CALEA ZACATECHICHI
Calea zacatechichi is the most well-known of several dreaming herbs that make up the class known as oneirogens. Other dreaming herbs include Silene Capensis (African Dream Root), Entada Rheedii and Artemisia Vulgaris (Mugwort). Dream herbs are used to induce lucid dreaming, which, most accurately is described as an awareness that you are dreaming to the point that you can control dreams. But, on a more basic level, dream herbs also seem to be linked to increased dream recall or simply an awareness that you are dreaming even if you cannot control the dream. There are also a number of other herbs, particularly sedative herbs, which seem to cause increased dream activity in various users without them being specifically labelled as dream herbs. Mad Dog Skullcap, California Poppy, Lavender, German Chamomile and Agrimony are among these.
It is used by the Chontal Indians of Mexico to obtain divinatory messages during dreaming and in Mexican folk medicine as an aperitif and to improve the natural metabolism. Indians have been naming calea 'leaf of God'. It is valued for its ability to clear the senses, to induce visions in dreams and as a healing plant in general. Shamans use the herb to receive divine messages in their dreams. Ordinary people in Mexico use it to increase appetite and as a health product that supports a natural digestion, among other things.
The Chontal medicine men, who assert that this plant is capable of "clarifying the senses" causing euphoria, call it thle-pela-kano, meaning "leaf of God". Whenever they desire to know the cause of an illness or the location of a distant or lost person, the common ritual is to smoke a cigarette, whilst drinking a tea, both made of Calea Zacatechichi, right before going to sleep.
Calea dream herb is also known as 'dog grass' or Calea zacatechichi ("bitter grass"). The shrub belongs to the sunflower family and grows naturally in the Mexican highlands and certain parts of Costa Rica. Calea zacatechichi measures 1 - 1.5 m in height. The plant has many branches with oviform and opposite leaves (3-5 cm long and 2-4 cm wide).
Effects
Calea provides a restful and drowsy effect. The psychoactive effect is subtle and can be described as dreamlike. Mexican Indians consider calea as a hallucinogen, although no hallucinogenic alkaloid has been isolated yet.
--------------------------------------------
Growing info
On receipt of your plant it will need re-potting to a larger pot when the roots are showing out of the bottom of the pot, it seems to do well in any compost, if using multi-purpose add 30% horticultural sand or perlite to assist drainage. Repotting into a much larger pot will slow down top growth while the roots fill the pot.
Slowly acclimatise the plant to a sunny/semi shade location and protect from frost. Although it is hardy down to a few degrees of frost, it will suffer some leaf damage.
Pinch out the growing tips to encourage a bushier plant if desired.
Feed every other week with a half strength general purpose plant fertilizer when actively growing.
Keep watered when actively growing, do not allow to dry out completely.
The plant size will depend on what size pot it is finally potted into, larger the pot the larger the plant
It can be pruned back any time, which will encourage a bushier plant.
If over wintering, at cool temperatures, cut back most of the growth down to 4-6 inches when the foliage starts to die off, or if you have a smaller plant cut back to an inch or two leaving a few leaves on, and keep on the dry side, with temperatures above freezing.
If harvesting the leaves, do so before the first frosts.
After overwintering, It is best to wait untill frosts are finished and the weather has warmed up, before putting the plant outside, lthough they are frost hardy, it will lengthen the time it takes to start growing again.
I have overwintered in a heated greenhouse without cutting back, come spring last years growth drops off anyway, making way for new growth, I beleive not cutting back slows the new growth in the spring
tip: if you have potted on to the largest size you want and after a few years are totally rootbound, trim the roots, remove the thicker roots, and some smaller ones to allow room for fresh compost to be put in the pot, I have done this and any stress if any is shortlived.
I HAVE JUST DONE SOME BRUTAL ROOT PRUNING ON MY OLDEST PLANT, NOT REALLY PRUNED BUT RIPPED OFF MOST OF THE ROOTS, AND REPLACING COMPOST WITH FRESH COMPOST, THE VERY NEXT DAY THE SAME PLANT IS LOOKING SO MUCH BETTER WITH FRESH NEW GROWTH AND BIGGER LEAVES!
Picture below shows mature plant after being cut back
More photos of calea being cut back
The pictures below show fake calea, non bitter variety, (chomolaena Odorata) on the left with genuine bitter variety on the right. You quite often see this plant sold as the bitter variety it is in fact the non bitter variety.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromolaena_odorata
How to use:
I normally use 2 grams of drid herb steeped in boiling water fro 10-20 minutes, tastes horrible, but i have got used to it.
Honey can be sdded to make it more palatable
Can also be smoked, although I haven't tried smoking iot as I am a non smoker
https://caleadream.com/make-calea-zacatechichi-tea/
https://www.healthline.com/health/calea-zacatechichi#forms
