Jamunji

Yea dude, I'd love some!

Yep, glaukus it's happened and after weeks many shot themselves for the pain.

nice, and got that last bit wrong. They are pioneer plants and often regrow in sunny places where rainforest has been cleared like roads and walking tracks, making them an extra hazard for bushwalkers. Doing this they provide shade for the rest of the rainforest to build itself back up.

Oh, And the ones from around here should grow as far south as vic as long as they have shade and lots of water. However, might be killed by frost as they don't get frost on the rainforest floor where they grow.

HolographicYou: Il try and get you some seeds the next time im in the forest around fruiting time, have fun with the sting.I find that the people that hear about the pain and think "that sounds like a lot of fun" really enjoy it, but in reality its total torture ) THey are really, extremely nasty, especially when someone unwittingly bumps the trunk and a rain of super fine stinging needles drops down on them from above....... funnily enough many I've met people don't know about this tree. To the ones who have come across it by surprise...they never forget.

Hi guys, I know this is a really old thread, but havent found much good info on good bits stinging tree and think it should be out there. Its awesome. I have been stung twice, the last time I enjoyed it so much that at the end of the day i was wishing I had used more. It was used by the aboriginals as an excellent and often permanent remedy for rheumatic/arthritic stuff---like nettle only much stronger,very cool but blahdy blahdy blaaah... I have a friend who was stung as a teenager and repeatedly tells me that the pain returned every year at the time he was stung for 15 years. I have been stung twice in the last year, so havent had time to do a full years cycle yet, but: While the pain is definitely very unpleasant at first, I have found that it soon, especially by relaxing quickly turns to a very pleasant tingling sensation on the skin. I attribute this to the release of endorphins - It was made much more pleasurable by the application of the juice of cunjevoi which is a great antidote and is always somewhere close when you get stung. Stingincg tree is a very potent pain killer and was used to numb the skin before initiations where deep cuts were made in the shoulders. I guess it kills pain sorta the same way as cayenne. any way to put it bluntly, the last time I was stung, I enjoyed it so much that later on thatt day I was wishing I had stung more to have that pleasant tickling sensation on more of me....wouldnt go as far as balls, face or armpit but any other skin is really enjoyable. Now these were the northern rivers one, which I know are not as potent as those growing in north QLD, but I am keen to get up there and try them. berbedeberblllblbllblalbelbelbebedeberbededeTHATSALLFOLKS!

Does anyone have info on the nutritive properties of the coca plant? I'd like to find out as most discussion is about It's cocaine content which is the rEason it's such a highly scheduled plant. however I've heard tales of miners working for 3 days and nights straight without rest chewing only leaves which could only be sustainable if it had a huge spectrum of other medicinal and nutritive properties as well as being a fantastic stimulant. Any ideas?

Lol, sorry if you guys knew that

From what I've read about that plant it has to be eaten fresh and by about 24 hours the stuff don't work any more. In the countries where it's used a lot, they wrap the leaves and keep them wet and cold constantly while in saddle bags on camels but this only goes for a few days max. So, if your lucky enough to get someone who would ship it well refrigerated and sprayed then you could have a week max until it gets old, maybe abit more, but it seems pointless putting all that effort in just to get a chew that's below par, Dude to chew 5kg in a few days lol, you'd have like no mouth left

Cheers. This place is AWESOME!

Mate leaves we're processed traditionally by the guarani Indians by holding the branches over the heat of a fire. This also let a smoke flavour infuse into the leaves. I'm not sure if they experimented with different woods to change the flavour but probably. I definitely would. The leaves need to be dried quickly as this destroys an enzyme which would deactivate the mate and keeps it green. After this I believe is when they chop it. Some mates you buy will have very neatly cut leaves with no stems while others will be coarser and have stems in them, it rings a diferent character as you'll find. Just cut it in a way that you are happy with. The next step was curing and while I'm not sure as to how long the traditional mates were cured, today a good mate like rosamonte they store in bags for up to a year letting it stew in its own juices. Lower quality mates ship out only 5 days after drying. I see the curing stage asa being one of the most important parts. They leaves ned to be in a dark, very dry cool room. That's pretty much all there're is. I think the modern mate company's have a heat barrel that rotates and roasts the mate leaves lightly inside while they infuse some with smoke as desired. Happy curing. J