Aloe vera is a thick-leaved succulent best known for the clear gel inside its leaves. That gel has been traditionally used to cool, soothe, and moisturize the skin, especially after sun, heat, dryness, or minor everyday irritation. Aloe is simple-looking,…
Sage is a strongly aromatic Mediterranean herb with soft gray-green leaves and a long history in both kitchens and herbal traditions. Herbalists have traditionally used sage for oral and throat comfort, digestion, sweating, and cognitive wellness. It is warm, drying,…
Yarrow is a hardy, aromatic wildflower with delicate, fern-like leaves and flat clusters of tiny white or pale pink flowers. Herbalists have traditionally used yarrow for digestion, skin support, menstrual comfort, and seasonal wellness. It has a slightly bitter, aromatic…
Burdock root is a long, earthy taproot from a sturdy biennial plant in the Asteraceae family. In Japan, it is known as gobo and is eaten as a vegetable. In Western herbalism and traditional systems, burdock root is valued as…
Green tea is one of the world’s most studied herbal beverages. It is made from Camellia sinensis leaves that are quickly heated after harvest to limit oxidation, helping preserve their green color, fresh flavor, catechins, and delicate aroma. Green Tea…
Plantain leaf is one of those humble backyard herbs that many people step over without realizing they are walking past a classic herbal ally. The leaves of Plantago major and Plantago lanceolata have been traditionally used in Western herbalism for…
Licorice root is a sweet, earthy root with a long history in Western herbalism, Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and traditional European medicine. It is famous for its naturally sweet taste, which comes largely from glycyrrhizin, a compound many times sweeter…
Holy basil, also known as tulsi, is a fragrant member of the mint family with a long history of use in Ayurveda and household herbal traditions. It is not the same as sweet basil used in Italian cooking, though the…
Rosehip is the small red-orange fruit-like part that forms after a rose flower has been pollinated and the petals fall away. Technically, it is not a true fruit in the simple botanical sense, but in everyday herbal life, it behaves…
Marshmallow root is the soft, soothing root of Althaea officinalis, a perennial plant in the mallow family. It is rich in mucilage, a slippery plant compound that becomes gel-like when mixed with water. In herbalism, marshmallow root is one of…
Turmeric is the deep golden-orange rhizome of a tropical plant in the ginger family. It has been used for centuries in food, traditional herbal preparations, and cultural wellness practices across South Asia and beyond. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) Traditional uses of…
Cinnamon is the aromatic inner bark of trees in the Cinnamomum genus. It is one of the most familiar kitchen spices in the world, but in traditional herbalism it is also valued as a warming digestive herb, aromatic circulatory stimulant,…
Nettle is a deeply nourishing green herb with a personality that is both generous and slightly prickly. Fresh nettle leaves are covered in tiny stinging hairs, but once dried, cooked, or properly prepared, the sting disappears and the plant becomes…
Ginger is the warming, spicy rhizome of a tropical plant in the Zingiberaceae family. It has been used for centuries in food, tea, traditional herbal practice, and household wellness routines, especially when the body needs warmth, digestive support, and a…
