Chia - Crown Jewels
What little did I know?…
and when I entered the world of Chia.
I have just received a few seed packets from Baker Creek Heirlooms Seeds for my potager. I always want to know a little about the plant I’m going to grow, consequently I looked up my Chia - Crown Jewels and entered a new world, most fascinating. I landed in American history, health, ancient food and future ‘super’ food. Amazing, do you know... I’ve bought a miracle! Perhaps that is why they are called just Crown Jewels or it could be because the flower in its simplicity yet beauty look like a small crown with precious blue-purple stones in it.
Wikipedia Salvia columbariaeChia - Crown Jewels
(Salvia columbariae ) A different Salvia species with a long history, this heirloom Salvia was grown as a staple food crop by Native Americans years ago. It has a high nutrition value. In cultivation, it needs good drainage, sun and dry weather to grow to its fullest potential. Called Chia in Mexico and other Central American countries, it is also a special ornamental plant with decorative grey-green leaves and pretty colourful light purplish blue flowers.
Chia as Health Food
Chia seeds are now a popular natural health product. William Anderson writes about it
Chia seeds are now a popular natural health product. William Anderson writes about it
- The Ancient Food of the Future Chia Seed. Do read this most fascinating article.
“Another unique quality if the Chia seed is its high oil content, and the richest vegetables source for the essential omega-3 fatty acid. It has approximately three to ten times the oil concentrations of most grains and one and a half to two times the protein concentrations of other grains. Read more ”
“Another unique quality if the Chia seed is its high oil content, and the richest vegetables source for the essential omega-3 fatty acid. It has approximately three to ten times the oil concentrations of most grains and one and a half to two times the protein concentrations of other grains. Read more ”
This amazing picture is from EOL Encyclopedia of Life.
The beautiful seeds of Salvia columbariae.
Interesting? Want to try it out?
Here you can buy Chia seeds and a lot of other interesting food.
Anthropology – about Chia Salvia columbariae
NCBI* Writes about the Chia seeds, how it has been used as food and continues to be used as such, how you can still buy the seeds in stores. Read the interesting story about the Chumash messenger who ran 30 km or perhaps more in a day to deliver messages between the villages. Consuming Chia seeds to maintain the energy right through the run. Read more about the Chumash and Chia “ How the plant was used to ‘wake the dead’ is unknown. However, it may have been the root that was used. Probably the people who were treated with this plant had suffered from strokes or heart attacks and appeared to be nearly dead.” NCBI
Anthropology – about Chia Salvia columbariae
NCBI* Writes about the Chia seeds, how it has been used as food and continues to be used as such, how you can still buy the seeds in stores. Read the interesting story about the Chumash messenger who ran 30 km or perhaps more in a day to deliver messages between the villages. Consuming Chia seeds to maintain the energy right through the run. Read more about the Chumash and Chia “ How the plant was used to ‘wake the dead’ is unknown. However, it may have been the root that was used. Probably the people who were treated with this plant had suffered from strokes or heart attacks and appeared to be nearly dead.” NCBI
Books about Chia (Salvia columbariae)
Another book that awoke my curiosity as I browsed the net was this +300 pages book
Common Sage Salvia officinalis in my potager.
That's All Folks!
It is Blooming Friday at Katarinas place
I wish you all a great weekend/ Tyra
*NCBI - National Center for Biotechnology Information
28 comments:
It's very interesting!!
Happy Blooming Friday...Luna
Fascinating post Tyra!! Lovely photos! I am curious about the waking of the dead aspect of Chia... will have to do further research on this! ;>)) Carol
Vad intressant. Den kanske kan komma in till min trädgård. Hm.. Ha en riktigt fin helg/Gela
Intressant läsning! Det verkar vara finfina frön du fått tag på. Ha en god helg.
Även jag tycker att det är roligt när man får läsa lite mer om en växt. Salvior är mina favvon och jag tycker att du saknar en salvia i dina "samlingar" som jag har...
Maila mig om du är intresserad av att veta mer..../Anja
Anja va spännande!...
Jag har bara en salvia i min " samling ", stäppsalvia. Hoppas mycket på den....Kram
Inte visste jag detta men salvia har jag faktiskt - finfina bilder och underbar blomfärg :)
Vilken härlig form den salvian har.. mycket vacker.. =). Sen blev jag nyfiken på vad Anja har.. hmm.. Hoppas du får en ny fantastisk variant.. ha en skön helg..Moa
Hej Tyra,
Salvia är ett trevligt släkte. Skulle också väldigt gärna vilja läsa boken du skriver om. Om det blir några fröer får du lova att spara ett åt mig till nästa år.
Har du sett att Claus Dalby skrivit en kommentar hos mig efter att ha hittat min blogg på din sida? Mäkta stolt är jag!
/Ruben - your favourite blogger
Alltid roligt att lära sig mer.
"The New Book of Salvias" finns på Adlibris.se för 160 kronor.
/Ruben
Ååååå, här får man lära sig! Det är alltid så lärorikt att titta in hos dig.
En skön helg önskar Eva Linnea
Kul! Massa med ny kunskap.
Är dålig på det där med salvia men har en planta från Anja, en med stora ganska mörkt blå blommor, som jag försöker hålla liv i. Den står under belysning i källaren.
Trevlig helg
Birgitta
I had never even heard of this plant before -- it sounds fascinating.
Så intressant! Nya upptäckter om växternas hälsoeffekter ger odlandet ytterligare en dimension. Utöver den rent dekorativa - för blomman ser onekligen tjusig ut!
Det är ju ett riktigt bra pris Ruben, jag tror jag slår till :-)
Salvia..spännande! Gillar när växter är något mer än 'bara vackra'! Ha en fin helg//Eva
Salvia i alla former har så vackra blomster, den vanliga kryddplantan smakar ju dessutom underbart i köttfärssåsen :)
That was very interesting! I have a Bakers Creek catalogue, don't you just love that one?!!! I need to get busy ordering now!
Ulrike
Very interesting post. That Salvia is new to me. I like the shape of the flower head. I would never have guessed it was a food plant.
Hej Tyra!
Tack för titt hos mig.
Lycka till med dina salviafrön, ser väldigt vacker ut.
Inger
That looks like an ornament! I've only seen the simpler looking salvias!:) Fascinating post...and the seeds are so pretty.
Flott innlegg :)
Ja nå er det tid for å så :)
Hi Tyra,
Very nice blog and lovely photos too. Where do you get the seed from especially the ornamental cabbage?
Are you able to harvest the seeds from the crown jewels? I am interested in doing this for home use. Do you have more info about how I can try this? Thanks so much,
Kristen
This is a very interesting plant indeed. I love reading everything I can about it.
Chia Seeds
I grew Chia Crown Jewels for the first time last year and was very happy with the plant. I live in Kentucky, and the plant does very well here, even in hot, dry conditions. I am planning on growing Chia Crown Jewels again this year. Many different kinds of pollinators like this plant. I paired it with Purple Opal Basil and Anise Hyssop in a large container on my patio, and the combination of colors was beautiful!
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