Common Name: English Plantain
Scientific Name: Plantago lanceolata
General: 10-23 inches. Common in
waste places and yards.
Flowers: Tiny whitish flowers on a
short cylindrical head. Flower parts
indistinguishable.
Leaves: Basal leaves are long and
narrow. Leaves have 3 ribs.
Medicinal Uses: Leaves are applied to
blisters, sores and stings. Tea is used to
treat coughs and diarrhea.
Common Name: Common Plantain
Scientific Name: Plantago major
General: 6-18 inches. Common in
waste places and yards.
Flowers: Tiny white-green flowers on a
slender head. Flower parts
indistinguishable.
Leaves: Basal leaves are broad and oval.
Medicinal Uses: Leaves are applied to
blisters, sores and insect bites. Tea is
used to treat coughs and diarrhea.
Common Name: Dandelion
Scientific Name: Taraxacum officinale
General: 2-18 inches. Common in
lawns and roadsides
Flowers: A head of many yellow
flowers.
Leaves: Basal leaves that have large
teeth. This is the origin of the name teeth of lion.
Medicinal Uses: Roots and young
leaves used to stimulate liver and kidney
function. Weak antibiotic against yeast.
Common Name: Purple Dead Nettle
Scientific Name: Lamium purpureum
General: 5-20 cm. Common in lawns
and roadsides
Flowers: purple, irregular flowers in
whorls of 3-6 on upper leaves
Leaves: Opposite, toothed leaves on
square stem.
Medicinal Uses: Fresh leaves used as
an astringent, styptic and tonic. Tea used
as a laxative and tonic.
Common Name: Common Chickweed
Scientific Name: Stellaria media
General: prostate plant
Flowers: white with 5 divided petals
that give the appearance of 10 petals
Leaves: Opposite, entire, lower leaves
petiolate, upper sessile
Medicinal Uses: Used externally to
treat rheumatic pains, wounds and ulcers
as well as for the relief of itching.
Common Name: Curly Dock
Scientific Name: Rumex crispus
General: 1-5 feet. Common in fields
and roadsides.
Flowers: Flowers are small and green in
branching whorls. Seed has a heartshaped wing.
Leaves: Large, lance-shaped, alternate
leaves with wavy margins.
Medicinal Uses: Fried roots are used
for chronic skin diseases, rheumatism,
liver ailments and sore throats.
Contains anthraquinones which kill
fungi.
Common Name: Wild Garlic/Onion
Scientific Name: Allim sativum
General: Plant is 1-3 feet.
Flowers: Small whitish flowers in a
small cluster on a leafless stalk.
Leaves: Basal leaves long and very
narrow with a strong onion smell.
Medicinal Uses: Juice from leaves and
bulb are anti-fungal, antibacterial and
anti-worm.
Common Name: Red Clover
Scientific Name: Trifolium pratense
General: Large clover, common in fields
and roadsides.
Flowers: Rounded heads of red, pealike flowers.
Leaves: Three leaflets per leave, each
with a prominent V mark.
Medicinal Uses: Used as wash for
sores, burns and ulcers. Used as a tea
for coughs, bronchitis and asthma.
Common Name: Yarrow
Scientific Name: Achillea millefolium
General: 1-3 feet high
Flowers: Small, white, 5-petaled flowers
arranged in a flat cluster.
Leaves: Leaves are alternate and very
finely divided giving them a lacy
appearance.
Medicinal Uses: Teas from the whole
plant are used to treat cold and flue
symptoms and indigestion. Fresh herb is
used to stop bleeding and sooth cuts
and bruises.
Common Name: Chicory
Scientific Name: Cichorium intybus
General: 2-4 feet. Common on
roadsides.
Flowers: Blue flowers with square
tipped rays. This is a cluster of many
flowers that appear as one.
Leaves: Lower leaves similar to
dandelion. Upper leaves are small and
alternate.
Medicinal Uses: Root extracts are
antibacterial. Roots used as a laxative
and to treat fever and liver ailments.
Flowers used on cuts and bruises.
Common Name: Purple Cone Flower
Scientific Name: Echinacea purpurea
General: 1- 2 feet tall, grows in dry
woods, fields, cultivated beds.
Flowers: Purple petals and cone-shaped
head of golden flowers in center.
Leaves: Leaves are elliptical, toothed
and opposite.
Medicinal Uses: Used to treat infected
wounds, psoriasis, and eczema. It is used
internally to activate the immune system
when fighting colds and flu, or almost
any type of infection. The root is the
most potent part.
Common Name: Ginkgo
Scientific Name: Ginkgo biloba
General: Small tree.
Flowers: None. This plant is related to
pines which do not have flowers.
Leaves: Fan-shaped leaves with very
fine branching veins.
Medicinal Uses: Antibacterial
Common Name: Peppermint
Scientific Name: Mentha piperita
General: 2-3 feet tall, grow in moist,
temperate areas
Flowers: Tiny purple flowers in spikes.
Leaves: Leaves are opposite and
aromatic.
Medicinal Uses: Used internally to treat
indigestion, bloating and irritable bowel
syndrome. Externally, it is used to treat
itching and skin irritations from bites or
poison ivy.
Common Name: Yellow Sweet Clover
Scientific Name: Melinotia officiinalis
General: 2-6 feet long, straggly plant,
often found along roadsides.
Flowers: Long spikes of yellow, pea-like
flowers.
Leaves: Three leaflets per leave, cloverlike.
Medicinal Uses: Used as a poultice on
wounds, also used as a tea for
headaches, menstrual pain, and aching
muscles.
Common Name: Jewelweed
Scientific Name: Impatiens capensis
General: 3-5 feet. Found in wet, shady
soil.
Flowers: Orange irregular flowers with
red spots.
Leaves: Leaves are oval and toothed.
Lower leaves are opposite and upper are
alternate.
Medicinal Uses: Crushed leaves are
used on poison-ivy rash. Poultice can be
used for bruises, burns, cuts, insect bites,
warts and ringworm.
Common Name: Smooth Sumac
Scientific Name: Rhus glabra
General: Shrub or small tree with
smooth bark.
Flowers: Dense upright cone of many
small, whitish, 5-petaled flowers that
form red, fuzzy berries.
Leaves: Large compound leaves with
11-31 leaflets. Leaflets are opposite but
leaves are alternate.
Medicinal Uses: The bark and leaves
are antibacterial and stop bleeding. Tea
from leaves can be used to treat sore
throats.
Common Name: St. Johnswort
Scientific Name: Hypericum perforaturm
General: 1-3 feet. Common in fields
and waste places.
Flowers: Bright yellow flowers with 5
separate petals that are dotted on the
margins and bushy in center.
Leaves: Opposite leaves that are
narrow and oblong, 1 1/2 inches or less.
Medicinal Uses: Fresh flowers used to
stop bleeding and heal cuts and burns.
Antimicrobial infusion used to treat
coughs.
Common Name: Self-Heal, Heal-All
Scientific Name: Prunella vulgaris
General: Low plant, up to 1 foot tall.
Common in lawns and waste places.
Flowers: Small, irregular purple flowers
on an oval head.
Leaves: Opposite leaves on a square
stem. Leaves oval or lance-shaped.
Medicinal Uses: Used externally on
sores and bruises. Leaf tea is used as a
gargle for sore throats and to treat
fevers.