This bush has been used for shamanic purposes by native peoples in Central America and Mexico for generations. It contains psychoactive alkaloids, when leaves are soaked in water in the sun for 24 hours they release into the water and a tea can be made of them.
The plant itself is a desert bush that is also cold hardy. I bought one years ago and it has really done well. Recently I found out I can clone them and grow new plants fro stems.
I tried doing this a week or so ago by cutting off some non woody parts of the stem and placed in water. I did see new growth but not in the form of roots.
0ut of the three I started one of them I cut some of the material from the stem. And that one indeed started forming roots.
Learning this I went back out and took some more cuttings. But this time I scrapped off the material from the stems on all of them.
Using a razor I scrapped off the first layer and made sure not to cut them too deep.
It's hard to tell it's missing some of its plant material but I indeed scrapped some of it off.
I placed the scrapped cuttings in water and awaiting to see they form roots.
I kept the three from the earlier cuttings and will see if they grow roots later on. But I think the three I scrapped should root.
The plant I took cutting from is at least five years old. I waited until there was alot of fresh growth to then take cuttings from them.
The plant has some really pretty yellow flowers. Reminds me alot of desert plants.
I dont think I do anything with the flowers.. just enjoy them as they bloom. It's the leaves that are psychoactive. But for now I'll just see if the clones grow. May be a few years before I can take any cuttings from the clones.
The plant I took cuttings from seems to be doing well. With all it's new growth this was a good time to take cuttings from it to clone some new plants.
If you want to read up on the effects of this plant see the erowid experiences.
https://www.erowid.org/experiences/subs/exp_Heimia_salicifolia.shtml
