Schizandra, the Five-Flavored Berry energy tonic
Schizandra has been called “…one of the 50 fundamental herbs of Chinese medicine” by Stephen Buhner and is considered an excellent tonic and restorative on many levels. Schizandra is native to many parts of Asia, has numerous cousins, and has been traditionally used...
Gotu-kola – tonic rejuvinator for the memory, and more!
Gotu kola – Centella asiatica, Hydrocotyle asiatica This plant of the Apiaceae (parsley) family likes a moist, watery environment, and in its native India, Sri Lanka, Australia, China, Japan and South Africa, finds accommodating conditions for growth. Gotu kola has...
Lemon Balm, Sweet Melissa
Lemon balm is very attractive to bees. It’s botanical name Melissa means “bee” in Latin, and it has been cultivated for over 2,000 years as a bee plant. I have a whole bed of it in my garden. There is a curious concoction dating from around the early seventeenth...
Calendula, merry and gold
Calendula officinalis – Calendula, Marigold, Pot Marigold, “calends” (Latin) Sunshine as the face of a flower, that’s Calendula. Till the clouds come out. Then she folds her petals, protecting like a collar turned up on a windy day. Calendula is a sturdy...
Making Chickweed Oil
Chickweed is very useful for cooling all types of inflammations.
Fragrant Red Root, Ceanothus
Red Root – Ceanothus americanus, C. spp. This plant has sometimes been called New Jersey Tea (never in Idaho, though), and it’s also called Buckbrush. In my region, Buckbrush leaves are shiny and very fragrant and the flowers are like frothy foam. It is a member of...
CAT’S CLAW – Uncaria tomentosa – also known as Uña de Gato
Native to Central and South America, indigenous people of the Amazon region have used Cat’s Claw for millennia, for conditions such as arthritis, bone pain, cirrhosis, dysentery, and shingles, to name a few. Similar species of Uncaria are used in China for central...
Japanese Knotweed root – Polygonum cuspidatum
Stephen Buhner calls this plant “a world-class invasive” and observes that many invasive species plants are useful for treating diseases. Japanese Knotweed (also called Bushy Knotweed) is a source of resveratrol and has a broad range of actions. It is especially...