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According to our neighbor, who is in a panic, we have Cowitch growing in our backyard and down our fence line. It is a strong vine and if it flowers, usually in the summer, it has beautiful orange trumpet flowers on it. She is insisting that we remove it because, in her words, "it's deadly to children." She's lately suggested that she will go to the city over it, too.
What is Cowitch and what does it do besides take over my fence?
I looked it up. It's an interesting plant and somewhat useful. I don't think the Local Authorities will care, but you may not want this stuff taking off on you. If it were me I would get rid of it if you have kids or if the neighbopr has kids.
In many parts of the world Mucuna pruriens is used as an important forage, fallow and green manure crop.[6] Since the plant is in the legume family (peas and beans), it, with the help of nitrogen fixing bacteria, takes nitrogen gas from the air and combines it with other chemical compounds producing fertilizer and improving the soil.
Mucuna pruriens is a widespread fodder plant in the tropics. To that end, the whole plant is fed to animals as silage, dried hay or dried seeds. Mucuna pruriens silage contains 11-23% crude protein, 35-40% crude fiber, and the dried beans 20-35% crude protein.
Mucuna pruriens is sometimes used as a coffee substitute called "Nescafe" (not to be confused with the commercial brand). Cooked fresh shoots or beans can also be eaten. This requires that they be soaked from at least 30 minutes to 48 hours in advance of cooking, or the water changed up to several times during cooking, since otherwise the plant can be toxic to humans. The above described process leaches out chemical compounds such as levodopa, making the product suitable for consumption. If consumed in large quantities as food, unprocessed Mucuna pruriens is toxic to nonruminant mammals including humans.
In history, M. pruriens has been used as an effective aphrodisiac.[7][8] It is still used to increase libido in both men and women due to its dopamine inducing properties. Dopamine has a profound influence on sexual function.[9][10] A typical dose for a man is 15 g of ground seeds mixed with cow's milk.[1]
Mucuna pruriens seeds have also been found to have antidepressant properties in cases of depressive neurosis when consumed.[11]
Dried leaves of Mucuna pruriens are sometimes smoked.[1]
Mucuna pruriens has also recently become popular among lucid dreaming enthusiasts: when combined with other supplements that stimulate the cholinergic system, the dopamine presumably produced from the consumption of Mucuna pruriens confers upon the lucid dreamer greater motivation and confidence.[citation needed]
The hairs lining the seed pods contain 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) which causes severe itching (pruritus).[12][13] The hairs on the outside of the pods of Mucuna pruriens are a common ingredient in itching powder.[14] Use of "Mucuna pruriens" is documented in Siddha medicine for a number of uses, including improving sexual function[15] Mucuna pruriens is used in the countries of Benin and Vietnam as a biological control for problematic Imperata cylindrica grass.[6] Mucuna pruriens is said to not be invasive outside its cultivated area.[6]
Yea well so is oleander, snake plant, castor bean, loco weed and whole bunch of other stuff. I would just ignore her.
I had one crazy woman want to cut down a 50 year old walnut tree because her kid might swallow a walnut.
Wow! Thanks for the information. I looked it up as well but didn't find all of that info....I must of have had just a bit of time when I did. My son is the only kid in the neighborhood. She is elderly. I'm half tempted to ignore her, although they make sure they are around often. Just this past weekend the guy decided he need to re-mow our yard....my husband already had but he wanted to do it again.
So how do we get rid of the cowitch? Everything we have tried, makes it flourish. Thanks!
I would politely ask him not to forget to pull those weeds and wash the car as well, oh and how about getting rid of that plant your wife hates too!Quote:
Originally Posted by flower
I have to remind myself to be patient with neighbors like that. Hopefully it won't get any harder to get along. Overly friendly neighbors can actually be a bigger hinderance.
Removing this plant is going to be tricky because of the itchy rash scenario. If you can't get the neighbors to do it, I would try "round up" or an equivelant non selective herbicide, being careful to avoid any overspray, especailly on your neighbors side. If that is not feasible carfully prune the vine or shrub down to the stump and pull it out with what ever you have, tractor, truck, shovel or horse.
Omg, don't people just drive you crazy sometimes??Quote:
Originally Posted by jimbrown
I'm assuming your neighbors are retired, flower. I find that neighbors with time on their hands can often be more meddlesome because they don't have enough to do.
He is retired; she is not. But they are older. I do they think are bored quite a bit. My husband is thinking about letting him mow our lawn all of the time to give the guy something to do. But, then my son wouldn't have a way to earn money. I guess the neighbor guy mowed our lawn for the people who lived her before us.
Get rid of it! It itches bad bad bad.
This is why I am glad I am in the sticks with plenty of space between me and my neighbors. I have lived in places that the neighbor would practically move in if you didn't watch them.
If it has not been a problem yet, I don't think it would be as long as your son is aware that he should not eat it or touch it. I can't stand when your neighbors are in your business all the time. We used to have an elderly woman who lived next door that insisted we had built a fence on her property. She was quite disappointed when the surveyors she hired told her otherwise.