Sometimes, nature hides surprises in plain sight. My story begins 15 years ago, in the lush Talamanca mountain range of Panama.
From Allergies to an Unexpected Discovery
Fifteen years ago, I developed my organic farm in the Talamanca mountains, right on the border with Costa Rica. One day, while walking through the surrounding jungle, I was severely stung by a plant.
I had suffered from severe allergies for years, making daily life miserable. Assuming it might be a plant from the nettle family, I took a risk and consumed its seeds — something I would never suggest anyone do with an unidentified wild plant.
A few months later, while traveling with my children and admiring massive blooming trees, I suddenly realized something: my allergies were gone — and they have never returned since. I can’t prove the plant caused it. I can only say what I noticed.
A Friend’s Experience with Asthma
Back on the farm, while continuing my project, I received a visit from a friend. We went on a jungle tour to observe Quetzals, the iconic birds of our region. The high-altitude, humid air triggered an asthma attack for him, and he used his inhaler, as he always does.
Once he’d recovered, I told him about my own experience. Some time later, out of curiosity and entirely on his own judgment, he chose to try a small amount of the same plant’s seeds.
In the years since — 14 now — he tells me he hasn’t had another asthma attack. I can’t explain why, and I’m not a doctor. I’m only recounting what he’s told me.
What I Still Don’t Know
Since then, I’ve heard from a handful of other people who tried the plant on their own and reported similar relief from allergies or asthma. I take these accounts seriously, but they remain anecdotes, not evidence.
What I do know:
- I have never had the plant formally identified or studied.
- It’s unrelated to the nettle family, despite how it first stung me.
- It could behave very differently in someone else’s body, in a different dose, or under different circumstances.
That’s precisely why I’m not naming it, offering it, or recommending it here.
Hitting a Wall with Institutions
Hoping to get it properly studied, I asked a lawyer to help me reach out to laboratories and research organizations. There was no interest, no reply — nothing.
Years passed, and I’ve come to accept that a home-grown, unstudied plant with an unverified backstory isn’t the kind of thing institutions are set up to chase down, however genuine the story is to me.
This left me with a mix of frustration and disappointment. I wasn’t asking for money — just for the chance to have it looked into properly.
This is a personal, unverified account, not medical advice, and not an activity offered at
the farm.
The plant described here has never been formally identified or studied, and we do not provide it, recommend it, or encourage guests to seek out or consume unidentified wild plants under any circumstances. Untested wild plants can cause severe allergic reactions, poisoning, or dangerous interactions with existing conditions or medication. If you have allergies or asthma, please speak with a licensed healthcare professional — and never delay or replace prescribed treatment, including inhaler use during an asthma attack, with an unverified remedy.
This article is © Wild on the Farm, Boquete Cloud Forest Lodge. All rights reserved — it may not be reproduced, republished, or redistributed without prior written permission. Read our full legal notice →