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Jodie Hummel
I know companion planting can help plants be all they can be, but can plants pick up active chemicals from other plants? If they pick up chemicals from sprays, water, etc, can their roots throw a little underground party and swap spit? Lol. Wondering if there are benefits to companion planting certain herbs who love each other while keeping some herbs separate if they tend to hold hands below the dirt. Hope that doesn’t sound dumb, but if they pick up other plants’ chemicals, seems it might affect their medine. Thanks!
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Also wondering if toxic plants like poison ivy can “influence” others. I have a few workhorse herbs I want to forage, but they have poison ivy close enough that I worry.  Seems like every plant I go to harvest has that little green harlot growing nearby, and she gives me a rash. Any info helps! thanks!
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Tricia Blank
I get what you’re saying. I planted my roses too close together and they changed colors. when I moved them further apart they went back to their original colors.
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Dr. Patrick Jones
Plants don’t have the power to change the physiology of other plants but the can compete for resources, suppress each other kill each other etc… THey an also benefit each other through nitrogen fixation, attraction of pollinators, repelling of pest bugs etc…
I’m sure there are also other myriad symbiotic things that can go on to benefit each other but they aren’t going to be changing each others phytochemistry or medicinal attributes.
The only exception to that would be in the case of parasitic species like mistletoe or Chaga mushroom. If they aren’t growing on the correct host species some of their medicinal properties can be weaker or absent.
Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.
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Thank you, Doc! That’s exactly what I was wondering. I sometimes see great medicinals growing by poison ivy, and I always wonder if the poison ivy will lead the good herbs astray (I love all plants, but I just can’t think of poison ivy as a good guy…it doesn’t like me one bit either!). I’m glad you added that bit about mistletoe and chaga…I recently learned how different fungi have deep, symbiotic relationships with certain trees…the more I learn about this amazing creation, the more I love learning about it! Thanks once again!
Jodie
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