The rhizome of the sarsaparilla plant is native to the Americas, including the West Indies. It belongs to the lily family. Sarsaparilla was not well known outside of the Americas until the 1400s. It was at this point in history that explorers took sarsaparilla root back to Europe from the New World and it became […]
Witch Hazel: A North American Inflammation-Fighter
Witch hazel is from North America. Specifically, it is native to the Midwest part of the North American continent as well as to Canada. Like many medicinal plants from this part of the world, witch hazel was first used by Native Americans. The Menominee, Osage and Iroquois tribes all made use of it and shared […]
St. John’s Wort: A Proven Herbal Antidepressant
St. John’s wort gets its name from the time of year that it gets its flowers, which is around St. John’s day (June 24). Hippocrates and Dioscorides wrote about the medicinal benefits of the herb, as did Pliny. While the Ancient Greeks and Romans saw St. John’s wort as a medicine, it was used for […]
Periwinkle: An Herbal Memory Enhancer
The name periwinkle mainly applies to a family of plants from Europe and the Middle East, but the name is also used for another genus Madagascar. The genus of the European periwinkle is Vinca; the genus of the Madagascar periwinkle is Catharanthus. The herbs share many of their medicinal properties. Both herbs belong to the […]
Roseroot: The Golden Root
Roseroot is widely known by its botanical name: Rhodiola rosacea. Its nickname is the golden root. It is a succulent that grows only in cold parts of Asia and Europe and has been classified as an adaptogen. The term adaptogen means that roseroot can help with how well your body reacts to stress, fatigue and […]
Aloe Vera: An Edible Cosmetic Herb
Aloe vera most likely originated on the Arabian Peninsula where temperatures are exceptionally high, and where there is little water. Aloe vera’s earliest mention is around 2200 BCE on clay tablets from Sumer. The tablets revealed that Sumerians knew how to use aloe for its laxative benefits and to aid in digestion. According to the […]
Costmary: A Mint Alternative In The Dandelion Family
Costmary goes by many names, including mint geranium (although it is neither a mint nor a geranium). It is also called alecost and Bible leaf. Costmary belongs to the Asteraceae family like dandelions and chamomile. According to some stories, costmary originated on the Indian subcontinent and made its way to the Mediterranean region. According to […]
Marsh Mallow: The Pharaohs’ Candy Herb
The marsh mallow (Althaea officinalis) is a plant in the mallow family that grows in marshy areas. It is native to Northern Africa much of Asia and most of Europe. It is naturalized in the US and Australia. In Ancient Egypt, the root of the marsh mallow plant was used to make confectioneries. The roots […]
Mullein: A Hairy Herb
Mullein is an herb native to North Africa as well as to Europe and parts of Asia. It is now naturalized throughout the temperate parts of the world and grows abundantly in wild spaces. You will often find it along roadsides and in old pastures. The seeds can remain viable for decades, which means that […]
Joe Pye Weed: A Tea Herb From New England
Joe Pye weed is a native North American herb and was supposedly named after a Native American medicine man, but historians recommend taking this story with a grain of salt. According to some, the man named Joe Pye may have been a myth invented by New England colonists. Other names for Joe Pye weed include […]