Meadowsweet is a fragrant flowering herb that grows in damp meadows, riverbanks, and moist woodland edges. Its creamy-white flower clusters smell sweet and almond-like, which makes its old common name, “queen of the meadow,” feel very well earned. Meadowsweet (Filipendula…
Elderflower is the creamy-white flower of the elder shrub, traditionally gathered in late spring when the blossoms are fragrant, airy, and just dramatic enough to make herbalists stop mid-walk. Elderflower (Sambucus nigra) Traditional Uses of Elderflower Respiratory Comfort: Elderflower has…
Dandelion leaf is the familiar green part of the dandelion plant, often unfairly accused of being “just a weed.” Herbalists, however, have long appreciated it as a useful spring green, bitter tonic, and mineral-rich leaf for everyday wellness. Dandelion Leaf…
This bright green culinary herb has been traditionally used to support digestion, urinary flow, fresh breath, and everyday mineral-rich nourishment. Herbalists use parsley leaf most often, though parsley root and seed also appear in traditional herbal practice. The leaf is…
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…
Dandelion root is the deep taproot of the familiar yellow-flowered plant that many people call a weed and herbalists call “free medicine trying very hard to get your attention.” In traditional herbalism, dandelion root is used mainly as a bitter…
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…
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…
Hibiscus is a bright, tart, ruby-red herb best known as a refreshing tea. In herbalism, the part most often used is not the showy flower petal, but the fleshy red calyx that surrounds the seed pod of Hibiscus sabdariffa. That…
Fennel is a fragrant, sweet, anise-like herb in the carrot family. In herbalism, the “seeds” used in tea and cooking are technically the dried fruits of the fennel plant. They are small, aromatic, and surprisingly hardworking for something that looks…
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…
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…
