Re: Just out of curiosity...

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Posted by P.J. on January 20, 2000 at 03:52:58:

In Reply to: Just out of curiosity... posted by Giselle on January 20, 2000 at 03:32:06:

The process is simple, Giselle. My plant is very young, so I haven't
picked leaves from him yet. (Yes, him. His name is Lamu.) Anywho,
one of my friends has a henna TREE growing in her living room, and
the leaves are good to pick. It is my experience with Lamu that when
a leaf is either pulled off (in my case, via a cat) or falls off, a
new shoot of leaves will grow in its place. Keep this in mind if you
want to manipulate and balance out growths of your plant. (If a side
of your plant is pretty limb-less, you may want to pick from that
side.)

With that in mind, what you simply do to remove leaves are to pick
them off, just like you would off of any plant. Just, well, you
know, pick. :)

And with THAT in mind, it is important to pick from certain areas of
the plant for certain purposes. The ones we want for tattooing the
skin are the very top leaves. Any ones growing from about an inch
from the top and up contain the most potent dye. The ones below that
aren't as potent, and are more suitable for fabric and hair dye.

I haven't dried leaves myself yet. My friend with the henna tree has
always done it for me, and I am still trying to tie in with her on
how she does it. I have tried with some leaves that fell off of Lamu
during transportation shock, but they turned rusty brown. I ground
them up, and the powder didn't look like commercial henna powder.
YUCK!! So, I have simply smashed the hell out of the leaves with a
marble mortar and Pestle. (I got mine at a Lechter's Kitchen Supply,
but you can get them easily enough for roughly $8 at any good kitchen
supply or cooking store.) You simply grind them little by little,
smashing them down into a very smooth paste, and even add the lemon
and clove and such right there in the mortar and pestle. I scrape it
out into a cone with a plastic spoon and that is that.

Not too hard. I am still trying to obtain proper drying instructions
either from my friends out here, or on the web. If I learn anything,
you'll be the first to know.

Good luck!!

P.J.

How To Grow Henna

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Re: Just out of curiosity... Jeremy Rowntree 19:05:24 1/20/00 (0)

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: The process is simple, Giselle. My plant is very young, so I haven't : picked leaves from him yet. (Yes, him. His name is Lamu.) Anywho, : one of my friends has a henna TREE growing in her living room, and : the leaves are good to pick. It is my experience with Lamu that when : a leaf is either pulled off (in my case, via a cat) or falls off, a : new shoot of leaves will grow in its place. Keep this in mind if you : want to manipulate and balance out growths of your plant. (If a side : of your plant is pretty limb-less, you may want to pick from that : side.) : With that in mind, what you simply do to remove leaves are to pick : them off, just like you would off of any plant. Just, well, you : know, pick. :) : And with THAT in mind, it is important to pick from certain areas of : the plant for certain purposes. The ones we want for tattooing the : skin are the very top leaves. Any ones growing from about an inch : from the top and up contain the most potent dye. The ones below that : aren't as potent, and are more suitable for fabric and hair dye. : I haven't dried leaves myself yet. My friend with the henna tree has : always done it for me, and I am still trying to tie in with her on : how she does it. I have tried with some leaves that fell off of Lamu : during transportation shock, but they turned rusty brown. I ground : them up, and the powder didn't look like commercial henna powder. : YUCK!! So, I have simply smashed the hell out of the leaves with a : marble mortar and Pestle. (I got mine at a Lechter's Kitchen Supply, : but you can get them easily enough for roughly $8 at any good kitchen : supply or cooking store.) You simply grind them little by little, : smashing them down into a very smooth paste, and even add the lemon : and clove and such right there in the mortar and pestle. I scrape it : out into a cone with a plastic spoon and that is that. : Not too hard. I am still trying to obtain proper drying instructions : either from my friends out here, or on the web. If I learn anything, : you'll be the first to know. : Good luck!! : P.J.

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