison sumac causes huge boils filled with the oil and pus that can spread easily if you break them open. If you try to get rid of the plant and burn it, the oil can then be inhaled and it will caused bleeding in your lungs and you will die immediately. All parts of the plant are poisonous, including the bark.

The good plant that I chose is a sugar maple tree. It is also part of the phylum anthrophyta. It has a genus and species name of Acer saccharum. By far, this is definitely a good plant seeing as how we get most of our syrup and other things from it. It is located in northeastern North America, Georgia, and Texas. It is part of the deciduous tree family. When it seeds, it has a double samara which is two of the helicopter things combined at the seed. One of the most shade tolerant trees in the world. Shade tolerant is when it can just grow out of a little bit of sunlight. The tree can grow in any type of soil except for sand, unless the sand is moist and it has dirt mixed with it. The sugar maple is part of something called hydraulic lift. Hydraulic lift is when the plants roots pull water from way down below and pull it up and disperse it closer to the top of the soil for other plants to use and grow. Acid rain and soil acidification kill the sugar maple more than anything else. The Norway maple is taking over because it is a more urban tree because the salt that is spread out in the winter also hurt the tree a lot. The wood that we get from it are used to make the following: bowling alley lanes, NBA basketball courts, baseball bats, musical instruments such as violins, and pool cues.

"Poison Sumac (Toxicodendron Vernix)." Home Duke University. 12 Feb. 2009.

Web. 13 Feb. 2012. www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/tove.html