Leaves are cut in spring and summer for using fresh or dried; seeds harvested in summer for use dried, all widely used in cooking, especially Scandinavian cookery Chrysanthemum –Another beautiful flower that also has medicinal purposes. In southern China, chrysanthemum is brewed into a summertime tea. It is also used to treat chest pain (angina), high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, fever, cold, headache, dizziness, and swelling. In combination with other herbs, chrysanthemum is also used to treat prostate cancer. ( Source) Melissa: Yeah, that's a great question. And when COVID-19 first really, when we first all found out about it, right? Elderberry, that was a concern that a lot of people had and expressed about not being sure if you could use elderberry because of possible cytokine storms. But we have a lot of herbalist who went in research and cases and found that it's really not a concern. It was one of those things where one person posted possible to be aware of, and then everybody just ran with it. And the moral of that story is, so the first one reached about two years beforehand the size where it would produce berries because usually it takes it a couple of years before it's going to start producing the blossoms and whatnot. However, the pollinator variety that I'd gotten because it had gotten so damaged from not being happy in that spot and the transplanting, it didn't produce any blossoms. And so, I knew I wasn't going to get any berries. I did leave a couple just like, "Well, maybe there'll be enough of an elderberry somewhere nearby, in somebody's yard or field."

Give the plant plenty of water. I also find that it helps to label my plants with a simple stake label. Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between young plants, so a tag makes all the difference. August 2021 Safety Update: Borage contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), which can be harmful to the liver over time when ingested internally. Recent research shows that the PAs found in borage (and other PA-containing plants) can be taken up by other plants when grown in close proximity or when comfrey is used in the garden as mulch or fertilizer. In light of this, we are recommending that borage should not be interplanted with herbs or food plants in the garden that will be ingested or used as mulch or fertilizer to err on the side of caution. However, mature compost that includes borage does not seem to contain PAs once it has been fully composted according to this study . – I love herbal medicine but I’ve never grown herbs—how do I begin an herb garden? Peppermint tea is delicious and refreshing. Pour a cup of boiling water over 2 teaspoons of fresh leaves or 1 teaspoon of crushed, dried leaves. Steep, covered, for 10 minutes. Use more or less herb according to your preference. Drink a cup of this tea up to three times a day to aid digestion.

So, I feel, like for Echinacea, if you want to be harvesting the roots, marshmallow, which is another one I really like, the marshmallow plant. Those ones you are going to be harvesting the root at about year two and three. So, you want to look at that and then plan on either stagger growing them. So, every year you're adding a new plant so that when you get to harvest the root, you've got one that's coming up behind it for the next year to take over it or you're going to want to plant it probably double or triple because every year, once you harvest that root, of course you're dwindling down what you're able to harvest for the following year. Melissa: Yeah, that's a great question. And I think a lot of people struggle with that. I mean, because if you've never grown those things, how do you know unless you've forgot somebody who can tell you from experience or give you some averages. And we have so many people that grow vegetables that there's just a lot of that available information out there. It's easy to find that type of thing. But not as many people though we are making a dent in that grow their own medicinal herbs. And just because there's so many different herbs, it's harder to narrow that down to get those averages.

Now, is it as strong as what you have in the roots? That's kind of debatable. But the key there is not to dry the Echinacea and then tincture it. You want to make sure that you're tincturing it when it's fresh because that's where it has those antiviral properties for the tincture. Once it's dried, it's not as potent as when it's fresh. Bronze Fennel –Like other fennels, the bronze fennel has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic properties. I can’t let this article end without mentioning that the mints—although beloved medicinal herbs—can easily take over your garden, so plant them in containers before you regret having given them free range. Same goes for stinging nettles ( Urtica dioca), who can get out of control. In one year, one plant spread in our garden to roughly a 70 square foot area, as well as jumped the creek. There is of course no harm in responsibly growing non-Native, non-invasive medicinals plants. When we are choosing, however, to cultivate plants of the same species as our Local Native plants, then we must consider the genetic differences of non-endemic population (of the same species) and our local Southern Appalachian populations. Endemic populations have developed many special adaptations to harmonize with our local ecological web. Timing, color, taste, height, toxicity,… there are simply innumerable connections between every plant, bird, insect, mushroom, garden, river and human. Unfortunately, not all of the local endemic genetic traits will be dominant when crossed with those non-local gene pools of the same species( ie in a Wild Ginger from Vermont or Oregon). In collecting seeds from our local plants we also collect thousands of years of wisdom of how to give and receive and communally thrive within this very special area. Furthermore, collecting seed of our native flora has always been one of my favorite ways to continually deepen my relationship with the astounding lives of the many green beings. The berries of the elder shrub are a traditional food and tonic remedy for many cold-season ailments, including influenza and the common cold. Elderberries possess antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. They are high in vitamin C, anthocyanins, and other flavonoids. Along with other richly hued foods, elderberries are a preventative for arterial deterioration, heart disease, and atherosclerosis.

Again, if you’re uncertain about the type and quality of your woodland soil, getting a soil test will be beneficial. Your local extension office can help you with this. Mullein– This is great for upper respiratory issues and tends to grow well in soil that’s not ideal for many other plants.