Leaf Loo Paper – The French Alternative
If you find yourself stranded in the loo without any toilet paper, don’t worry. Jackie French has a green alternative!
Tree Mallow or Lavatera (Lavatera arborea)
This famous dunny ‘leaf’ used to be known as ‘Irish toilet paper’, although it was also used in the Channel Islands and in parts of England. The leaves are soft, but they are also strong and don’t tear at the wrong moment! Lavatera is a tall growing, easy care plant. It flowers all year long in shades of pink and mauve. (Note: lavatera self-seeds very easily and should not be planted if you live near bushland.)
Dock (Rumex crispus)
In Northern England dock leaves were sometimes used as toilet paper. They were also used to soothe rashes and were made into an ointment for haemorrhoids.
Peppermint-scented pelargonium (Pelargonium tomentosum)
This is the sweetest scented dunny paper alternative, and Jackie’s favourite. The large, soft, furry leaves of this scented-leaf geranium do all that a good toilet paper needs to do.
A word of warning
Don’t use any leaf you come across as toilet paper. Leaves such as rhus (Toxicodendron succedaneum) can leave a very painful rash.
Further reading
This story is featured in May 2000 issue of Burke’s Backyard Magazine.