PRESENTATION: Ten Medicinal Herbs for the Homestead
PLANT
BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS
CHAMOMILE (German)
Matricaria recutita
Anthemis nobilis (Roman)
‘earth apple’
Annual re-seeder
Double flowered cultivar
COMFREY
Symphytum officinale
“Knit-bone”
Perennial
Large leaves
Long taproot
Prefers sun and moist
Sterile but roots easily grow back
Can be cut several times during
season
MINT
Mentha spp.
Peppermint – M. piperita
Spearmint – M. spicata
Many cultivars
THYME
Thymus vulgare;
Many cultivars:
Lemon thyme
Perennial
Aggressive (stolons)
Moist/ part shade
Will hybridize
SAGE
Salvia officinalis
Latin – salvere ‘to save’
Several cultivars
Perennial;
Prefers hot, sunny, dry
Propagate by layering
*Harvest intensive; large amount needed
for regular use.
Evergreen perennial
Prefers hot, sunny, dry
Very small leaves
Easy to propagate by layering
USES
Teas
Anti-anxiety; sleep promoting
Anti-inflammatory; anti-spasmodic
Useful for babies/children
Green Manure/Mulch
Compost activator
Dynamic accumulator
Attracts bees
Allantoin: Repairs cells: skin, sprains,
burns
The new “elixir of life”
*Currently used in face creams
Aromatic; used as base for herbal teas
Soothes digestive upsets
Cooling and useful as a decongestant
steam
Repels pests; attracts beneficial insects
Aromatic; Culinary seasoning & tea
Volatile oil contains thymol –
Strong antiseptic
Anti-fungal
Great for cleaning products
Aromatic; Culinary
Antibiotic; anti-fungal
Astringent; Antispasmodic
Sue Kusch ~ www.thewitheredherb.com
CONTRAINDICATION
Do not use EOs during
pregnancy & lactation.
Possible drug interactions.
Can cause contact
dermatitis.
For EXTERNAL USE ONLY
*Contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids
See www.comfreycentral.org
Do not give mint to babies
under 1 year.
Avoid therapeutic doses
during pregnancy.
Avoid therapeutic doses
during pregnancy.
Contains thujone; can
trigger epileptic seizures.
GARLIC
Allium sativum
Var. ophioscorodon
Annual
Hard /soft neck
Plant in the fall
Culinary (cloves & scapes)
Anti: bacterial, viral, fungal
Possible cardiovascular benefit
CALENDULA
Calendual officinalis
L. = ‘little calender’
Annual re-seeder
Deadhead for continual bloom
Medicine is the resin in the
flowers
Bees love the flowers
Endemic to North America
Up to 3 -5 ft tall/wide;
Aggressive -stolons
Mid-late summer bloom; pick
leaves before flowering
Attracts hummers, native bees
and butterflies
Anti: viral, inflammatory
Anti-tumor
Skin conditions: acne, inflammation
Culinary: soup, salads
Cheese coloring
Culinary use; leaves are like spicy
oregano
Contains thymol – antiseptic
Nervine: relaxing tea
Anti-bacterial (esp. yeast infections &
UTIs)
Anti-inflammatory; anesthetic
Useful as tea for gastric upsets, colds
and flu
Excellent for burn treatment
Used in indigenous medicine
Culinary; delicious sun tea & seasoning
for chicken, fish, veggies, salads
Nervine: relaxing, promotes sleep
Cooling, soothing for teething children
Anti-viral: esp. with herpes simplex
virus
(cold sores, shingles, chicken pox)
May normalize thyroid function
Rub on skin for mosquito repellant
BEE BALM
Monarda fistulosa;
M. didyma (red)
Oswego tea
Our native spice
* No honeybees!
LEMON BALM
Melissa officinalis
Perennial
3 ft. tall
Blooms June-Sept.
Full sun/midday shade/dryish
Can be aggressive
Use leaves; snip flowers to
maintain leaf production
Bees adore it!
Sue Kusch ~ www.thewitheredherb.com
Therapeutic doses can inc.
risk of bleeding, can
interfere with
pharmaceuticals and
should not be used during
pregnancy & lactation.
Should not be used in
medicinal doses during
pregnancy.
Can affect some thyroid
medication
GOLDENROD
Solidago Canadensis
Blue Mountain Tea
Liberty Tea
State flower for Kentucky
& Nebraska
Perennial native – over 100
species
3-6 ft. tall; lanky
Full/partial sun
Aggressive – rhizomes
Supports a variety of
wildlife/pollinators; often last
nectar source
Some people can develop
allergies to the flower.
* Not responsible for
ragweed allergy
RED CLOVER
Trifolium pratense
National flower of
Denmark
Herbaceous Perennial
Nitrogen fixer
1-2 ft tall
Full/partial sun
Red flowers in early summer
7 times more antioxidants than green
tea
Astringent & antiseptic; specific to
urinary system (tones & tightens
tissues)
Used for seasonal & cat dander allergic
reactions
Used in salves for muscular soreness
Useful for cold/flu symptoms
Anti-fungal – specifically Candida
fungus
Historical use for wound & burn
healing
Culinary use
Antibacterial: for bacterial infections
Useful in cleaning products
Anti-inflammatory; antioxidants
Astringent
Gargle/mouthwash for fresh breath
Cognitive Stimulant;
Calming, mood improver; relieves
tension headaches
Aromatic/carminative: digestive aid
Repels insects
Excellent green manure
Supports bumblebees
Contains phytoestrogens
Culinary: nutritional flowers & leaves
Cultivated for fodder
ROSEMARY
Rosemary officinale
L.=’dew of the sea’
Rose of Mary
Many cultivars
Woody perennial
Needs little water
Can grow into large 6-7 foot
bushes/hedges in Zone 7+
WILDCRAFTED PLANTS
STINGING NETTLE
Urtica dioica; U. urens
BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS
USES
Perennial & aggressive in right
Culinary: rich in minerals & vitamins &
environment
protein (spring tonic)
CONTRAINDICATION
Stinger hairs on leaves
cause an immediate
Sue Kusch ~ www.thewitheredherb.com
Contraindicated for those
with intestinal
inflammatory conditions
Avoid use with insomnia
Can aggravate constipation
Contraindicated for
estrogen-related cancers,
coagulation disorders.
3-6 feet tall
Prefer moist soil in full or partial
sun
Attracts beneficial insects;
Multiple medicinal uses:
Astringent; anti-histamine; circulatory
stimulant
Yellow dye from roots & textile fibers
Compost activator
OREGON GRAPE ROOT
Evergreen shrub; native to
Blue-black berries – edible but very
Mahonia aquifolium; M.
western NA.
tart/gives a purple dye
nervosa
1 ft tall; up to 5 ft wide
Leaves are used in floristry
Oregon State Flower
Carefree landscape
Contains alkaloid berberine:
UPS To-Watch List
Anti: inflammatory, bacterial
YARROW
Perennial; spreads by rhizomes
Hemostat: used topically for cuts &
Achillea millefolium
Full sun
wounds
Staunchweed
Astringent
Soldier’s Woundwort
Diaphoretic: Used for colds & flu
ST JOHN’S WORT
Perennial; spreads by rhizomes & Used for mild depression
Hypericum perforatum
seeds
Topical nervine for shingles &
Considered noxious and
1-3 ft tall
neuropathy (can cause photo
invasive in many countries Small translucent dots in leaves
sensitivity)
and states
Flowers leave red stain
Anti-bacterial
Anti-inflammatory
ELDERBERRY
Perennial tree/shrub up to 30
Flowers:
Sambucus Canadensis/S.
feet
o Anti-viral
nigra
Tiny white flowers in June;
o Topically anti-inflammatory
“Medicine chest of the
purple black berries Aug-Oct
Berries:
country people”
o Anti-viral
burning sensation.
Avoid use during
pregnancy.
Avoid large doses during
pregnancy.
DO NOT take with
pharmaceuticals. Speeds
up liver metabolism &
decreases absorption
Sambucus racemosa (red
berries) can be toxic.
Twigs, roots and leaves
contain cyanide-inducing
glycoside
RESOURCES
Gladstar, Rosemary
Grieve, Maude
HerbMentor.com
(Book) Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide
A Modern Herbal - http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/comindx.html
Membership website with an abundance of information for beginning herbalists
Mountain Rose Herbs
Organic Herb Seeds
www.mountainroseherbs.com (certified organic herbs and spices)
www.horizonherbs.com
Sue Kusch ~ www.thewitheredherb.com