How did cola come to the Americas?
By Chelsie Vandaveer
June 24, 2003
killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5
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Kola nuts are the dried cotyledons (seed leaves) from the seeds of Cola acuminata (Beauvois) Schott & Endlicher and other Cola species. The cotyledons have been used for centuries as a masticatory (chewed). Native to tropical Africa especially lowland coastal areas, the seeds were purchased by Arabs traders for use during long treks across the deserts
of Arabia and North Africa.
According to King's American Dispensatory (1898), kola seeds played both symbolic and practical roles in African societies. A 'red seed' was used during a declaration of war and a 'white seed' was a symbol for peace. Kola seeds were given in friendship, part of courtship and marriage, and placed with the dead to aid the souls in their travels. The seeds were believed to purify poor water; they helped allay hunger, thirst, and pain. Most of the stimulant effect coming from the high levels of caffeine found in the cotyledons.
Cola trees were introduced to the Caribbean during the colonial era, the plants traveling with the slave trade out of Africa. Slave traders used the seeds to reduce food rations and make stale water more palatable to their captives. The kola nuts, familiar from their homeland, became a standby to help slaves endure the hours of tedium and exhaustion.
Kola nuts were once a major flavoring and caffeine source for the soft drink industry. Although, the names of the soft drinks did not change, the kola flavoring comes from chemical laboratories today.
Trade Winds Fruit has photographs of the kola tree (Cola acuminata). To view the photographs, click on the link:
http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/cola_nut.htm
killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5
Suggested Reading:
How did sugar get its name? What's in a Name? - November 9, 2001
What does café mean? Plants that Changed History - December 17, 2002
What is gin and tonic? What's in a Name? - May 23, 2003
What is Jesuit's tea? Herbal Folklore - December 30, 2002
What ancient money grows on trees? Plants that Changed History - February 12, 2002
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Gurney's Seed and Nursery -$20 off—>Click here.
Henry Fields Seed and Nursery -$20 off—>Click here.
Spring Hill Nursery -$20 off—>Click here.
Gardens Alive! -$20 off—>Click here.
Michigan Bulb -$20 off—>Click here.
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Wollemi Pine
National Geographic®
Exclusively from National Geographic, this survivor from the age of the dinosaurs is one of the greatest living fossils discovered in the 20th century. The Wollemi pine is one of the world's oldest and rarest tree species, belonging to a 200-million-year-old plant family thought to have been extinct for more than two million years.
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Previously known only from fossil records, it was presumed extinct until a single tree was found in the Wollemi National Park, Australia, in 1994. Subsequent research discovered 100 adult trees that have survived in a single canyon in this wild and rugged area.
Click here to view canyon, trees and fossil record.
You can assist in the conservation effort and enjoy the unique opportunity to ensure the continued survival of this rare species by giving the tree as a gift or growing your own. Suitable for indoor container gardening or as a landscape tree in certain areas of the U.S.
Comes with a care manual with the full story about the discovery and fascinating history of the Wollemi pine. Comes in a copper-colored container and will be approximately 10''H when shipped. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these plants will fund ongoing conservation research.
Click here to get your Wollemi Pine and assist in the conservation effort.
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National Geographic Magazine
National Geographic®
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You are invited to roam the world in the pages of National Geographic magazine. Explore the diversity of our planet's lands and inhabitants in compelling stories covering topics such as animals, nature, science, technology, culture, history, travel, adventure, exploration, and geography. The monthly National Geographic magazine is your key benefit of membership.
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Join the Society and bring the adventure of National Geographic into your home!
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