This is my Materia Medica, started during my herbal studies, which lists the medicinal properties of plants and how to use them. Although interesting and useful, that part is rather scientific and, might I add, dry. So I’ve included botanical information, energetics/correspondences, and my experiences with the plants, to give you an even deeper understanding and admiration of these plant allies.
Plants are listed in the order I’ve added them, the most recent first. Click a tag to filter plants by their use, or use the search box above to search for something specific.
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Botanical Name: Ocimum sanctum| Family: Lamiaceae Common name(s): Holy Basil, Tulsi, Sacred Basil GROWING SOWING Grown as an annual in colder zones. Native to India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, southern China, Thailand, and Malaysia. Can be direct sown after the last frost or started indoors 6 weeks before planting.…
Botanical Name: Juglans nigra | Family: Juglandaceae | Similar: Junglans cinerea Common name(s): Black Walnut (nigra), Eastern Black Walnut, Butternut (cinerea) GROWING (profiling black walnut, not butternut) Deciduous tree | Zones 4-9 | 50 – 100+’ tall, when in the open it will grow wider with its branches closer to…
Botanical Name: Lavandula angustifolia, L. officianalus, and other varieties | Family: Lamiaceae Common name(s): Lavender, English Lavender, French Lavender, Spanish Lavender, Alhucema (Spanish) GROWING Perennial; woody subshrub | Zones 5-9, depending on the species | 24″ tall, varies per species, grows in mounds | Soft, fragrant leaves | Flowers can…
Botanical Name: Olea europaea | Family: Oleaceae Common name(s): Olive GROWING Tree; evergreen | Zones 10 – 11 (8 – 9 for some varieties) | 30 feet tall | Small, smooth, leathery leaves, green on top, silver on bottom | Small greenish-white flower clusters | Green fruit that ripens to…
Botanical Name: Lomatium dissectum* et. al. | Family: Apiaceae Common name(s): Lomatium, biscuit root, cough root, Indian consumption plant, desert parsley, Indian parsnip, toza. The dissectum variety is also known as fernleaf biscuitroot. GROWING Perennial; herbaceous | Zones 5 – 10 (varies for other varieties) | Mature plants are up to 51…
Botanical Name: Curcuma longa | Family: ZingiberaceaeCommon name(s): Turmeric, Jiang huang, HaldiGROWINGPerennial; herbaceous | Zones 10 – 11 (if grown inside, minimum temperature is 64 degrees) | 40 inches tall | Long, oblong green leaves (the undersides are lighter green) | Yellow-white flowers on long spikes | Seeds are sterileRhizomes are orange…
Botanical Name: Nepeta hederacea (syn. Glechoma hederacea, Nepeta Clechoma) | Family: Lamiaceae or LabiataeCommon name(s): Ground Ivy, Creeping Charlie, Ale Hoof, and many more!GROWINGHerbaceous; perennial vine | Zones 3-10 | up to 8 inches | Small lavender flowers in the springSun to shade | Likes damp ground, but really grows everywhere.HARVESTINGHarvest when…
Botanical Name: Crataegus oxyacantha & c. monogyna | Family: Rosaceae Common name(s): Hawthorn GROWING Tree; deciduous | Zones 3-9 | 15-30 feet (most), some to 45 feet | White to pink flower clusters in the spring, yellow or red crab apple-like fruit in the fall. Has thorns and leaves are serrated. Full…
Botanical Name: Tabebuia spp. | Family: Bignoniaceae Common name(s): Pau d’arco, Lapacho, Tabebuia GROWING Evergreen tree | Grows in the warm parts of Central and South America (found in the forests of Brazil and Argentina) | 125 feet | pink to purple flowers Over-harvesting has endangered this tree HARVESTING This inner bark of mature…