What is Coming In and How I Use Them
In keeping with the word about seasonal herbalism and herbalism how I use them, this writing today will be about what I’m pulling in and how I am using them.
Plantain leaf - I dry this one for infusions, both for internal and external uses, where cooling and moisture is needed, fresh it goes on wounds and sunburns. This one makes it into my green salve every year.
Plantain seed - this is a new one this year for me. I am planning on them for adding to granola and for a mucilage (slime) for sore throats and for healthy digestion. Wait until the seeds are brown for this.
Ox eye daisy - I harvest the entire plant, from basal rosette to the sweet little flowers. Dried I add them to my green salve as they are wound healing, especially weepy wounds, and great for eyes. Fresh, I add them to an infused vinegar for seasonal allergies along with Goldenrod (which is in Fall)
Yarrow - I have a Meet the Plants post on Yarrow.
Violet leaves - I dry this for infusions, breast oil, and use fresh for my alterative ACV (see archives for making this). Its a beautiful lymph herb, just take a look at the leaf!
California Poppy - while bitter, a pinch with other relaxing or nervine herbs helps bring about good sleep. Dried.
Wood nettle - I don’t have a Stinging nettle stand (yet, my garden managed to have a few babies in it to my surprise) and so Wood nettle is the Nettle in our home. While typically not used medicinally, I use Wood nettle as a nutrient herb and tonic herb. I dry…A LOT…and use it in nourishing infusions (requiring 4+ hours for steeping). Its added to broths throughout the year.
Dandelion greens - nutritive, liver and kidney tonic. I dry and use in infusions.
Cleavers - alterative, dried for adding to broths later in the year, fresh I add to the alterative vinegar.
Lemon balm - potent antiviral and nervine. I dry it for infusions, fresh (but slightly wilted after cutting) into honey.
Ground ivy - see infused honey post for more on that
Pineapple weed - nothing too medicinal but good in tea so we dry a screen of it. Looks similar to Chamomile but very distinct.
Honeysuckle flowers - fresh, slightly wilted in honey, we use when someone is under the weather.
Comfrey - leaves dried for oils/salves and infusions. Yes, I will take Comfrey leaves in infusions. Used as powerful wound healer but I also use the infused oil as a basic face oil to take care of my skin.
Tulip poplar - small end twigs and leaves in a tincture, good heart warming medicine. I am not harvesting this year as I have plenty of tincture.
Rose petals - dried for infusions or in my breast oil
Partridge berry - I dry the aerial parts (minus berries) for teas. Good for womb health, especially for postpartum but good for all anyways.
Things we have harvested but have move beyond its harvest time here (but might be what you can harvest where you are). I’m not listing early Spring roots as those are well past for our bioregion.
Blackberry leaves - astringent, dried for teas. Useful for mild cases of diarrhea (use root for stronger cases)
Rose leaves - dried and used in infusions
Plants I’m watching for… sometimes I have harvested these already others I see the plant but waiting for flower
Jewelweed - this is my #1 poison ivy/oak/itchy plant. I infuse fresh, slightly wilted, in oil of which part is used to make Jewelweed soap. Fresh in rubbing alcohol for a liniment.
Self heal - Dried aerial parts for infusions (internal and topical). I also use this as a flower essence when I am not taking as good of care of myself as I should. I found that it stimulates my desire to take care of myself.
Elder flower - flowers dried for infusions, especially relating to illnesses with fever. Later in the year I’ll get the berries but flowers are my preferred
I am sure I am forgetting a few things here and there. I am always watching to see how my Fall friends are doing. I watch for the Goldenrod and Boneset along the drive. As I am continuously meeting new plants, I am learning what the wee little greens look like.
A day out harvesting plants isn’t just about harvesting plants and filling our apothecaries, its about meeting the plants. Its about becoming part of the land. Its about being a regular where everybody knows your name (cue Cheers theme song).
Plants will always give us medicine, but if you want good medicine, the medicine that seems to heal magically, it starts with this work.
Grow Seed,
Jacqueline
I will not have a post on the 31st as I prepare the next months postings. Please leave a comment with any feed back you have on the first month of posts. While I know this is my style of herbalism, I want to ensure I’m covering things you are needing.