Once upon a time, there was a young boy named Ouss who lived in a small village. Ouss was known for his adventurous spirit and his love for exploring the world around him. One day, as he was exploring the outskirts of the village, he came across a peculiar old man selling a bag of magic beans. The old man claimed that these beans had the power to grant any wish and fulfill any desire. Intrigued by the old man's words, Ouss decided to purchase the magic beans, despite the skepticism of the villagers. He had always dreamed of going on a grand adventure, and he saw this as the perfect opportunity to do so.
We highly recommend that you mulch your Aronia Autumn Magic Shrubs with either a ground hardwood mulch or a ground cypress mulch depending on your local availability. Any type of mulch will do but cypress or hardwood mulch will be of a higher quality and provide better nutrition overall as they breakdown. Mulching helps to keep weeds away which will compete with your new investment for water and nutrients. A 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch is sufficient but remember to take care not to cover any part of the stem of the plant with mulch. Its better to leave a one inch gap of space between the mulch and the stem or trunk of the plant.
The first method of pruning is to remove 1 3 of the shrub each spring to eliminate the oldest branches as it is the newer stems that display the best berries. They are semi-sweet but sour and astringent when fresh, but once cooked into jellies, jams, syrups, teas and even wine, they are tasty and enjoyable.
He had always dreamed of going on a grand adventure, and he saw this as the perfect opportunity to do so. Excitedly, Ouss returned home and planted the magic beans in his garden. To his surprise, overnight, a magnificent beanstalk sprouted from the ground and reached far into the sky.
Autimn magicn black chikerberry
Black Chokeberry (Aronia melancarpa) can grow to six feet height & width. Since it grows rapidly, we did not have to wait long to see the under-four-feet narrow specimen (shown in the second photo when first planted early in 2002) become an impressive large shrub within a year.
In May it covers itself with white flowers that look exactly like the May flowers on the Hawthorn trees. But when the Hawthorn's flowers are turning into red berries, the Chokeberry's flowers are turning into glossy black ones.
The berries are commonly used to make juice, & there used to be a west coast company that distributred throughout the west & northwest a bottled alternative to cranberry juice, labeled "Aronia Berry Juice Cocktail," avoiding the name "chokeberry" lest people worry they might choke on it.
It shares with bilberry, cranberry, & other fruit or fruit juices several healthful properties. A 2004 animal-modeled study (Matsumoto et al) conducted at the Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition Faculty of Human Life Science at Fuji Women's University, showed that the antioxidant effects of chokeberry extract had a "gastroprotective" effect in treating acute gastric hemorrhagic lesions in rats, suggesting it might be an effective natural treatment for severe stomach problems in humans, including ulcers. A 2003 study (Malik et al) conducted at the Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, has provided preliminary indication of defense against colon cancer.
A 2002 animal-modeled study (Kowalczyk et al), conducted in the Department of Pharmacology of the Military Medical Academy, Lodz, Poland, tested anthocyanins from black chokeberry. The study concluded that chokeberry anthocyanins might be useful in combating "oxidative stress" in cardiovascular patients. Yet another study (Simeonov et al, 2002) conducted at the Medical University in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, found that chokeberry juice without sugar added (artificially sweetened) was "a valuable adjunct" to treating patients with diabetes. Another Bulgarian study (Borissova et al, 1994) showed that chokeberry juice, due to its anthocyane flavonoids, had an anti-inflammatory value, when inflammation was induced by histamine & serotonin. A great many additional studies have been concluded, either proving or hinting at likelihoods & possibilities of staggering health benifits for blood circulation, urinary tract health, heart health, gastrointestinal health, & much else.
So many people are enamored of stale ground up dusty particles of "herbal medicines," the majority of which have no effect beyond that of a placebo when tested in doubleblind studies. Yet if such rubes would incorporate more fruit into their diet, & especially such high-antioxidant phenolics in fruits & fruit juices, as can be had from blueberries, cranberries, chokeberries, lingonberries, & suchlike, they might actually obtain many of the benifits they superstiously imagine can be had from ground up garden rubble bought in healthfood stores!
But fresh chokeberries right from the bush are not particularly tasty raw, being so astringent that even the birds leave them for last, or eat them as a last resort in late autumn or winter. They are full sized & still green in early August, but ripe & shiny black before August's end, & the are least astringent after they have been through a couple of autumn frosts. If harvested they should be used primarily for juice production or pancake syrups, & will need sweetening in the process. Standard steam-method of juice extraction produces two cups of juice per pound of chokeberries. If this is mixed half with a naturally sweet applejuice, no additional sugar will be needed.
They last on the branches until late Autumn or even into winter. Actually they last clear to the next spring but are by then dried out raisony bits, if the birds still have not eaten them before then.
The third little photo shows the fruit in August (2004). There's a page of additional photos snapped showing the fruit color development summer through autumn, on the Chokeberry Page of the Berries Gallery.
This is a native shrub from Eastern North America, ranging from Florida to Nova Scotia, inland as far as Indiana, & as far off as Greenland. It's just terribly forgiving of growing conditions, tolerating swampiness or dryness; acid, neutral, or mildly alkaline soil; full sun or half shade (though it will not have its best appearance in too much shade); are rarely troubled by insects or diseases; & fantastically cold hardy. It is very little stressed by transplanting & a young shrub can be planted in any season with equal success.
About the only thing it can't abide is too much heat. If its ideal condition is met, that would be moist well-draining soil in bright sunshine. In shade it will get lankier but still a nice shrub. It is an excellent street-side shrub, yet with "specimen" possibilities as a center of attention.
The cultivar 'Autumn Magic' originated from an eastern seedling colony. It was brought to the Northwest to be grown & tested by the University of British Columbia Botanical Garden. They discovered that every delightful trait of Chokeberry was even nicer in this slight variant.
'Autumn Magic' had more compact shiny leaves, sets many excellent fruits a whisper larger than the norm, & has brilliant autumn foliage. The bright orange foliage can be seen on the separate Autumn Leaf Gallery's Chokeberry Page.
It can be propogated from soft cuttings taken late spring or early summer. Take the cutting a half-inch below a node, cutting at a sharp smooth angle, touching the raw end with rooting hormone, & start it rooting in a coldframe or covered pot. Chokeberries can also be propogated from seed, but seed-grown specimens may or may not be identical to 'Autumn Magic.' A third method of propogation is merley to slice off suckers with a spade & transplanting them immediately into the areas new shrubs are wanted.
It does have a suckering, colonizing habit which means it can't be entirely ignored if one doesn't want it spreading about. But even this is a small criticism since it is not nearly as aggressive in its suckering as its nearest cousin, red-berried A. arbutifolia, & in our garden 'Autumn Magic' has not suckered much at all.
So many people are enamored of stale ground up dusty particles of "herbal medicines," the majority of which have no effect beyond that of a placebo when tested in doubleblind studies. Yet if such rubes would incorporate more fruit into their diet, & especially such high-antioxidant phenolics in fruits & fruit juices, as can be had from blueberries, cranberries, chokeberries, lingonberries, & suchlike, they might actually obtain many of the benifits they superstiously imagine can be had from ground up garden rubble bought in healthfood stores!
Ouss couldn't believe his eyes and immediately started climbing the beanstalk. As he climbed higher and higher, Ouss found himself in a whole new world above the clouds. The air was crisp, and the scenery was breathtaking. He was astounded by the beauty and wonder he encountered in this magical realm. As Ouss explored further, he stumbled upon a castle nestled at the top of the beanstalk. Curiosity got the better of him, and he decided to venture inside. To his amazement, he found a giant living in the castle who was pleasantly surprised to see Ouss. The giant introduced himself as Voot and explained that he had been living alone in the castle for years. He was lonely and longed for friendship. Ouss, being a friendly and warm-hearted boy, immediately befriended Voot. They spent days together, sharing stories, playing games, and laughing. One day, Voot expressed his desire to return to the village with Ouss. Ouss realized that Voot had been isolated for far too long and that his presence had brought joy and companionship to the giant's life. Together, they descended the beanstalk and made their way back to the village. The villagers were in awe when they saw Ouss and Voot. They couldn't believe that Ouss had actually found a giant living in the sky. The community welcomed Voot with open arms and celebrated the newfound friendship. With the help of the magic beans, Ouss had not only embarked on an incredible adventure but also found a friend for life. The village and its people were forever changed by the magic that Ouss had brought back with him. From that day forward, Ouss and Voot became inseparable, spreading joy and inspiring others through their friendship. The magic beans had not only fulfilled the desires of Ouss but had also transformed the lives of everyone they encountered, proving that magic can exist in the most unexpected places..
Reviews for "Ouss in Voots Magic Beans as a Natural Remedy: Exploring their Healing Properties"
1. Jane - 1/5 stars - I couldn't believe how disappointing "Ouss in voots magic beans" was. The plot was completely illogical and poorly developed. The characters lacked depth and were unrelatable. I found myself struggling to even finish the book. It seemed like the author was trying too hard to be eccentric and unique, but it just came off as forced and awkward. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for a meaningful or enjoyable reading experience.
2. Mark - 2/5 stars - "Ouss in voots magic beans" had an interesting concept, but it ultimately fell short for me. The writing style was confusing and hard to follow, making it difficult to fully grasp the story. The pacing was also inconsistent, with some parts dragging on for too long while others felt rushed. The dialogue felt stiff and unnatural, making it hard to connect with the characters. Overall, I found this book to be underwhelming and would not recommend it to others.
3. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I was excited to read "Ouss in voots magic beans" based on the intriguing blurb, but the execution left much to be desired. The story was scattered and lacked cohesion, jumping from one random event to another without a clear direction. The characters were poorly developed, and their actions often felt inconsistent and unrealistic. The writing style was also overly verbose and dragged the story down. I was left feeling unsatisfied and disappointed after reading this book.