Calea zacatechichi (Mexican Dream Herb) Plant

Description Calea zacatechichi, known as Mexican Dream Herb, is a subtropical extremely bitter, aromatic herb. Calea is native to Mexico and Central America and grows as a medium sized shrub that is known to increase dreams. Calea is a perennial plant that grows to a height of 3m with a spread of 2.5m. The stems are woody and straight with many branches, the leaves are small oval and serrate occurring opposite along the branches. The flowers are small white to yellow. Trimming the plant after flowering will keep it compact and ensure new growth and flowers. Calea zacatechichi has been used in folk remedies for thousands of years as an appetite stimulant, cleansing agent, calming agent, laxative, and for treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery, fever, skin rashes, headache, and respiratory disorders such as asthma. The native Chontal people of Oaxaca call it thle-pela-kano, and use it for divination rituals, or inducing psychic dreams, which involve smoking the dried leaves, flowers and stems, drinking it as a tea, and placing it under a pillow to induce divinatory dreams. Some reported effects on dreams include the ability to alter or control your dreams, having more vivid, memorable, or longer dreams, and gaining a sense of deeper knowledge and understanding of your dreams. Researchers believe it produces these effects by acting on the central nervous system. In addition, Calea zacatechichi has also been studied for mental enhancement. For some people, Calea zacatechichi appears to increase mental clarity and boost cognitive abilities, like focus and improved reaction time. Calea may also temporarily lower your blood pressure and breathing rate, so you might also feel relaxed, sleepy, calm, or even a bit detached from reality.   Common name. Ahuapatli; Cheech; Amula; Atanasia Amarga; Aztec Dream Grass; Leaf of God; Thle-pelakano; Bitter Grass.   Accepted Syn. Calea ternifolia.   Specifications. 50mm Pot Size Cutting Grown Plant   Ideal Growing Conditions. Calea zacatechichi is native to Mexico and prefers a warm climate. It thrives in temperatures between 18-24°C and requires plenty of sunlight. Calea plants prefer full sun to partial shade. Place them in a location where they can get at least 6-8 hours of sunlight per day. Requires regular watering, but do not water log. It is drought and frost resistant. Pruning: Trim back any leggy or dead growth to encourage bushier growth. Pests and Diseases: Monitor your plant for pests like aphids or spider mites. Calea is very susceptible to Mites, watch for leaf curling. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap, Eco Oil or Neem Oil Soil: You need a high quality potting mix, not a pre-bagged product such as you find at Bunnings etc, try a landscaping place. However, as I am not local to you I still can’t say if they have good quality or not. You are looking for well composted pine bark and large particles. This ensures air flow to the roots and good drainage. We recommend Yates Nutricote Standard Black 270 Day for a fertiliser, which can be found in our store, however any good quality slow release fertiliser will do. When time to re-pot, select a pot one size up ONLY and ensure it has many holes for good drainage. Fertiliser:  Yates Nutricote Standard Black 270 Day Controlled Release Fertiliser The Plant Runner Indoor Plant Food     We cannot send plants to Western Australia & Tasmania due to restrictions.   We strongly recommended to select Express Post shipping for all plant orders to minimise the transit time.   Interested in Calea? Have a look at these products Calea zacatechichi (Mexican Dream Herb) Seed Calea zacatechichi (Mexican Dream Herb) 20:1 Extract 2g Calea zacatechichi Organic (Mexican Dream Herb) Dried Aerials