Nature's Healing Pharmacy

Nature's Healing Pharmacy

Historically, plants have played an important role in medicine. For early peoples, they came easily to hand, and were intricately connected to diet and healing. Through observation and experimentation, they learned which plants promoted health and well-being.
Many plants we rely on today were "field tested" by First Nations people hundreds, even thousands, of years before Europeans explored this continent. Early people used almost 3,000 different plants as medicine. Black cohosh, a staple of Cherokee medicine, served many purposes ranging from use as as diuretic to a cure for rheumatic pains. Bloodroot provided the Cherokee with medicine to cure coughs and lung inflamations. Blue cohosh, another eastern woodland plant, helped cure toothaches for the Cherokee, while the Chippewa used the root to treat cramps.
Over time, the practice of herbal medicine has grown more complex. Science has enabled us to process natural substances into pills, tinctures and powders. However, the development of a market economy also has distanced consumers from the wild plants that are the source of medicines.

Did You Know?

• At least 175 plants native to North America are for sale in the non-prescription medicinal market in the U.S. Many of these are collected from the wild in large quantities (hundreds of thousands of plants) for commercial markets in the U.S. and abroad. For example, during the last few years, about 65 million goldenseal plants and 34 million ginseng plants have been harvested from the wild in the forests of the eastern United States on an annual basis.
• In the United States, the market for medicinal herbs is worth more than $3 billion. Many of the plants supplying this industry are wild collected in vast quantities because techniques to cultivate them on a commercial scale have not been developed. Consider the implications of such popularity for these plants.
• More than 60 million consumers in the U.S. take herbal remedies. More doctors are recommending herbal medicines and, some health insurance plans offer coverage for alternative health treatments such as herbal remedies.
• The more we use medicinal herbs on a commercial scale the more important it is to ensure that they come from sustainable sources, so that these plants will continue to exist in wild places.

Agrimony

Agrimonia parviflora, Agrimonia Striata

Other Names: Church steeples, Cocklebur, Sticklewort, Philanthropos

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Agrimony Herb Uses and Medicinal Properties

Agrimony is not commonly used today, but has its place in traditional herbal medicine. This herb is safe for use for minor ailments in most healthy people. Like most herb simples, the uses to which it is put are remarkably varied. The English use it to make a delicious "spring" or "diet" drink for purifying the blood. It is considered especially useful as a tonic for aiding recovery from winter colds, fevers, and diarrhea.  Agrimony contains tannin and a volatile essential oil.

As Agrimony also possesses  an astringent action, it is frequently used in alternative medicine as an herbal mouthwash and gargle ingredient, and is applied externally in the form of a lotion to minor sores and ulcers. Agrimony has also been recommended, as a strong decoction, to cure sores, blemishes, and pimples.

Agrimony is called XIAN HE CAO in Chinese herbal medicine and is used to stop bleeding.
 - Dr. Michael Tierrra L.Ac., O.M.D., The Way of Chinese Herbs

Caution: This is an astringent herb, do not use if constipated. Do not use internally during pregnancy without discussing with your obstetrician.

Habitat and Description

Agrimony can be found growing extensively throughout Europe, Canada, and the United States. A hardy perennial, its natural habitat is woods and fields, but it takes to cultivation easily. Agrimonies have one to two foot branchy stems covered with a fine, silky down and terminate in spikes of yellow flowers. Both the flowers and the notched leaves give off a faint characteristic lemony scent when crushed. After the flowers fade they give place to tiny clinging "burrs" which will quickly adhere to your clothing if you brush by an it plant in a hedgerow.

How to grow Agrimony

For garden growing, give Agrimony sun or partial sun and regular watering, a plant from seed or propagate by root division in spring or fall. Gather the herb in summer while the flowers are in bloom.

May Apple, American Mandrake

May Apple, American Mandrake Podophyllum peltatum
May Apple is also known by these names:  Mayapple, Devil's Apple, Hog-apple, Indian Apple, American Mandrake, American May Apple, Racoonberry, Wild Lemon
Caution! May apple root can be toxic and should only be used by experienced herbalists. More info May Apple Description and Habitat    May Apple is a perennial native herb found growing in moist soils in rich woods, thickets and pastures Eastern N. America to Southern Maine to Florida, west to Texas and Minnesota. May Apple grows to about 18 inches high, the stem separates into two large, dark green, long stemmed, palmate, lobed, leaves. Looking almost like umbrellas to protect the large white flower on a short peduncle, growing right in-between the leaves, flowers bloom in April to May. May apple flowers turn into crab apple size edible fruits, gather in early summer when fully ripe. May Apple roots are dark brown, fibrous and jointed, gather roots after foliage dies back, dry for later herb use. May Apple Cultivation     May apple is easy using to grow using seedling transplants or seed sown in fall. Prefers rich well drained soil and partial to deep shade. May Apple Herb Uses and Medicinal Properties   American Mandrake, or May Apple, is medicinal and edible (fruit), used extensively by Native Americans. The fully ripe fruit is eaten raw, cooked or made into jams, jellies, marmalades, and pies. It is very aromatic, and has a sweet peculiar but agreeable flavor. May Apple seeds and rind are not edible, said to be poisonous. The root and plant contain valuable constituents Quercetin, Kaempferol, Podophyllin, Isorhamnetin, Gallic-acid, Berberine, Alpha-peltatin, that are being studied for their healing, anticancer and other properties. The root is used as a medicinal herb, it is antibilious, cathartic, cytostatic, hydrogogue and purgative, it should only be used by professional Herbalists. It is a most powerful and useful alternative medicine. A possible treatment for cancer is being tested as it contains podophyllin, which has an antimiotic effect (it interferes with cell division and can thus prevent the growth of cells). More Info The resin of May Apple, which is obtained from the root, is used in the treatment of warts. The whole plant, apart from the ripe fruit, is highly poisonous in large doses. American Mandrake herb produces nausea and vomiting, and even inflammation of the stomach and intestines, which has been known to prove fatal. In moderate doses, it is a drastic purgative with some cholagogue action. Do not use wile pregnant, nursing or trying to conceive. May Apple Folklore   May Apple was once called the witches umbrella and thought to be employed by them as a poison, which may not be untrue! The English version of this plant has much lore told of it, being called Manroot (mandrake) believed to be alive and its screams when pulled from the ground would render a man permanently insane. May Apple Recipe Jelly or sweet relish:  Peel and deseed the ripe fruit and use your favorite jelly making skills with it. Also good fresh, but use in moderation. All parts except the fruit are TOXIC!

	Ginseng Panax Quinquefolium
Other Names: American Ginseng, Panax Ginseng, San, Redberry, five fingers, man root, divine root, Root of life

Habitat     Perennial herb, native to Eastern N. America found from Maine to Georgia, west to Oklahoma and Minnesota, growing in rich soils in cool woods. Cultivation: Ginseng requires a deep moist humus rich soil in a shady position in a woodland, growing well on north-facing slopes and in deep cool woodland areas. Seeds should be sown in a shady position in a cold frame or greenhouse, and spend least their first winter there. Plant into their permanent positions in late summer or early spring. It has a large, thick, fleshy, whitish, root, growing 3 to 4 inches in length, specimens have been found twice this size. Most roots are spindle shaped with smaller appendages. The stem is simple and erect, on average about 1 to 2 foot high, bearing three to five large, palmate, leaves in a whorl atop the stem, each leaf is long stalked, divided into five finely-toothed, short petiole, leaflets, and a single, terminal umbel, with a few small, yellowish or light green flowers which grow on a short stalk from the center of the whorl of leaves. The fruit is a cluster of bright red berries. Flowers bloom in June and July. Gather the roots in Fall after the berries or seeds have fallen away. Dry for later herb use. The wild supply is quickly being diminished due to over harvesting for export to china and other countries, in some areas it is illegal to harvest during certain months of the year.

Properties
   Ginseng herb has a long history of  use as an alternative medicine going back over 5,000 years, and appears on several continents (origin unknown), it is and was used extensively in Native American medicine. The root is adaptogen, cardiotonic, demulcent, panacea, sedative, sialagogue, stimulant, tonic and stomachic. Ginseng has been studied over the past 30 years in many countries, it’s remarkable ability to help the body adapt to mental and emotional stress, fatigue, heat, cold, and even hunger is confirmed and documented! The major constituents in Ginseng are Triterpenoid saponins, Ginsenosides (at least 29 have been identified), Acetylenic compounds, Panaxans, and Sesquiterpenes. Taken over an extended period it is used to increase mental and physical performance. It is medicinal and therapeutic for the whole body. A very powerful medicinal herb, it both stimulates and relaxes the nervous system, encourages the secretion of hormones, improves stamina, lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels and increases resistance to disease. The ginsenosides that produce these effects are very similar to the body’s own natural stress hormones. It is used in the treatment of debility associated with old age or illness, lack of appetite, insomnia, stress, shock and chronic illness. Ginseng also increases immune function, resistance to infection, and supports liver function. The leaf is emetic and expectorant. The root is candied and used as a an edible medicinal kind of candy.Ginseng stimulates and increases endocrine activity in the body. Promotes a mild increase in metabolic activity and relaxes heart and artery movements. Stimulates the medulla centers and relaxes the central nervous system.

CAUTION: Don't take Ginseng and Ginseng mixtures with Coffee as it will accelerate the caffeine effects on the body and can cause diarrhea.

    Ginseng is said to be highly good for the metabolism, and promotes general well being. It has a reputation as an aphrodisiac, but this seems to be totally based on the fact that it relaxes the overly tense person a bit. If you suffer from back pain or TMJ adding this to a tea of Catnip and slippery elm may help. It is also presumably useable as an ingredient in a meade or magewine.

Folklore
   The roots are called Jin-chen by the natives of China, meaning 'like a man,' in reference to their looking like the human form. The American Indian name for the plant, garantoquen, has (strangely) the same meaning and uses, seeing how each race had no knowledge of the existence of the other. The American Indians attributed much magic power to Ginseng. The Seminole Indians using it as a Love Medicine, rubbed it on the body and clothes to bring back a divorced wife.

Dosage
   This seems to vary, some say 1000 mg. a day, others more or less! I just break off a small piece of the dried root (aspirin size) and swallow it with the daily vitamin.

Angelica Herb
Angelica Herb Uses and Medicinal Properties Angelica is used extensively in herbal medicine. The main constituents of Angelica are volatile oils, valeric acid, angelic acid, angelicin, safrole, scopoletin, and linoleic acid, making it useful in the treatment of fevers, colds, coughs, flatulent colic and other stomach disorders. A medicinal infusion made from stems, seeds, and root is carminative, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, sedative, stomachic and tonic. Angelica is used for obstructed menses and should not be taken in large quantities by pregnant women.  Angelica is a very good tonic herb for women and children, the elderly or general debility, it is said to strengthen the heart. Powdered root is said to cause disgust for liquor. It has an antibacterial action, preventing the growth of various bacteria. Angelica root contains vitamin B12, Zinc, Thiamin, Sucrose, Riboflavin, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron, Fructose, Glucose, and many other trace minerals. Externally it is used as a medicinal gargle for sore throats and mouths and as a medicinal poultice for broken bones, swellings, itching and rheumatism. An infusion of Angelica root, used as a wash for the face, is said to prevent acme. A powder made from the dried root is used for athlete’s foot, as well as an insecticide and pesticide. NOTE The fresh root of Angelica is not edible, said to be poisonous. Do not use while pregnant or breastfeeding without consulting your doctor. Habitat and Description Angelica is a tall, stout very ornamental and aromatic plant with large white flowers, growing to a height of 4 to 6 feet or more. It is a biennial or short lived perennial herb native to Eastern N. America from Newfoundland to Ontario and Minnesota, south to Delaware, Illinois, Iowa and Tennessee. It is found in rich thickets, bottomlands, moist cool woodlands, stream banks and shady roadsides. It has a smooth, dark purple, hollow stem 1 to 2 inches round. The leaves are dark green, divided into three parts, each of which is again divided into three serrated leaflets, sometimes lobed. The lower leaves are larger sometimes 2 feet wide. Angelica leaves have flattened, inward curved, stalks with clasping bases or sheathing to form an elongated bowl which holds water. The root is branched, from 3 to 6 inches long, thick and fleshy with several small rootlets. Flowers are small and numerous, yellowish or greenish-white and grouped into large, compound umbels. The flowers bloom in July and are succeeded by pale yellow, oblong fruits, 1/6 to a 1/4 inch in length when ripe produced in somewhat rounds heads, which sometimes are 8 to 10 inches in diameter. How to Grow Angelica Angelica is fairly easy to grow from seed. They are best planted as soon as they are gathered, but some will germinate if kept in freezer. Angelica requires a deep moist fertile soil in dappled shade, though I have seen Angelica Venenosa growing wild in full sun. Angelica will die after the second year if allowed to go to seed.  . History and Folklore According to one legend, (European-angelica) Angelica was revealed in a dream by an angel to cure the plague (hence the name Angelica or Archangel). All parts of the plant were believed effective against evil spirits and witchcraft. It was held in such esteem that it was called 'The Root of the Holy Ghost.' In America it was used by the Iroquois and other tribes as Witchcraft Medicine, an infusion of smashed roots was used as wash to remove ghosts from the house.  Recipes The young shoots are edible in salad or boiled as a pot herb. It has a sweet taste similar to celery. Angelica stems are often preserved with sugar for a sweet edible treat. Harvest Angelica stems when young and tender. Root must be carefully dried and preserved for later herb use. "Medicinal" herb tea: To 1 tsp. dried Angelica root add 1 cup boiling water steep 15 to 20 min. take throughout the day and at bedtime.

Dandelion Taraxacum officinale Other Names  Common Dandelion, Lion's Tooth, Priest's Crown, Pu Gong Ying, Swine's Snout, Dent de Lion

Dandelion Herbal use and Medicinal Properties The whole plant is used as a medicinal herb internally and externally. External Uses The fresh juice of Dandelion is applied externally to fight bacteria and help heal wounds. The plant has an antibacterial action, inhibiting the growth of Staphococcus aureus, pneumococci, meningococci, Bacillus dysenteriae, B. typhi, C. diphtheriae, proteus. The latex contained in the plant sap can be used to remove corns and warts. Internal Uses Dandelion is also used for the treatment of the gall bladder, kidney and urinary disorders, gallstones, jaundice, cirrhosis, hypoglycemia, dyspepsia with constipation, edema associated with high blood pressure and heart weakness, chronic joint and skin complaints, gout, eczema and acne. As a tonic, Dandelion strengthens the kidneys. An infusion of the root encourages the steady elimination of toxins from the body. Dandelion is a powerful diuretic but does not deplete the body of potassium. Research is revealing that the many constituents of Dandelion including Taraxacin, Taraxacoside, Inulin, Phenolic acids, Sesquiterpene lactones, Triterpenes, Coumarins, Catortenoids and Minerals, mainly Potassium and calcium, are very valuable in curing a number of disorders and illnesses. Dandelion is traditionally used as a tonic and blood purifier, for constipation, inflammatory skin conditions, joint pain, eczema and liver dysfunction, including liver conditions such as hepatitis and jaundice. Other Uses When placed in a paper bag with unripe fruit, the flowers and leaves of Dandelion release ethylene gas ripening the fruit quickly. A liquid plant food is made from the root and leaves. A dark red dye is obtained from Dandelion root. A cosmetic skin lotion made from the appendages at the base of the leaf blades distilled in water, is used to clear the skin and is effective in fading freckles. Dandelion Habitat and Descripton Dandelion is a perennial herb thought to be introduced from Europe and Asia. It is now naturalized throughout the Northern Hemisphere. No one is sure exactly how the dandelion has spread so widely, and there is some debate on the origin of the plant. Dandelion is found growing in pastures, lawns, waste ground, sand, rocks, even cracks in concrete. From a thick, long, tap root, dark brown outside, white and milky white inside, grow long jaggedly toothed leaves, shiny, dark to light green and growing in the shape of a rosette close to the ground. A purplish flower-stalks rise straight from the center, it is leafless, smooth, hollow and bears a single bright golden yellow, furry looking flower which blooms almost anytime of the year. When mature the seed in the flowers heads are round and fuzzy, carried by the wind to be germinated where ever they land. How to Grow Dandelion Dandelion is a very easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils. It becomes quite large when cultivation, the leaves reaching a foot or more in length. Dandelion is often cultivated as an edible salad crop and as a medicinal herb plant.

History and Folklore  In Derbyshire, the juice of the Dandelion stalk is applied to remove warts. Harvest and Use Information Gather edible leaves and flowers anytime, roots in spring. Dry for later medicinal herb use. Dandelion Recipes Used as medicinal and edible, the Dandelion is very nutritious, having more vitamins and minerals than most vegetables, it has a long history of use as a food in many countries. The young leaves are less bitter, and flowers are eaten raw in salads, all leaves also cooked or boiled as a pot herb, flowers are often dipped in batter and fried, dried roots are used as a coffee substitute. Herbal Wine is made from fermented flowers said by some to be very flavorful and medicinal. Dandelion Herbal Tea: 2 oz. of the dried herb or root in 1 quart of water, boiled for 30 min. take in ½ cup doses every 3 hours for stomach, kidney, gallbladder, and liver problems. Used as spring tonic.

Passionflower Passiflora incarnata Other Names:  Passion Flower, Maypop, Apricot vine, Passiflore rouge, Passionsblume, Purple Passion-flower, Passion Vine

Passionflower Habitat
    Passion Flower is a native perennial vine of the Southeastern United States; found from. Virginia and Kentucky, south to Florida and Texas. It can be found growing in sandy thickets and open fields, roadsides, fence rows and waste places.
 
Cultivation
Passionflower is easily cultivated through root division or by seed, transplants from the wild do well, it requires a well-drained soil, sandy slightly acid soil in full sun. A trellis should be provided, since it is a tendril climbing vine. Passionflower has many beautiful large and aromatic flowers, it grows very quickly and produces edible fruit and medicinal uses. It has large three lobed serrated leaves with beautifully intricate purple and white sweet-scented flowers that are from 2 to 3 inches across. Flowers bloom from June to August. The passion fruit, when ripe is yellow-green and the size of a small hen's egg. The yellow pulp is sweet and edible. Gather the herb, above ground after some of the fruit have matured, dry for later use. Gather edible fresh, juicy, fruit when soft and light yellow-green.
Uses and Medicinal Properties 

    Passionflower is edible and medicinal. edible, The delicious fruit and flowers can be eaten raw or cooked in jellies, jams, young leaves are used as a cooked vegetable or eaten in salads. There is scientific evidence of the medicinal constituents of this herb. Recent studies have pointed to the flavonoids in passion flower as the primary constituents responsible for its relaxing and antianxiety effects. Some of the plants constituents, Apigenin, Luteolin, Kaempferol, and Quercetin, are being studied and showing promise in fighting Parkinson's Disease, Cancer, HIV, Leukemia, and more. The leaves and stems are medicinal used as antispasmodic, astringent, diaphoretic, hypnotic, narcotic, sedative, vasodilator and are also used in the treatment of women's complaints.  Passionflower is used as an alternative medicine in the treatment of insomnia, nervous tension, irritability, neuralgia, irritable bowel syndrome, premenstrual tension and vaginal discharges. An infusion of the plant depresses the motor nerves of the spinal cord, making it very valuable in the treatment of back pain. The infusion is also sedative, slightly reduces blood pressure and increases respiratory rate. The herb contains alkaloids and flavonoids that are an effective non-addictive sedative that does not cause drowsiness. It is of great service in epilepsy. The plant is not recommended for use during pregnancy. The dried herb is much exported from America to Europe for use as an alternative medicine.

Passionflower Folklore   The name Passionflower refers to the passion of Christ: the 3 stamens represent his wounds, and the 12 petals represent the apostles. Passionflower fruit is sweet and aromatic. Herbal Tea Recipe Medicinal tea: To 1 tbsp. dried herb add 1 cup boiling water steep for 10 min. drink at bedtime for restlessness. Quite flavorful and aromatic.

Wood Sorrel

Wood Sorrel Oxalis violacea Other Names: Sheep Sour, Purple Wood Sour, Sour Clover, Sour Trefoi, Purple Stickwort, Fairy Bells, Hallelujah, Cuckowes Meat, Three-leaved Grass, Trinity Grass, Purple Stubwort, Wild Shamrock, Purple Shamrock, Indian Lemonade, Violet Wood Sorrel Habitat Perennial native herb, Wood Sorrel is found growing in grasslands and openings in woodlands, shaded slopes, gravelly banks and prairies in Eastern N. America, New York to Wisconsin, south to Florida. Cultivation is fairly easy, through bulb transplants or seed. Plants do best in humus-rich soil in shade or dappled sunlight. Growing from a rose-colored underground bulb are several flowers clustered atop thin stalks up to 8 inches long. The half inch wide flowers, blooming as early as April and May, are usually violet, but may be white, being bell-shaped, with five delicate petals. Each leaf is ternate and has three hearth-shaped leaflets, a bright green above, and purplish to dark red on their under surface, especially at the base. The leaflets are usually folded along their middle, and are of a sensitive nature. As the flowers fade, its stalk bends towards the ground and conceals the seed capsule under the leaves, till ripe, when it straightens again. The capsule is elastic and bursts open when the fruit is ripe, throwing the seeds out several yards. Gather entire plant in bloom, use fresh, or dry for later herb use.

Properties     The leaves, flowers, and bulbs of Wood Sorrel are edible and medicinal. The entire plant is used as an alternative medicine, it has diuretic, antiscorbutic and refrigerant actions, and a decoction made from its pleasant acid leaves is given in high fever, both to quench thirst and to allay the fever. Decoctions used to relieve hemorrhages and urinary disorders, as a blood cleanser, and will strengthen a weak stomach, produce an appetite, and check vomiting. The juice is used as a gargle and is a remedy for ulcers in the mouth, it is good to heal wounds and to stanch bleeding. Linen cloths soaked with the juice and applied, are held to be effective in the reduction of swellings and inflammation. Salts of Lemon, as well as Oxalic acid, can be obtained from Wood Sorrel: 20 lb. of fresh herb yield about 6 lb. of juice, from which, by crystallization, between 2 and 3 OZ. of Salts of Lemon can be obtained and used for many medicinal purposes. For soaking tired, swollen feet, it is said to be better than Epsom salts. Excess internal use should be guarded against, as the oxalic salts are not suitable to all, especially those of a gouty and rheumatic tendency, or with high blood pressure. Several native tribes used it to make a kind of refreshing lemonade drink. The leaves have a pleasantly acid taste, due to the presence of considerable quantities of binoxalate of potash. Edible as an attractive and tasty garnish for spring salads from time immemorial, they were also the basis of a green sauce, that was formerly taken largely with fish. 'Greene Sauce,' says Gerard, 'is good for them that have sicke and feeble stomaches . . . and of all Sauces, Sorrel is the best, not only in virtue, but also in pleasantness of his taste.'Folklore    The ternate leaf has been considered to be that with which St. Patrick demonstrated the Trinity to the ancient Irish, though it is a tiny kind of clover it is now generally accepted as the 'true Shamrock.' Violet wood sorrel was first described for science in 1753 by the Swedish father of modern biological taxonomy Carl von Linne (Linnaeus). Recipes "Medicinal" tea: To 1 heaping tbsp. fresh or 1 tsp. dry herb add 1 cup liquid, may be infused with water or boiled in milk. Take warm at bedtime. Lemonade: Boil fresh plant or dried herb in water, cool with ice, sweeten to taste. Using dried plant, grind to a fine powder, add sugar, store in air tight container, and you have "lemonade powders without lemons."

Greek Valerian

Greek Valerian Polemonium reptans Other Names:  Abscess Root, Blue Bells, Jacob's Ladder, Creeping Jacob's Ladder, False Jacob's Ladder, Greek Valerian, Onechte Jacobsladder, Polemonie Fausse, Sweatroot

Habitat    A perennial native herb found growing in rich woods, damp ground and along shady river banks in Eastern N. America from New York to Minnesota, south to Kansas and Georgia. Cultivation: Greek Valerian is easily cultivated from seed or root division, it prefers moist, well drained, sandy soil in a shady position. It has slender, creeping roots, and can multiply very quickly. The stems are multiple as many as 10 to one plant they are branched and grow to 12 inches high. Leaves form a rosette at the base, and grow in alternate pairs on the stem, they are pinnate with six to eight opposite pairs of leaflets. The nodding, blue to purple flowers grow in loose, terminal clusters.   Greek Valerian flowers bloom from March to May. Gather roots in fall, whole plants in spring. Dry for later herb use. The flowers are edible, taste good in salad.Properties     Greek Valerian is used in alternative medicine, the roots are alterative, astringent, diaphoretic, expectorant and pectoral, and can be taken as an infusion with water or as a medicinal tincture with alcohol, in the treatment of coughs, colds, bronchitis, laryngitis, tuberculosis, feverish and inflammatory diseases, including abscess and skin conditions. A decoction of the whole plant is used as a hair rinse. The plant is rarely used in herbalism today. Folklore    Formerly used internally in the treatment of a wide range of conditions ranging from headaches to fevers and epilepsy-Culpepper says of it: 'It is under Mercury, and is alexipharmic, sudorific, and cephalic, and useful in malignant fevers and pestilential distempers; it helps in nervous complaints, headaches, trembling, palpitations of the heart, vapours, etc. It is good in hysteric cases, and epilepsies have been cured by the use of this herb.'       Because Greek Valerian has a smell that attracts cats it was believed by witch hunters to be planted only by witches for the pleasure of their familiars. It was also used for the bites of venomous snakes and insects. Recipe Infusion: Add 1 tsp. dried root to 1 cup water steep for 10 min. take in tbls. doses throughout the day, for coughs, colds, congestion.

Mugwort

    Mugwort

Dr. Richard Alan Miller has written works on this subject, here are some of his comments when I asked him about Mugwort.

(Magical and Ritual Use series - Inner Traditions).  

"First, let me say that the chemistries in question have always been associated with the leaf-part of the plant.  Mugwort is a slightly different species than Wormwood, but of the same genus (and oils).  Mugwort has an irritant which limits the ability for deep sleep.  Hence, it’s use as a “Dream Pillow” ingredient (allowing only low alphoid activity).

From a chemistry point-of-view,  there is very little difference in where this crop is harvested.  We farm more than 10 acres in CA, and that produced in WI is essentially the same.  It does like a drier and hotter climate, but the herb grows in almost every state.  It is like Catnip, with no real cultivar variations.

This irritant, when combined with other specific chemistries, may also act as a light depressant.  This is especially true when combined with Passion Flower and Lobelia.   Tinctured, other fatty oils become involved, making it a light euphoric or aphrodisiac.  For more detail, see my titles Magical and Ritual
Use of Herbs and Magical and Ritual Use of Aphrodisiacs.  --Richard Alan Miller

Plantain  Plantago major Photo by Karen Bergeron Copyright 2008 Other Names:  Common Plantain, Broadleaf Plantain, Great Plantain, Greater Plantain, Ripple Grass, Plantago Asiatica, Waybread, Waybroad, Snakeweed, Cuckoo's Bread, Englishman's Foot, White Man's Foot, Che Qian Zi (China), Breitwegerich (German), Tanchagem-maior (Portuguese), Llantén común (Spanish), Llantén major (Spanish)

Plantain Habitat

Plantain is a perennial herb, thought to be of Eurasian origin and now naturalized throughout the world. Plantain is considered a common and noxious weed by some and a miracle plant by others.

Plantain Cultivation:

Plantain is very easy to cultivate, it succeeds in any soil and prefers a sunny position, some forms have been selected for their ornamental value. It is an important food plant for the caterpillars of many species of butterflies. Plantain grows from a short, tough rootstock or rhizome, which has a large number of long, straight, yellowish roots, is a basal, rosette of large, broadly oval, dark green, leaves. The 4 to 10 inch long smooth, thick, strong and fibrous leaves have 3 to 7 or more ribbed veins, abruptly contracting into a long, petiole (leaf stalk) which is reddish at the base. The leaf margin is of Plantain is entire, or unevenly toothed. The flower stalks, are erect, long, slender, densely-flowered spikes. Each tiny flower is brownish and bell-shaped with four stamens and purple anthers. Flowers bloom most of the summer. The fruit is a two-celled capsule and containing four to sixteen seeds. Harvest fresh young edible leaves in spring. Gather Plantain after flower spike forms, dry for later herb use.

Plantain Medicinal Properties and Herbal Use

Plantain is edible and medicinal, the young leaves are edible raw in salad or cooked as a pot herb, they are very rich in vitamin B1 and riboflavin. The herb has a long history of use as an alternative medicine dating back to ancient times. Being used as a panacea (medicinal for everything) in some cultures, one American Indian name for the plant translates to "life medicine." And recent research indicates that this name may not be far from true! The chemical analysis of Plantgo Major reveals the remarkable glycoside Aucubin. Acubin has been reported in the Journal Of Toxicology as a powerful anti-toxin. There are many more highly effective constituents in this plant including Ascorbic-acid, Apigenin, Baicalein, Benzoic-acid, Chlorogenic-acid, Citric-acid, Ferulic-acid, Oleanolic-acid, Salicylic-acid, and Ursolic-acid. The leaves and the seed are medicinal used as an antibacterial, antidote, astringent, antiinflammatory, antiseptic, antitussive, cardiac, demulcent, diuretic, expectorant, haemostatic, laxative, ophthalmic, poultice, refrigerant, and vermifuge. Medical evidence exists to confirm uses as an alternative medicine for asthma, emphysema, bladder problems, bronchitis, fever, hypertension, rheumatism and blood sugar control. A decoction of the roots is used in the treatment of a wide range of complaints including diarrhoea, dysentery, gastritis, peptic ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, haemorrhage, haemorrhoids, cystitis, bronchitis, catarrh, sinusitis, coughs, asthma and hay fever. It also causes a natural aversion to tobacco and is currently being used in stop smoking preparations. Extracts of the plant have antibacterial activity, it is a safe and effective treatment for bleeding, it quickly stops blood flow and encourages the repair of damaged tissue. The heated leaves are used as a wet dressing for wounds, skin inflammations, malignant ulcers, cuts, stings and swellings and said to promote healing without scars. Poultice of hot leaves is bound onto cuts and wounds to draw out thorns, splinters and inflammation. The root is said to be used as an anti-venom for rattlesnakes bites. Plantain seeds contain up to 30% mucilage which swells in the gut, acting as a bulk laxative and soothing irritated membranes. The seeds are used in the treatment of parasitic worms. A distilled water made from the plant makes an excellent eye lotion.

Plantain Herbal Folklore and History

Native Americans carried powdered roots of Plantain as protection against snakebites or to ward off snakes. Plantain was called Englishman's Foot or White Man's Foot as it was said to grow where ever their feet touched the ground - this is referred to in Longfellow’s 'Hiawatha.'. Some old European lore states that Plantain is effective for the bites of mad dogs, epilepsy, and leprosy. In the United States the plant was called 'Snake Weed,' from a belief in its efficacy in cases of bites from venomous creatures.

Plantain Recipes

"Medicinal"  herb tea:  For colds and flu use 1 tbls. dry or fresh whole Plantain (seed, root, and leaves) to 1 cup boiling water, steep 10 min. strain, sweeten. Drink through the day.
Healing salve: In large non-metallic pan place 1lb. of entire Plantain plant chopped, and 1 cup lard, cover, cook down on low heat till all is mushy and green. Strain while hot, cool and use for burns, insect bites, rashes, and all sores. Note: used as night cream for wrinkles.

Sassafras

Sassafras Sassafras albidum Other Names: Ague tree, Saxifrax, Cinnamonwood, Saloop, Smelling-stick Caution: May be harmful in excessive doses. The FDA has banned it from being sold for internal use. Habitat    Sassafras is a deciduous tree native to eastern North America From Maine to Ontario, south to Florida and Texas. In the North it is a shrub growing only to 7 or 8 feet, but in the Southern States it sometimes attains a height of 100 feet. Found growing in thickets, rich woods, forest openings and edges, roadsides and fence rows. Root sprouts grow vigorously and colonize the area around the main tree. The leaves are alternate, simple, with smooth margins and different in shape, some with three lobes and others with one lobe on the side looking like a mitten and some with none, turning yellow to bright red in autumn. The yellow-green fragrant flowers bloom in clusters in early spring. The fruit is a dark blue berry, about the size of a pea, in a red cup, on a red stalk, in a cluster, ripening in Aug.-Oct.. All parts of the tree are aromatic. Gather the root bark anytime, dry for later use. Properties    Sassafras was used extensively for food and medicine by Native Americans long before European settlers arrived. Sassafras bark was one of the first exports of the New World. In the southern U.S., the roots were boiled, then combined with molasses, and allowed to ferment into the first ROOT BEER. The young leaves can be added to salads and have a mild aromatic flavor.

Sassafras tea is made from the root bark, it is refreshing and tonic. The root bark and root pith are used in alternative medicine as an alterative, anodyne, antiseptic, aromatic, carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic, stimulant and vasodilator. An Infusion is used to treat gastrointestinal complaints, colds, liver and kidney ailments, rheumatism skin eruptions and as a blood purifier. The essential oil (Safrole) from the root bark is used as an antiseptic and anodyne in dentistry. The production of sassafras oil by distillation of the root and root bark is a small industry in the southeastern section of the country. Now prohibited for use as a flavoring or food additive because it is said to have carcinogenic properties, though it is less likely to cause cancer than alcohol. A sassafras tree repels mosquitoes and other insects. All parts of the tree contain essential oils and give off a pleasant spicy aroma when crushed. Folklore    Explorers and settlers associated the pleasant aroma of the tree with healing and protection from evil influences, and extracts of the bark and roots soon became a panacea elixir sought by Europeans.

Trout Lily

Trout Lily Erythronium americanum Other Names: Adder's tongue, American trout-lily, Dog's tooth violet, Serpent's Tongue, Yellow Adder's-tongue, Yellow fawn-lily, Yellow Snowdrop  Caution!  Trout Lily can be strongly emetic  in some people (which means it makes you throw up a lot). Habitat      A North American native perennial found growing in damp, open woodlands from New Brunswick to Florida and west to Ontario and Arkansas. Cultivation: a member of the Lily family Trout Lily is cultivated by seed or transplanting of the bulb or corm in fall. Prefers slightly acid well-drained soil, plenty of humus and requires semi-shade. The root is a deeply buried, bulb-like corm, light brown, about 1 inch long, and solid with white starchy flesh. Two or three leaf blades grow from the base and are about 3 inches tall, oblong, smooth, dark green, with purplish mottling, and about 1 inch wide. The slender stem is 3 to 4 inches long and leafless. The flowers of Trout Lily can be bright white or creamy colored to bright yellow it is about 3 inches across, lily-like and drupes with the six petals folded upwards. It blooms in April and May. Gather edible fresh leaves, bulbs and flowers in spring and root in summer to fall. Dry root for later medicinal herb use. Properties      Edible and medicinal, the whole Trout Lily plant is used as fresh salad additives, flowers are tasty, or cooked as a pot herb. Trout Lily is used in alternative medicine as contraceptive, diuretic, emetic, emollient, febrifuge, stimulant. Plant constituents include alph-methylene-butyrolactone which has antimutagenic activity. This chemical prevents cell mutation and may prove to be a valuable weapon in fighting all cancers. The leaves and bulb are crushed and used to dress wounds and reduce swellings, for scrofula and other skin problems. A medicinal tea made from the root and leaf is said to reduce fever and fainting, tea also taken for ulcers, tumors and swollen glands. Folklore  It is said that the Cherokee Indians would chew the root and spite it in the water to make fish bite. The young women of one tribe ate the raw plant in large quantities to prevent conception, probably due to the fact they were too busy vomiting!

Violet

Photo by Karen Bergeron Copyright 2000

Violet Viola odorata Other Names: Ordinary violet, Common blue violet, Sweet violet, Garden violet Habitat    Violets are European perennials. They are now naturalized throughout North America, and can be found growing in most any soil or situation. Cultivation Violets are easily cultivated through root cuttings or seeds. With over 900 species, plant identification to the exact is an expertise in itself. However all have practically the same medicinal and edible herb values. Description The heart shaped leaves often with scalloped or slightly serrated edges are dark green, smooth or sometimes downy underneath, and grow in a rosette at the base of the plant. Roots are creeping and send out runners. Depending on soil and light the flowers may be from deep purple or blue to pinkish or even yellow whitish. All have 5 petals, which may have a yellow (fur) or beard on the inside of two of the petals, blooming from March to June. Gather flowers in full bloom, leaves anytime, and rootstock in fall. Dry root for later use.

Properties   Medicinal and edible, the flowers and leaves of viola are made into a syrup used in alternative medicine mainly for respiratory ailments associated with congestion, coughing, and sore throat. Flowers are also edible and used as food additives for instance in salad, made into jelly, and candied for decoration. Large doses of the root contain an alkaloid called violine which is emetic (causing vomiting). A decoction made from the root (dry herb) is used as a laxative. Tea made from the entire plant is used to treat digestive disorders and new research has detected the presence of a glycoside of salicylic acid (natural aspirin) which substantiates its use for centuries as a medicinal remedy for headache, body pains and as a sedative. The plants constituents are being studied and show these uses to be valid. Eugenol, Ferulic-acid, Kaempferol, Quercetin, Scopoletin, also show promise in the treatment of many kinds of cancer, arthritis, AIDS, gum disease and more. Used externally the fresh crushed leaves reduce swelling and soothe irritations. As a bath additive the fresh crushed flowers are soothing to the skin and the aroma is very relaxing. Folklore   The Ancient Greeks considered the Violet a symbol of fertility and love, they used it in love potions. Pliny recommended that a garland of them be worn about the head to ward off headaches and dizzy spells. Recipes Syrup: Pour 1 pint of boiling water over 1 cup packed, of fresh crushed flowers and leaves cover and let stand for 12 hours. Strain and squeeze through cloth, add 2 lb. of sugar and boil for 1 hour or until syrupy. Store in glass jar. Give 1 tbs. -1 tsp. for children 2 or 3 times a day. Tea: Steep ¼ cup dried or fresh herb in 1 cup of water for 10 min. stain, flavor to taste. Take in ½ cup doses twice a day.

Wood Betony

Wood Betony Pedicularis canadensis Other Names:  Betony, Canadian Lousewort, Common Lousewort, Lousewort, Wood Betony, American Lousewort

Habitat     Perennial herb, native to eastern North America from Nova Scotia to Manitoba, south to northern Mexico and east to Florida. Growing in moist open woods, thickets, along roadsides and clearings. Cultivation: Wood Betony is a member of the figwort family (Scrophulariaceae), difficult to cultivate, some reports say that it is a semi- parisic plant. It requires a moist well-drained soil and a partially shaded to sunny area. A low growing hairy plant 5 to 14 inches tall with up to five erect unbranched stems in a clump. A broad whorl of tubular, hooded flowers tops each stem, 10-20 flowers form a cluster. Flowers are about an inch long, may be pale yellow, yellow, red, or even a mixture of the two. Leaves are soft and hairy, alternate, mostly basal, and from 3 to 5 inches long. Leaf blades are fern-like and pinnately dissected, often tinted red. Upper leaves are about an inch long. Gather entire plant, as flowers bloom, dry for later herb use.

Properties:  Wood Betony is a medicinal and edible herb. It was much used by Native Americans and prized for it’s medicinal and aphrodisiac qualities. Leaves and stems are cooked as pot herb. The active constituents in the plant are betaine, betulinic-acid, caffeic-acid, chlorogenic-acid, harpagide, rosmarinic-acid, and tannin. As an alternative medicine it is an emmenagogue , anodyne, anti-tumor, aphrodisiac, blood tonic, cardiac, poultice, stomachic. A medicinal infusion of the roots is used as blood tonic, cardiac for anemia and heart troubles and to treat stomach aches, ulcers, and bloody diarrhea. A medicinal poultice of the crushed root is applied to swellings, sore muscles, varicose veins, and tumors. The roots are finely grated and added to food as an aphrodisiac. A medicinal infusion of the fresh leaves or dried herb has been used to treat a sore throat, tonsillitis, cough and bronchitis. Infusion also used to treat headaches, dizziness, urinary, bladder and kidney pain. Wash or dip in a strong decoction is used to rid animals and people of lice and scabies.

Folklore     Indian Love Medicine, the root was carried by a person who was contemplating making love advances. One tribe chopped the root and added it to feed to make a pony fat and vicious to all but its owner. Early Europeans believed that cattle, feeding on lousewort, became covered with lice.

Recipe

"Medicinal" tea: To 1 cup water add 1 tbls. dried herb, bring to boil, steep 10 min. strain, sweeten to taste, drink warm at bed time.

Article by Deb Jackson & Karen Bergeron

Bloodroot

Bloodroot

(Sanguinaria canadensis) Also called redroot, bloodroot grows in eastern woodlands, often together with Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) and Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum). Valued for its root, bloodroot has been used historically to reduce tumors. Research focusing on its role in cancer reduction is underway. Also, the main plant extract has been incorporated into toothpaste and mouthwash for years due to its ability to reduce plaque and gingivitis.
Cultivation: Although the plant is chiefly wildcrafted, cultivation is being attempted on a small-scale, experimental basis.

Blue Cohosh

Blue Cohosh

(Caulophyllum thalictroides) Named for its bluish stem, blue cohosh is another eastern woodland native that enjoys rich moist soils. Wildcrafted for its root, it is increasingly popular as a remedy for menstrual disorders. Also, studies have shown the plant extract inhibits the implantation of a fertilized egg. Further research is needed to determine this plant's potential as a contraceptive.
Cultivation: Cultivation is being attempted on a small-scale, experimental basis.

Cascara Sagrada

Cascara Sagrada

(Frangula purshiana) Cascara sagrada, the bark of a particular type of buckthorn tree, is a strong laxative. It has a long history of use, and was given its name, meaning sacred bark, because of its medicinal virtues.
Today, cascara is marketed in everything from "miracle weight-loss" formulas to general "cleansing" formulas. Although many professional herbalists and herb users find cascara to be very useful in a limited set of circumstances, most will agree that such a level of over-marketing does not represent wise use of natural resources. Although careful, sustainable harvesting of this bark (or virtually any other bark) is not difficult, improper methods of harvesting can kill a tree while taking only a small amount of the bark, leaving the rest to go to waste and destroying a tree which was years in the growing.

Devil's Club

Devil's Club

Photo by Nan Vance, US Forest Service
(Oplopanax horridus) This member of the ginseng family gets its name from its thorny appearance. It is sometimes confused in the literature with its eastern cousin, Aralia spinosa, also known as devil's club or devil's walking stick. Oplopanax has a tradition of use among the Tlingit, Kwaikiutl, Skagit, and many other nations within its range. It has been used as a blood purifier, pain reliever, tonic, and digestive aid.
It is marketed for these same properties, as well as being used for controlling blood sugar levels. At present, it is not an extremely popular herb, but its popularity and knowledge of its use is growing. The plant is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental, but is mostly harvested commercially from the wild. It is found primarily in mature or old growth forests, and so is sensitive to habitat loss as these forests are disturbed or clearcut for timber.
Cultivation: Devil's club is a fairly slow-sprouting plant, sometimes taking 18 months to germinate. It can be propagated vegetatively, by layering, and also self-propagates through root-crown sprouting. Oplopanax prefers clay or loam soil, with poor drainage, ample shade, and copious water. The soil in which it grows best is rich and has a low pH. Devil's club grows naturally at high elevations or in northern latitudes, but can be cultivated elsewhere.

Echinacea

Echinacea

(Echinacea spp.) Also known as purple coneflower, this genus has 9 species, 3 of which have been commercially cultivated (E. angustifolia, E. pallida, and E. purpurea). Prairie natives, they are drought-tolerant, with long taproots.
E. tennesseensis and E. laevigata are protected under the Endangered Species Act, and their use is prohibited. Sometimes, the other less common species such as E. atrorubens and E. paradoxa are harvested and sold as E. angustifolia. Approximately 95 percent of the E. purpurea used for commercial purposes comes from cultivated sources. Roots, stems, and leaves of echinacea are used in formulas to help build the immune system.

Eyebright

Eyebright

(Euphrasia spp.) A meadow plant growing in a range of soils, eyebright produces small white or purple flowers. The plant is collected when in full flower, and cut off just above the root. It is used to improve sight and to aid in curing other eye diseases. An annual, eyebright is partially parasitic on grasses. It likes extra nitrogen, which may cause it to favor pasture land.
The plant is chiefly collected from the wild. The impact of collection on wild populations is unknown, although concern for the sustainability of this plant is growing. If collected carefully, cutting the tops and leaving a few leaves, eyebright can send out side shoots, flower, and still produce seed during the growing season.

American Ginseng

American Ginseng

(Panax quinquefolius) Also referred to as 'sang, ginseng grows in eastern hardwood forests, where it requires at least 5 years to reach reproductive maturity. Its popularity with consumers has driven the price of roots up, and raised concern about sustainability of the wild plant in its natural habitat.
Most of the ginseng consumed in the U.S. is commercially cultivated. However the popularity of wild roots in Asia encourages poaching of wild plants from public and private lands in the United States. International trade in American ginseng has been regulated since 1975 to protect wild populations.

Lomatium

Lomatium

(Lomatium dissectum) Lomatium dissectum is a member of the parsley family growing in semi-arid climates in the northwest. Its large root has given it the name "biscuit root." This plant has traditionally been used to fight many infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis.
Today, wildcrafted lomatium is a part of many herbal formulas for relieving common colds and the flu. Although lomatium is abundant in some areas, concern has been raised over this plant for a number of reasons. First is the fact that the lomatium in commerce is almost exlusively wildcrafted. At present, no one is cultivating lomatium on a commercial scale. In addition to this, the life cycle of lomatium is not well known, and it has been hypothesized that some of the large commercially harvested roots might be many, many years old. Since lomatium does not reproduce asexually, and only a very small percentage of its seeds ever germinate, this extremely long life span would mean that sustainable harvest of the root would be limited to a very small portion of the species population.
Cultivation: Not well understood at present. In the wild Lomatium dissectum grows on rocky slopes, frequently facing south, in semi-arid areas. Probably requires a warm period followed by a cold season and then another warm period.

Oregon Grape

Oregon Grape

(Mahonia aquifolium) This plant gets its common name from the fact that its blue berries somewhat resemble clusters of grapes, and the fact that it is native to the northwestern states and adjacent parts of Canada. This shrub is popular as an ornamental, and is very adaptable in terms of where it will grow. The root of mahonia is traditionally used for a variety of skin conditions, inflammations, and infections.
Today, as more people become concerned with the status of wild goldenseal, many consumers and natural product companies are turning to Oregon grape as an alternative, since it has many of the same properties and, in processed form, looks similar. Concern has been expressed that the harvesting practices once visited upon goldenseal might be repeated on Oregon grape.
Although all parts of Oregon grape root are medicinal, the root bark is sometimes harvested exclusively, and the rest of the plant is discarded. It is important to be aware that, even with plants that are not endangered or extraordinarily sensitive, ethical wildcrafting practices should always be observed.

Osha

Osha

(Ligusticum porteri) Osha is a member of the parsley family, and inhabits dry meadows in the West. It is traditionally used as a purifying tonic, and is a part of some Native American ceremonies. Modern clinical use of osha includes employing it as a decongestant, and a tonic for the respiratory and upper digestive systems.
Like some other wild members of this family, osha is difficult to cultivate, and so most (if not all) of the commercially available osha is taken from the wild. Because the plants do not reproduce freely, and because the root is the part of the plant taken, stands of osha that are harvested from will diminish in size unless the harvest is done in a very careful, precise way.
Cultivation: Osha is probably best cultivated by assisting propagation in existing (wild) stands. Seeds can be germinated by freezing, then planting in a cold frame, but will generally not thrive or survive under cultivated conditions, apparently requiring some specific combination of soil type/chemistry, weather, and sunlight.

Pink Lady's Slipper

Pink Lady's Slipper

(Cypripedium acaule) Pink lady's slipper is a large, showy wildflower belonging to the orchid family. The root of lady's slipper has traditionally been used as a remedy for nervousness, tooth pain, and muscle spasms. In the 1800's and 1900's it (and other species of the genus) were widely used as a substitute for the European plant valerian (also a sedative).
Because this plant has an extremely long life cycle, taking many years to go from seed to mature, seed-bearing plant, and because it will grow only in very specific circumstances, the harvest of wild lady's slipper root is often not sustainable. Cultivation is challenging, and the plant has not been widely grown for the medicinal herb market. Cypripedium, along with other orchid species, is listed in Appendix II of CITES, making it illegal to export any part of the plant without a permit. In 1988, the American Herbal Products Association issued a self-regulatory initiative for its members requiring them to refrain from trade in wild-harvested Cypripedium.
Today, there are only a few companies selling lady's slipper or products containing lady's slipper. The plant is still occasionally gathered from the wild for private use by individuals, and is sometimes picked as an ornamental. Perhaps the greatest threat to this plant, however, is habitat loss, since it grows only in a very selective habitat
Cultivation: Pink lady's slipper grows in calcium-containing soils, in forested areas. It has thus far proven nearly impossible to cultivate in a way that would make it feasible as a cash crop. It requires that certain fungal mycelia be present in the soil, so it is almost necessary to grow it in a forested area which either does contain wild lady's slipper, or is at least the type of environment where it is normally found. Usually this means a wet forest area, with dappled shade. Success has been reported in growing lady's slippers in a controlled laboratory environment, but the cost of this generally makes it unprofitable as a medicinal herb.

Spikenard

Spikenard

(Aralia racemosa) Aralia racemosa shares the common name "spikenard" with several other medicinal plants, some of which are related and some of which are not. This plant is a member of the Aralia family, which includes the ginsengs as well as ivy. Among the tribes of eastern North America, the spicy root of spikenard has known many uses, most commonly as a blood purifier.
Today, it is sold primarily for these same properties, usually as an ingredient in herbal formulas. Spikenard populations in the wild face not only the pressure of harvesting (and sometimes over-harvesting), but also habitat loss due to development, logging, strip mining, and the clearing of land for farming. Like many other woodland plants, spikenard thrives only in a limited set of circumstances, so such pressures are all the more urgent. Furthermore, spikenard does not have the widespread recognition that ginseng has, although it faces many of the same problems.
Cultivation: Spikenard prefers rich, acidic soils with moist soil and good drainage, and partial to full shade. It thrives on woodland slopes and near the edges of woods. The rootstock is harvested in fall, after the berries have ripened and the leaves have begun to fade. The plant is not mature enough to harvest until after it has produced berries, which is often in the third or fourth year but may take longer.

Stoneroot

Stoneroot

(Collinsonia canadensis) Stoneroot is a member of the mint family, and gets its name from its extremely hard, dense, and slow-growing rhizome. Among the Iroquois and other nations of the East, the roots of this plant have a tradition of use as a stimulating remedy for ailments of the heart and kidneys, as well as for general listlessness. The leaves and root of the plant have been applied externally as an anti-inflamatory, while the leaves have been taken internally to induce vomiting. Stoneroot was once common as an herbal remedy. A manual from the early 1900s recommends it for a wide range of complaints, such as "Minister's sore throat, heart disease, diseases of the kidneys, chronic gastritis..." and a host of other conditions. It was never widely cultivated, and over-harvesting may have led to extirpation in some areas.
Today, stoneroot is not one of the most commonly seen botanicals on the health-food store shelves. Its tonic properties and historical usage, however, might lead to its being "rediscovered" some day, and this could quickly lead to a popular demand far beyond what could be wildcrafted in an ethical manner.
Cultivation: Stoneroot is not difficult to cultivate, and is sometimes grown as an ornamental. Growing it as a crop is more difficult, since it takes a long time to produce enough rhizome to make growing and harvest profitable. Seed is best sown outdoors in late fall or early spring, in a coldframe or covered flat. The plant will germinate in 8-10 weeks, and may bloom from July through September. The seedlings should be planted out when it is large enough to handle. Stoneroot thrives in areas of dappled shade and moist, acidic soil. It grows well among shallow-rooted trees such as maples. The root can be harvested in the second or third year, or later.

White Sage

White Sage

White sage is primarily used as an incense, and is burned to give a general sense of well-being as well as to drive away specific ailments. Several species are called "sage" and burned in this fashion, most of them in the mugwort genus. Salvia apiana, however, is a true sage, closely related to the sage used in cooking.
White sage is not an especially rare plant within its range (which is mostly within the state of California), but it is endemic to one particular area and is not found elsewhere. Because white sage favors open spaces of the same sort that buildings often grow in, and because much of its range is located near populous areas, there is some pressure from development. Additionally, white sage is extensively harvested from the wild, and there is some concern that the rate at which the plant grows might not be sufficient to keep up with the popular demand

Wild Indigo

Wild Indigo

Photo copyright 2000 www.stevenfoster.com
(Baptisia tinctoria) Among the Cherokee and Iroquois, wild indigo is a traditional remedy for various sorts of pain, as well as for ailments of the liver and venereal disease. Among the Eclectic Physicians of the 18th and early 19th centuries, the plant was esteemed as a remedy in cases of intermittent fevers, typhus, and dysentery. Modern research has found that this plant stimulates the immune system. Although wild indigo is not extremely rare or extremely popular, it is uncommon in some parts of its range. If research into this plant makes it a popular remedy as it did for echinacea, there is a real possibility that wild indigo may disappear from these parts of its range.
Cultivation: Wild indigo thrives in dry open areas with a little shade. The beans can be sown after the last frost, or the plant can be sprouted indoors in flats and transplanted. The plants should be grown at least 24" apart. It does not tolerate frost well. The root is harvested after the fruits ripen and the plant begins to die, generally in September of the second year but possibly earlier, depending on the climate. It thrives best in southern states with a long growing season.