CLIFF ROSE FLOWER ESSENCE

Article submitted 04/03/2009 by Linda Reiger
www.apathtowholeness.net
www.natureshealinggrace.blogspot.com

Submit your articles here!

Cliff Rose is a 3 to 12 foot shrub or small tree, with many branches and a rounded crown. It blooms from April to June and the fruits mature September to October. In some excellent growing locations, the shrubs can reach up to 20 feet high.

Cliff Rose grows on hillsides, rocky slopes and cliffs at elevations of 3000 to 8000 feet. The leaves are small, crinkly and leathery, and the bark of older bushes is “shreddy” and grayish. It blooms abundantly in May, with cream-colored flowers that produce an intoxicating orange blossom-like scent. It produces long, showy seed plumes in the fall, shading from white to rosy pink.

Some early settlers called the plant "quinine bush" after the bitter taste of the leaves. Cliff Rose is an important browse species for mule deer, elk, desert bighorn sheep, livestock, and birds. Elk and other large animals also use Cliff Rose for bedding cover.

The Native Americans found some interesting uses for Cliff Rose. A decoction of the green branches, together with sagebrush and juniper were used as an expectorant and laxative treatment for colds. A decoction of the leaves and flowering stems were used to treat venereal disease and pains over the kidneys. The leaves have been chewed in the treatment of arthritis. It is an antiseptic wash, used for treating smallpox or measles. Cliff Rose has been shown to have inhibitory effects on HIV and Epstein-Barr virus.

Cliff Rose bark shreds easily and the Navajo used the shredded bark for padding cradleboards and forming "pillows" for their infants. "Female" prayer sticks are made from Cliff Rose wood, while "male" prayer sticks are made from Mountain Mahogany shrubs. The thin, straight branches were used for making arrows, and a yellow brown or tan dye was made from the leaves and stems, when mixed with pounded juniper branches.

The Hopi made a tea from the leaves and twigs to induce vomiting. Early inhabitants of the Four Corners region also used the shredded bark of Cliff Rose to make mats and clothing; when added to Yucca fibers they made cordage.

Its leaves are wedge-shaped, small, and have 3 to 5 lobes. The color is a deep blue-green and they look similar to evergreens. In most Cliff Rose habitats, leaves remain on the bush year-round, although there may be some yellowing. Its branches are irregular and gnarled and the bark is shreddy and light brown. Branches twist and turn in all directions and are quite a contrast to the lovely symmetry of the flowers.

Flowers are solitary and are born at the end of small lateral branches. Flowers are whitish in color and are 1/2 to1 inch wide and very fragrant. A wide assortment of bees and flies are attracted to these sweet smells and the nectar the flowers produce. They have 5 petals and 5 stamens. They are plentiful in spring and continue to bloom sparsely until fall. Then they are followed by an intricate mass of fruits that ripens in October and persist into winter.

Cliff Rose reproduces from seed. When the seeds mature, they have a long-tailed hair that attaches to the seed. These hairs act like tiny parachutes and aid the wind in both scattering the seeds and helping ‘drill’ the seeds into the ground. Once the seed lands in the soil, the wind blows the curved hair that acts like a drill, rotating with the wind to push the seed into the soil.

Just as the feathery plume of Cliff Rose’s seed pushes its way into the ground to reproduce, so does this essence supports you in your creation. If you find yourself saying that you want to manifest something but it never seems to happen, using Cliff Rose Essence can be a starting point.

Often we feel inspired, but we just do not get around to acting on our creative impulses. Energy cannot move without intention. When you have an idea that you want to bring into manifested form, it is necessary to define your intention. Without clarity of intention, there is no medium for inspiration to follow.

A simple formula for manifestation:

1) Clarity on Intent
2) Detachment, (allow the Universe to handle the details)
3) Release the outcome
4) Focus on the Present Moment and enjoy the process!

Intend that your goal manifest in such a manner that is for the greatest good of all. This is very important, as intentions that are created out of fear or a sense of lack will backfire. You may get what you want, but it will yield a bitter aftertaste. On the other hand, you may get the exact opposite of what you want. However, intentions that are genuinely made for your own good and the greatest good of all will tend to manifest in a positive way.

Many of us recognize that we want to fill our lives with a more spiritually balanced energy. Cliff Rose Essence can help us to remain connected to our spiritual source while we manifest something practical with it. It connects our will, intention and our power to act.

A Path to Wholeness website offers a variety of different flower essences to choose from; please stop by and learn more about them!

Walk in Beauty,
Linda Reiger
www.apathtowholeness.net
www.natureshealinggrace.blogspot.com

Linda Reiger has studied Metaphysics and Animal Wisdom for over ten years. She loves and appreciates beauty in anything, whether it is a person, art, music or nature. Being a Libran soul, balance and harmony in life and surroundings are very important to her. She has attained third-degree Reiki, and infuses all her flower essences with the Reiki energy. Her website was created from the evolution of her own experiences and the deeper relationship she has developed with nature.

[ back to top ]

DISCLAIMER