Great taste and cloth moth repellent in one

Who doesn’t know curry the yellow and strongly aromatic powder mainly used in Asian cuisine. You can get this spice in a powder form, but also fresh. All you have to do is buy a plant called Italian strawflower (Helichrysum italicum angustifolium). This name kind of suggests that we should search for the origin of this herb in Italy, but the plant that resembles a lavender or rosemary comes from India and is known as the curry plant, i.e. curry herb. It actually smells like curry – touch it and smell it. It gives off the most intense aroma when it is blooming or after rain.

Evergreen, elegant herb that repels cloth moths

The Latin name Helichrysum reveals a lot about this miracle. The name was formed by combining two Greek terms – helios, meaning the sun, and chrysos, meaning golden. It is a shrub that grows to a height of 60 to 90 cm and it is typical for its silvery stems and leaves and of course for its enjoyable and beautiful yellow flowers. That is why the shrub is also used as an elegant decorative plant and as anadded benefit, it also repels insects. Try it. All you need is put a flower in your pantry for example, and moths will not go there.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

Growing evergreen curry

Curry is an evergreen herb, and rightly so, because it can survive frosts down to minus 17 degree Celsius!But the optimal temperature for growing is between 5 and 10 degrees Celsius. We can see this plant in Turkey, Malaysia, possibly Mexico but other countries too. Thanks to its resilience and ability to overwinter it will last you for long time.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

It contains a plethora of beneficial substances

Italian strawflower contains essential oils, flavonoids, tannins, bitters, organic acids and alkaloids and glycosides. This herb is often put in baths or inhaled. So, how we can reap benefit? Well, it offers strong antioxidant properties, supports joint mobility, strengthens immunity and promotes digestion. It is also believed that it stimulates liver functions, treats stomach problems and speeds up healing of scars and hematomas.

Preview photo: Radek Štěpán