In this blog, we took the opportunity to test out Magnolia, whose petals are used as a foraged spice, to explore which varieties were best for nibbling on.
A simple recipe for how to make hawthorn tincture using berries and vodka. Hawthorn is a red berry that gently supports heart health, and that you can forage for in autumn. You can use the volume ingredient measurements in this folk method tincture or use the 1:2 ratio measurements in the notes below. Scale the recipe up or down to suit your needs.
Wild Salads are back in full swing!
Garlic Mustard Root = Wild-Style Horseradish
Learn how to confidently identify wild plants and forage for your own herbs summer with the Summer Foraging & Botany Course Package!
A friend of mine spends her summer weekend trying to wipe knotweed off the face of the earth. She comes back from trips exhausted, having used everything (including fire) to try to eradicate a patch
LEMON BALM MEDICINE MOMENT Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), a perennial of the mint family (Lamiaceae) with an aromatic, pleasant, floral, lemon-like flavor that is cooling, calming, uplifting, and mildly astringent. It is used in formulas for bellyaches, anxiety, hyperthyroid, colds and viruses. F
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Hooray, CHICKWEED (Stellaria media), a weedy super food — free, abundant, and available — is back in full swing. This lovely little friend is so nutritious: high in Vit. C, beta carotene, iron, calcium, etc. She is mild and tasty. Perfect for salad, in wild green pesto, lightly steamed, or added to
Comfrey ( Symphytum officinale) of the Boraginaceae family offers many gifts, ranging from food and medicine for us humans (if we dare, please see cautionary note below); as fodder for animals; and as a soil enricher referred to in permaculture as a dy
metrogarden: “ traditional healing herbs. ”
Botanical Name: Cichorium intybus L. Other Common Names: Common chicory, wild chicory, coffee chicory, coffee weed, succory, wild succory, blue saisy, blue sailors, achicoria (Spanish), sikuri (Finnish), Wegwarte (German), chicorée (French), cikoria (Swedish), cikorie (Danish). Habitat: Chicory is found growing wild in Europe, North Africa, and West Asia. It has been introduced to North America, where it has locally become naturalized. Chicory commonly occurs as a weed along roadsides and trails, in landfills and dry meadows. Description: Chicory is a perennial plant belonging to the Compositae family (Asteraceae). It can grow to about 1 meter in height. A variety of
Botanical Name: Ephedra sinica. Other Common Names: Ma huang, teamster's tea, sea ephedrine, desert tea, yellow horse, yellow astringent, joint fir, squaw tea, mormon tea, popotillo and sea grape. Habitat: Northern China, Mongolia, India, Southwestern United States, Persia (Turkey, Iraq, and Iran) and western areas of South America. Plant Description: Ma huang is a xerophytic, jointed, bark less plant which grows as a small shrub, 30-50 cm in height which produces red, poisonous cones. The ephedra species (EPHEDRACEAE) thrives best in mountainous areas or sandy deserts. Geographically, countries located in the warm, semi-arid temperature zones with an annual rainfall of
Botanical Name of Horsetail: Equisetum arvensis, Equisetum arvense. Other Common Names: Bottlebrush, shave grass, corncob plant, scouring rush, field horsetail, pewterwort, paddock-pipes, Dutch rushes, snake pipes, small scouring rush, åkersnelle (Norwegian), cola de caballo (Spanish), prêle des champs (French), Acker-Schachtelhalm (German). Habitat: Horsetail is native to both North America and Europe. It is one of only a few Equisetum survivors from the dinosaur era. In parts of Northern America, Canada, and Europe it is often considered a rather bothersome weed because of its prolific tuber system. Plant Description: Horsetail is a perennial plant of the Equisetaceae or the horsetail plant
Botanical Name of Ashwagandha: Withania somnifera. The ashwagandha root is often referred to as the 'Indian ginseng' because it is used in a similar way in Ayurvedic (Indian) medicine as Panax ginseng is used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The herb has been used for more than 2500 years to restore overall health and increase longevity. The Indian or Hindu common name ashwagandha (Sanskrit), translates roughly to 'the smell and strength of a horse,' referring to the plant's alleged ability to enhance sexual vigor. Ashwagandha Seedpods (Withania somnifera) - Attribution: Vinayaraj V. R What is Ashwagandha Used For? Some of
Botanical Name: Tussilago farfara. Other Common Names: Coughwort, bull’s foot, assfoot, farfara, horsehoof, foalswort, foal’s foot. Habitat: Coltsfoot can grow in damp or dry conditions and grows well in alkaline clay soil. It is usually found in places such as wastelands, on the side of the road or railway, hedge banks etc. It is native to some countries in Europe and Asia but has also been introduced and naturalized in North and South America. Description: It is a perennial herbaceous plant with yellow flowers that emerge in early spring and bear a close resemblance to the dandelions. The leaves appear
Botanical Name: Agathosma betulina, Barosma betulina. Other Common Names: Buku, bucco, round buchu, bookoo, bucku. Habitat: Commonly found in wet low elevations in the western portion of South Africa. The plant has been introduced into private gardens and nurseries but is not known to be native in any other part of the world. Plant Description: Buchu is a shrub that grows to nearly two meters tall, and has a red-brown to violet-brown bark. The leaves have jagged appearing edges, range in color from yellow-green to brown, and are covered in oil glands that give them an oily, wet appearance. The
Botanical Name of Fennel: Foeniculum vulgare. Other Common Names: Large fennel, sweet fennel, wild fennel, sweet cumin, finnochio, fänkål (Swedish), hinojo (Spanish), Fenchel (German), fennikel (Danish), hui-hsiang (Chinese), fenouil (French), fennika (Icelandic). Habitat: Fennel is circumpolar (that is, can be found all over the globe). It is most often found in dry stony calcareous soils near the sea. It is generally considered native to the Mediterranean region but today it is cultivated throughout the British Isles, China, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Haiti, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kurdistan, Malaya, Mexico, Spain, Turkey, and Venezuela. Plant Description: Fennel is a perennial herb that grows
Foraging stinging nettles can be a bit intimidating, they sting after all! When harvested with care, stinging nettles are easy to forage and well worth the effort. Learn when and where to find this wild
Wildcrafted cottonwood buds are fragrant and healing. Learn to identify, harvest and prepare your own Balm of Gilead and medicinal cottonwood bud tincture!
This seasonal foraging poster serves as a handy reference of common wild plants to forage and corresponding seasonal energetic for the year.
If you’ve ever felt frustrated trying to choose a reliable field guide to take foraging with you, check out our favorite regional foraging books.
Callaloo = Amaranth: Just passed a store in Astoria Queens, NY where callaloo was for sale among other fresh produce. Love seeing wild greens as part of the food offerings in urban settings.
Botanical Name: Cuminum cyminum. Cumin should not be confused with black cumin (Nigella sativa), a similar and closely related species from Pakistan and India with slightly larger and bent seeds. Other Common Names: Cummin, Roman caraway, Egyptian caraway, comino (Spanish), spisskummen (Norwegian), roomankumina (Finnish), Kreuzkümme (German), cumin de prés (French), zi ran qin (Chinese), spiskummin (Swedish), spidskommen (Danish). Habitat: The original habitat of cumin is not known, but it has been theorized that it could have its origins in the Nile valley and from there it spread to other countries in North Africa, Southwest Asia, East Mediterranean and all the
The uses, health properties, benefits and side effects of the herb Arnica Montana in the form of cream, tinctures, gel and for various skin ailments
Botanical Name: Lemna minor L, Spirodela polyrhiza. In Chinese herbal medicine, greater duckweed (Spirodela polyrhiza) is often used interchangeably with common duckweed (Lemna minor). The two herbs are very similar in appearance and have the same medicinal properties. In Chinese herbal medical literature, they are often referred to under the same Chinese name 'fu ping'. Other Common Names: Lesser duckweed, common duckweed, duckmeat, andemat (Norwegian), petite lentille d'eau (French), Kleine Wasserlinse (German), andmat (Swedish), lentejas de agua (Spanish), fu ping, qing ping (Chinese). Habitat: Duckweed grows in nutrient-rich and stagnant waters (puddles, ditches, and ponds). The species is widespread in
Passionflower plant is known for sedative (sedative and relaxing), hypnotic (sleep transmitter), anxiolytic (anxiety reliever), analgesic (pain reliever)
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Botanical Name: Scutellaria lateriflora. Other Common Names: Blue, greater, hairy, hooded, American, European western, maddog and side-flowering skullcap. It is also called scullcap, helmet flower, blue pimpernel, quaker bonnet, hooded willow flower, mad-dog weed, mad weed, hoodwort and hoodwart. Habitat: This herb is often found in partially shaded, wetland areas. It prefers light shade to full sun and wet to moist soil with plenty of organic matter. This perennial plant is native to North America. Plant Description: Skullcap grows to a height of 45 to 60 centimeters tall. It has a light green to reddish-green square stem with occasional branches.
Botanical Name: Plantago major. Other Common Names: Geater or common plantain, broadleaf plantain, rippleseed plantain, wagbread, white man's foot, plantain majeur (French), groblad (Swedish), Wegerich (German), græðisúra (Icelandic), piharatamo (Finnish). Habitat: Plantain is originally native to Europe and temperate parts of Asia. The plant has now become naturalized in all temperate regions of the world. Description: Plantain is a low growing perennial plant belonging to the Plantaginaceae or the plantain family. The oval or heart-shaped leaves are arranged in a rosette at the base level. The leaves have 3-9 elastic veins that are thick and dark green. The flowers sit
Botanical Name: Evernia prunastri. Other Common Names: Ekmossa (Swedish), mousse de chêne (French), Eichenmoss (German). Habitat: Oakmoss is widespread throughout Europe, North Africa, Asia and North America. Description: Evernia prunastri or oakmoss is a lichen of the Parmeliaceae family. The genus Evernia contains about ten different species. The thalli (the vegetative body of a lichen) are bush-shaped and grow together to form large clumps. The thallus is flat and highly branched. It grows on trunks and branches of shrubs and deciduous trees like oaks, fruit trees, and blackthorn but also sometimes on pine trees. It is green to light whitish-green
The health benefits, traditional uses, medicinal properties, therapeutic dosage and side effects of the medicinal herb Asafetida (Ferula assa-foetida.)
Cinchona Bark (Cinchona officinalis) The active ingredient against malaria, the alkaloid quinine, was isolated in the 1820s, prompting further cultivation of trees, especially C. ledgeriana and C. succirubra. In the 1940s, after the active alkaloid was isolated and identified drug companies were able to develop synthetic quinine. Some strains of malaria have become resistant to the synthetic quinine which has instigated renewed interest in sourcing natural quinine from cinchona. In treating malaria, the mode of action of cinchona bark may be both antipyretic (anti-fever), and antimicrobial; that is to say that cinchona might be treating the symptoms of the infection, i.e., the fever, while also
Botanical Name: Tanacetum vulgare. Other Common Names: Buttons, wild tansy, gold leaf tansy, ginger plant, bitter buttons, hineheel, scented fern, stinking willie. The common name, tansy, is likely derived from Greek words meaning “immortal”, which may refer to the long-lasting flowers or its traditional use in preserving dead bodies. Habitat: Although the plant is native to temperate regions of Europe and Asia, it has been introduced throughout the world and grows wild in North America. This hardy, sun-loving plant is resistant to cold and frost and commonly grows in open areas close to water, such as roadsides and ditches. Description:
Botanical Name: Pueraria lobata. The plant genus Pueraria is named after the Swiss Professor M. N. Pueraria (1766-1845). It contains around 20 species of herbaceous or woody vines, all native to Asia. Other Common Names: Kudzu vine, Japanese arrowroot, ge gen (ge hua) (Chinese), bidari kand (Sanskrit). Habitat: Kudzu is native to India, China, and Japan. The plant is commercially cultivated in some parts of China. Kudzu was first introduced to the USA in the 1870s and was widely planted in the southeastern states up to 1933 as protection against erosion and a source of food and fiber. In no
Botanical Name: Viscum album. Other Common Names: European, Christmas and oak mistletoe, druid's herb, golden bough, holy wood, the kissing bush, herbe de la croix (French), Weissbeerige Mistel (German), muerdago (Spanish), mistelten (Danish), mistilteinn (Icelandic). Habitat: Viscum album grows in Europe, northwest Africa, and central Asia and Japan. It is a perennial, semi-evergreen parasitic plant, growing on the branches of trees. It is most commonly seen on old apple, ash, and hawthorn trees; although mistletoe does not grow as well on oak trees, mistletoe from oak trees has traditionally been the most commonly used as herbal medicine. Description: Mistletoe has
Botanical Name: Tabebuia impetiginosa, Tabebuia avellanedae, Tabelbuia heptaphylla. Other Common Names: Tabebuia ipê, ipê, ipê roxo, lapacho, tahuari, taheebo tree, tabebuia avellaneae, trumpet tree, ipê-contra-sarna, tajy. Habitat: Pau d’arco is found throughout the rainforests of Central and South America, although it may be harvested as far north as southern Florida. Plant Description: There are about a hundred species of this large tropical tree. It is a broad-leafed evergreen that may grow to 150 feet in height, and six feet in diameter. Some species produce large, white flowers, while Tebebuia impetiginosa produces purple or pink flowers. Plant Parts Used: Heartwood and
