Usnea is an amazing lichen that has powerful medicinal benefits. Learn how to forage, identify, and sustainably harvest usnea!
Did you know there are dozens of wild herbs you can forage? Find out the best herbs to find growing wild throughout the year.
When I first started studying herbs in high school, I didn't really understand why anyone would need herbs for sleep. I slept perfectly well, waking up in the morning was the real problem. It wasn't
Common mallow (Malva neglecta) is a useful edible weed you may find growing in your garden. Here's what to know about foraging & using it. #ediblewildplants
Medicinal plants have been used for millennia, and science is just beginning to validate many of their traditional uses. This basic overview of medicinal plants and their use focuses on herbs you can find or
Learn how to identify and forage for plantain, a valuable first-aid “weed” that’s easy to find- perfect for beginning foragers and medicine makers! (This post was contributed by Melissa Keyser.) I just returned home from traveling
Did you know there are dozens of wild herbs you can forage? Find out the best herbs to find growing wild throughout the year.
Mullein is one of the most recognizable, medicinal and useful plants. Foraging for mullein is easy and fun!
Wild violets are edible and medicinal and come up in the late winter or early spring. Foraging wild violets is easy as they are very common!
There's a theory that the tastiest things need the best defenses. If you've ever stepped on or brushed by a bull thistle, you've experienced their robust defense system. What on earth are they hiding behind
Learn how to identify, harvest, and prepare the most delicious, abundant, and nourishing plants around—edible wild weeds and invasives. These wild herbs pack a medicinal punch and make for tasty, sustainable nutrient-dense dishes.
Foraging for medicinal plants and food in Canada's far north is fun. These seven useful plants grow wild right on our doorstep.
It’s easy to become captivated by wild food and medicine. There’s a vitality to wild plants that is unsurpassed, and a nutrient load that is astonishing. We’ve handpicked our most trusted foraging blogs, YouTube channels, and podcasts to share with you.
Take the harvest basket out to enjoy the outdoors and early spring foraging for food and medicine to fill the pantry and medicine cabinet.
Winter foraging may seem difficult, but there are actually quite a few things that you may find. Learn about what to forage in winter!
Learn how to identify and use common wild edible weeds that might be growing in your backyard with this eBook: Wildcrafting Weeds: 20 Easy to Forage Edible and Medicinal Weeds.
Mugwort is an edible and medicinal plant that has many uses. Foraging for mugwort is easy and fun, and it grows almost everywhere!
Plantain has a long history of use as a healing plant, often called nature's band-aid. Here’s everything you need to know about foraging and using plantain!
Comfrey is a wonder plant for your garden and for your medicine cabinet. It's time to start growing and foraging for comfrey!
NOTE: This article is about 20 of my favorite medicinal healing herbs to grow in most garden areas and types of soil. There are 100’s more, though, that I just couldn’t include because of space. Enjoy this rundown of 20 of my favorites. Have you ever wondered which medicinal herbs are the best on
How to start foraging for wild herbs, beginning with these 8 easy to identify plants. Collecting herbs and medicinal plants that can be found in the wild or even in your own backyard.
The medicinal benefits and uses of goldenrod flower and leaf for allergies, sinus infections, colds, and urinary tract infections.
Herbalists know that burdock root is powerful medicine, but most would be surprised to learn that the burdock is edible as well. Burdock leaves, stalks and roots are edible and can be downright tasty if you
Spring is a great time for foraging! Learn what to forage in spring with this list of 20 edible and medicinal plants and fungi. Spring foraging is fun!
Pineapple weed, also known as wild chamomile, is easy to forage for. It is a common plant that is edible and had many medicinal benefits!
Spring is a great time for foraging! Learn what to forage in spring with this list of 20 edible and medicinal plants and fungi. Spring foraging is fun!
Medicinal plants and healing herbs are a great addition to the garden. Find out which ones are best to grow.
Ever wonder what was in your foremother's first aid kit? We imagine her with a full array of roots and berries, herbs and oils tucked into her trusty animal-skin pouch.
Did you know that you can harvest medicinal ingredients from common trees growing in your area? Here's information on more than 25 medicinal trees. #medicinalplants #foraging #herbalmedicine
Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) is a common edible and medicinal wildflower that's easy to find and identify. It's most commonly used to treat bug bites and poison ivy, but that's just the beginning. A few years
Before running to the pharmacy, I always check out the medicinal trees around me. A lot of them can treat common ailments. Here's how...
Explore the joys of spring foraging with 14+ incredible edible and medicinal plants, enriching your diet and reconnecting with nature's ancient wisdom.
This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Please see FCC disclosure for full information. Thank you for supporting this site! My first encounter with horsetail didn't impress me much. My mom-in-law pointed out the plant growing near a beach, explaining that native Indians used it to scrub with, much like we'd use a plastic bottlebrush today. The plant she pointed to was easy enough to recognize - a stalk with stiff "bristles" coming out on all sides. Certainly easy to recognize. Years later, in one of my foraging books, I saw just how remarkable horsetail truly could be. First, I learned that what I'd seen growing near the beach was the non-fertile version of the plant (sometimes called "the female"). That's right, horsetail produces two distinctive-looking plants! What really impressed me was the fertile versions of the plant (sometimes called "the male"). It's not only prehistoric-looking, but phallic in shape. And, lo! Horsetail, I learned, is both edible and medicinal! Bonus: It's packed with good minerals and nurtients. So when I found horsetail growing on our homestead last year, I was pretty excited. Because I didn't time things right, though, I didn't try eating it. This year, I made sure I was more on top of things, and last weekend, my family gave eating horsetail a try. Horsetail's bulb-like rhizomes are edible. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons. Identifying Horsetail There are 20 species of horsetail that are native to North America and Europe. On our homestead, we have giant horsetail. (Other names for horsetail include field horsetail, scouring brush, bottlebrush, shave grass, corncob plant, scouring rush, field horsetail, pewterwort, paddock-pipes, Dutch rushes, and snake pipes. They are in the Equisetum family.) All horsetail have jointed stems that break apart easily and burst with watery liquid. The plant generally prefers damp soil; I find it in boggy areas around the homestead. Examining a horsetail patch. Eating Horsetail Rhizomes The rhizomes (a type of root) are edible - though I've not tried them yet. Before you can dig them up and eat them, you need to spot a patch of horsetail in the spring, when it sends up its strange shoots. Note the location, and next year, before horsetail begins shooting up, dig around the spent shoots to find the rhizomes. Peel them and add them to the stew pot, or peel and slice and add them to salads. Eating Horsetail's Fertile Shoots Fertile horsetail shoots. In early spring, the nutrient-rich, fertile shoots appear, resembling asparagus. Color varies; with our giant horsetail, the fertile plant comes in tones of light and dark brown. These "males" are non-photosynthesizing and have a cone-like top with rows of spore-bearing dots. They grow up to 2 feet tall (some species grow taller), and should be harvested before their cone-tops turn dark. To eat these shoots, simply cut them off at ground level, then peel off the dark brown stripes found along the joints of the plant. (These stripes are packed with silica, which is bad for your teeth and could cause irritation in the body.) Cut off the cone-like tops, too. Traditionally, horsetail is usually eaten raw. I tried it this way and found it quite pleasant - very similar to celery in texture and mild taste. But because it tends to grow in boggy areas, my husband wondered if it was a risk due to e. coli. I've read a lot of foraging books and websites, and I've never seen this mentioned in regard to Fertile shoots that are dark on top (right) aren't very good eating. horsetail...but in order to play it extra safe, I went ahead and boiled the stalks for my family's consumption. This gave the plant a super-mild flavor (similar to cooked celery) and made it mushy, instead of crisp. You may also steam the shoots. In the future, we will probably stick to eating the plant raw. (I eat a lot of raw wild foods, and I personally don't believe there is a greater risk of e. coli in horsetail than in the other wild foods I eat. However, I am not a physician, nor should I be considered an expert in this area.) Dark stripes should be removed before eating. Eating Horsetail's Non-Fertile Shoots Mature non-fertile horsetail. Courtesy of born1945 After the fertile shoots pop up, the female plant (which looks like a green bottle brush) appears. At first, it's spike-like leaves are tight to the plant, but gradually they expand out, giving the plant its distinctive look. Although some foraging books say you shouldn't eat the non-fertile shoots, natives did, and so do many modern foragers, consuming them the same way they do the fertile shoots. However, the non-fertile shoots are much more work because you must peel them completely before consumption. (the outer layer is too full of silica to be safe to eat.) In addition, some sources claim non-fertile shoots must be "thoroughly boiled" before eating. Douglas Deur, in his book Pacific Northwest Foraging, notes that boiling with repeated changes to the water reduces any toxicity that might be found in the plant, due to chemicals in the soil. Horsetail Medicine Immature non-fertile shoots Another way horsetail is unique is that it's one of the few plants with bio-available silica. Therefore, drinking horsetail tea can help repair damaged bones and connective tissue, while also encouraging strong hair and nails. The tea is also traditionally used to support the kidney, bladder, and prostate. In addition, horsetail is diuretic, and herbalists sometimes use it to treat urinary tract infections, or to dissolve urinary stones. It's also said horsetail can curb excessive menstrual flow and internal bleeding and treat bronchitis, tuberculosis, and asthma. An immature non-fertile shoot. In addition to its high silica content, horsetail is full of calcium, sulfur, manganese, potassium, silicic acid, flavonoids, saponins, sterols, aluminum salts, and tannins. There is a big HOWEVER when using horsetail as medicine. This plant should never be consumed regularly or for a long period of time because it can lead to thiamine deficiency. When making horsetail medicine, always harvest non-fertile shoots before their leaves begin to droop. This helps prevent digestive upset. To dry the plant, hang whole stalks in a cool, dark location. It's important to avoid breathing in silica crystals that may appear as dust once the plant is dried; it is very irritating to the respiratory tract. To be extra cautious, wear a mask when placing dried horsetail in jars or creating herbal powders from the dried plant material. Horsetail Tea Pour boiling water over about 2 or 3 grams of chopped non-fertile horsetail stalk. Cover with a saucer and allow the tea to steep for 10 or 15 minutes. Remove the saucer and strain the tea through two layers of cheesecloth. Drink 4 oz. three times daily between meals. Horsetail Tincture More experience herbalists can turn fresh horsetail into a tincture (1:5). Consume 1 - 4 ml. three times daily. Horsetail is made of segments, each containing mineral water. Warnings: Just as all prescription medicines have warnings, so do natural medicines. Marsh horsetail (Equisetum palustre) is potentially toxic. (See also.) Consuming horsetail for a long period of time may lead to a thiamine deficiency. Eating horsetail raw and in quantity may result in a depletion of B1. (Eating it cooked does not pose this risk.) For some people, eating quantities of horsetail raw "may be mildly toxic" (Deur). Horsetail is toxic to livestock and perhaps to pets. When handling dried horsetail, it's wise to wear a mask to avoid the irritating dust it might produce. As with all wild edibles, pay attention to where you harvest. Horsetail is especially good at absorbing heavy metals and chemicals in the soil. Also, it's possible to be allergic to any plant. Show wisdom by eating a small quantity to see if your body reacts negatively. If horsetail is used with Benzodiazepines, Disulfiram, or Metronidazole, it may cause "a disulfiram-like reaction." (Source.) Taking horsetail along with medicines that deplete the body of potassium (like corticosteroids, diuretics, and laxative stimulants) increases the risk of developing dangerously low potassium. Do not use horsetail with licorice, since it may lead to low levels of potassium. Do not take horsetail medicinally if you are pregnant or nursing, have heart problems, drink too much alcohol, or are prone to thiamine deficiencies. Large quantities of the horsetail can be toxic because it contains thiaminase, which has the potential to deplete the body of B vitamins. In small quantities, this is not an issue. Cooking horsetail also eliminates this problem. Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nor should anything on this website (www.ProverbsThirtyOneWoman.blogspot.com) be considered medical advice. The FDA requires me to say that products mentioned, linked to, or displayed on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information on this web site is designed for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for qualified medical advice or care. There are no assurances of the information being fit or suited to your medical needs, and to the maximum extent allowed by law disclaim any and all warranties and liabilities related to your use of any of the information obtained from the website. Your use of this website does not constitute a doctor-patient relationship. No information on this website should be considered complete, nor should it be used as a substitute for a visit to, consultation with, or the advice of a physician or other qualified health care provider.
Spring is a great time for foraging! Learn what to forage in spring with this list of 20 edible and medicinal plants and fungi. Spring foraging is fun!
Make the most of the local wildflowers by creatively using honeysuckle for food and medicine in your kitchen and home apothecary.
Teach Your Kids To Forage - It's amazing what's out there. I have always been a forager before I even knew what that meant. My dad and I would walk the dogs for miles through the
Do you know about the many wonderful benefits of yarrow? Yarrow is a fantastic medicinal plant that's easy to grow and use in your herbal remedy arsenal. You may even have some yarrow posing as
Take the harvest basket out to enjoy the outdoors and early spring foraging for food and medicine to fill the pantry and medicine cabinet.
How to start foraging for wild herbs, beginning with these 8 easy to identify plants. Collecting herbs and medicinal plants that can be found in the wild or even in your own backyard.
Just about everyone knows what ginger looks like and that it's a tropical plant. Before modern international trade, fresh ginger was a real treat. Early colonists in the US found a tasty substitute that that
Get ready to harvest dinner and fill the medicine cabinet from the wild earth and the backyard with these foraging basics.
Just about everyone knows what ginger looks like and that it's a tropical plant. Before modern international trade, fresh ginger was a real treat. Early colonists in the US found a tasty substitute that that
Mullein is one of the most recognizable, medicinal and useful plants. Foraging for mullein is easy and fun!
Yarrow is one of the most beneficial wild plants that there is. Foraging yarrow is easy, you might even have some in your own backyard!
Mullein is one of the most recognizable, medicinal and useful plants. Foraging for mullein is easy and fun!
Mugwort is an edible and medicinal plant that has many uses. Foraging for mugwort is easy and fun, and it grows almost everywhere!
In the Spring, this weed can be seen all over! Learn why you should be foraging for dead nettle, plus some tasty recipes to use it!
Take the harvest basket out to enjoy the outdoors and early spring foraging for food and medicine to fill the pantry and medicine cabinet.
