Most Useful Plants?

[flyingpig]

Got a question that I've posted on other forums, to herbalists, occultists, and more mainstream scientific types as well:

What would you say are the most useful plants throughout the history of civilization? I'm not including lumber. I mean the plants that give us fiber, medicine, food, that kind of thing....some of my nominees would be:

Linen: fiber, food, medicine, wood finishes
Palm: fiber, food, medicine, building materials (wicker)
Bamboo: food, building material
Banana: perfect food
Trees of all kinds, especially the conifers
Hemp: medicine, fiber, food, and um, recreation
Aloes: medicine, food

What about the herbs? Which would you say have been the most useful?

Something to think about....

 

[Guest]

Dandelions - greens-wine-balms and salves.

 

[artisan soaps]

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[artisan soaps]

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[jmk7765]

Add Yucca to the list

Native American Indians used all parts of this useful plant! I believe it can be useful in soaps and shampoos also. I'll look it up tonight and post tomorrow.

 

[gekko62]

Grains!! Staying in one place to grow crops was how civilisation kicked off...have even heard a theory that they stopped to grow grain because when it's fermented.........you get beer!! So,beer was what got us 'civilised'! Luv it!