# Most Useful Plants?



## flyingpig (Jun 24, 2009)

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....


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## Guest (Jun 25, 2009)

Dandelions - greens-wine-balms and salves.


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## artisan soaps (Jun 25, 2009)

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## artisan soaps (Jun 25, 2009)

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## jmk7765 (Aug 15, 2009)

*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.


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## gekko62 (Aug 23, 2009)

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!


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