Plants are listed in alphabetical order by common name. Click on the common name to see a photograph of the plant.
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| Common name | Latin name | Growth cycle | Part used | Toxicity | Traditional Use |
| Sage | Salvia officinalis | Perennial | Leaf | O |
A traditional cold and flu remedy, sage is antibacterial and probably antiviral as well, as the whole family is. Used for sore throats, head colds, chest colds, flu symptoms. Great remedy for drying up head colds, sore throats, sinus congestion and post nasal drip (really excels in drying up excess secretions). Antisecretory in nature. Decreases saliva, decreases tearing, decreases nasal secretions, decreases mucous membranes secretions, decreases sweating, decreases hay fever, decreases rhinitis and sinusitis (as a nasal atomizer). Helps with excess sweating, as a room temperature or cold beverage. For menopausal hot flashes which soak clothes (with oxeye daisy); for night sweats, taken in the afternoon. Mouthwash for pyorrhea, gingivitis, uvulitis, apthous stomatata. To dry up oral herpes and genital herpes. As a neti pot or atomizer for sinusitis and post nasal drip. As a douche for simple vaginitis. As a sitz bath for hemorrhoids and episiotomy incisions. Carminative for nausea, gas, abdominal bloating, etc. Sage and rosemary are the two most powerful anti-oxidants, more powerful than BHT and BHA in foods. Rosemary Gladstar’s sore throat gargle: Strong sage tea, 1-2 tsp. salt, 1/4 cup vinegar, dash cayenne. Honey can be infused with sage for sore throat. |
| Sage, Chinese; Salvia, Red Root Sage, Dan Shen | Salvia miltiorrhiza | Perennial | Root | O |
For blood stasis of the lower abdomen and pelvis (increases circulation and microcirculation.) Xue (blood) tonic – moves and tonifies blood, especially with abdominal or gynecological pain, and excessive histamine response. |
| Sage, Lyre Leaf | Salvia lyrata | Perennial | Leaf | O |
A Cherokee plant, used for digestive problems due to stress; carminative and antispasmodic. |
| Sage, White | Salvia apiana | Perennial | Leaf | O |
For benign prostatic hyperplasia with urinary dribbling, prostatic tenderness, frequent urge to urinate. Aromatic and powerful. Has lots of aromatic and volatile oils – antibacterial, antioxidant. Makes a great gargle for sore throats, strep throat, excessive bronchial secretions, pyorrhea, gingivitis. As an inhalation steam for sinus congestion, head colds, chest colds, flu. Ceremonial herb which clears negative energy when smudged. |
| Saint John’s Wort | Hypericum perforatum | Perennial | Flowering tops | O |
Depression, mild to moderate, or melancholia (moodiness). St. John's Wort is a nerve food; for nerve pain from peripheral neuropathies or secondary to trauma, spinal or head injuries. It regenerates nerves. Profoundly antiviral. Externally, it is a wound herb, especially good for burns. |
| Santolina, Lavender Cotton | Santolina chamaecyparissus | Perennial | Leaves | O |
Used for worms, diuretic, emmenagogue, hepatic, and as a wash for ringworm. Also used in potpourri. |
| Schisandra | Schisandra chinensis | Perennial | Berries | O |
Wu Wei zi. Chinese medicinal, astringent and demulcent berries are used to treat nervous conditions, chronic cough, asthma, thirst, too frequent urination and diarrhea. Chinese Prozac. Adaptogenic and immune enhancing properties similar to Ginseng. |
| Sedum, Stonecrop | Sedum spps. | Perennial | Leaves | O |
Sedum is a laxative and gynecological aid, also useful for hemorrhoids. (Sedum tetractinum pictured.) |
| Self Heal, All Heal | Prunella vulgaris | Perennial | Flower spike, leaf | O |
To soften hardness, for cystic conditions. Lymphatic remedy. |
| Shepherd’s Purse | Capsella bursa-pastoris | Annual or biennial | Entire fresh plant | O |
Controls capillary bleeding. For menorrhagia, post partum bleeding, bleeding fibroids, endometriosis, nose bleeds, bleeding ulcers, coughing blood, blood in urine, or occult blood in stool. It has been found in a 60,000 yr. old burial site (with Yarrow). |
| Skullcap | Scutellaria lateriflora | Perennial | Fresh flowering herb | O |
Antispasmodic for tremors, palsy, nervous tics, spasms. For nerve weakness secondary to overwork, lack of sleep, Type A, super mom who becomes easily agitated and anxious. |
| Skullcap, Chinese Skullcap, Baikal Skullcap, Huang Qin | Scutellaria baicalensis | Perennial | Root | O |
Infections with bleeding. Inflammation with hyper immune or allergic response, e.g. hives, allergies, autoimmune conditions, and IBS. For fevers, colds, hypertension, insomnia headaches, hepatitis and shingles. |
| Skullcap, Downy or Hoary | Scutellaria incana | Perennial | Root | O |
The Cherokee used a root infusion as an abortifacient. Antidiarrheal. Decoction for breast pain and expelling afterbirth. |
| Solomon Seal, Huang Jing, Yuzhu | Polygonatum biflorum, P. commutatum, P. canaliculatum, P. gigantium; P. Sibericum, P. odoratum | Perennial | Rhizome | O |
P. biflorum is small and common; commutatum, canaliculatum, and gigantium are giant species and are threatened. Used both internally & topically for joint injuries, knees, elbows with decreased synovial fluid joints, slight tears cartilage, tendon or ligament, for mild nagging injuries that don’t heal well, e.g. tennis elbow, knee injuries. |
| Sorrel | Rumex acetosa | Perennial | Leaf | O |
A nutritious food, high in oxalic acid, sorrel is also an alterative. |
| Speedwell | Veronica officinalis and V. spps. | Perennial | Blue flowered herb | O |
Cough Medicine. Poultice for boils. Ear medicine for earaches. Febrifuge. Roots taken to ease childbirth. Tea was tonic, stomachic, expectorant, bitter and diuretic. Sometimes called “European Tea.” |
| Spiderwort, Virginia | Tradescantia virginiana | Perennial | Root & greens | O |
Infusion for stomachache from overeating. Root poultice for cancer. Diuretic and laxative. |
| Spring Beauty | Claytonia virginica | Perennial | Roots | O |
The Iroquois used this plant in a cold infusion as an anticonvulsive for children. The raw plant is a permanent contraceptive if eaten. The corm was cooked and eaten like potatoes. |
| Spruce, Dwarf Alberta Spruce | Picea glauca “conica” | Perennial | Bark | O |
The inner bark was chewed for colds and sore throats. Pitch is used as poultice for boils and abscesses. Gum used as a chewing gum and topically on wounds. TB remedy. |
| Strawberry | Fragaria spp. | Perennial | Leaf & fruit | O |
Leaf is nutritive and demulcent. Fruit is edible. |
| Sunflower | Helianthus annuus | Annual | Seeds, oil, buds | O |
The seeds and buds are edible, and the plant attracts bees. Medicinal Uses: The seeds have diuretic and expectorant properties and have been employed with success in the treatment of bronchial, laryngeal and pulmonary affections, coughs and colds, also in whooping cough. The seeds, if browned in the oven and then made into an infusion, are admirable for the relief of whooping cough. A tincture prepared from the seed with rectified spirit of wine is useful for intermittent fevers and ague, instead of quinine. The leaves are utilized in herb tobaccos. A tea made from the flowers is used as a treatment for lung ailments and malaria. Leaf tea is drunk for high fevers. The astringent quality of the leaf tea makes it useful as a poultice for snake bites and spider bites. |
| Sweet Flag, Calamus | Acorus americanus, A. calamus | Perennial | Rhizome | O |
For bacterial diarrhea with nausea. Long historical use for colds, flu, intestinal viruses, head colds with congestion. Brain fatigue, for mental alertness. Singer’s root. Helps stop smoking, makes cigarettes taste bad. |
| Sweetgrass | Hierochloe odorata | Perennial | Herb | O |
Traditional Amerindian ceremonial grass used in peace and healing rituals, prized for its ability to purify and protect. Vanilla-like scent. Sweet grass brings positive energy. Grows in marshy areas. |
| Sweet Marjoram | Origanum majorana | Non-hardy perennial | Leaf | O |
Marjoram is a wonderful culinary herb and a main component in Herbs of Provence. It is used as a tea for digestion, and also is effective for colds and headaches, and soothes nerves. |
| Sweet Woodruff | Galium odoratum | Perennial | Leaves | O |
Vanilla scented leaves are essential in Maybowl, a traditional German punch. Helpful for migraine, nervous conditions, stomach pains. The fresh leaf tea is a diuretic liver tonic, gives antispasmodic relief for stomach pains, and is a gentle sedative for children and elders. Flavoring for sorbets, fruit salads, white wines and liqueurs. |
| Tansy | Tanacetum vulgare | Perennial | Flower | X |
Tansy is an abortifacient and vermifuge; it is also used externally for vermin. Potential toxicity. |
| Taro, Elephant Ear, Kalo | Colocasia esculenta | Tender tropical perennial | Roots | O |
There are numerous varieties of kalo, some of which are favored over others in medicinal treatments. These include kalo lauloa, kalo ’api’i, kalo mana, kalo hapu’u ke’oke’o, kalo uahiapele, kalo manini,kalo ’apuwaike’oke’o, kalo haokea mana, and kalo pi’iali’i (Chun 1994:134). Abbott notes that the cut end of a petiole is used to stop wounds from bleeding; stem leaf is rubbed on insect bites to prevent swelling & pain; juice is consumed to reduce fever. Only the uncooked flesh of the corm was used in medicines. Raw scrapings from kalo corms were mixed with the juices of ko (sugarcane, Saccarum officinarum) and other plants, the mixture then pounded, and the juices squeezed out for ingestion (Abbott 1992:101). Non-Medicinal Uses: Taro is the single most important food plant to Polynesians. Early Hawaiians grew 300 varieties, mainly grown for poi production. Poi is produced by steaming (in an underground oven or imu), then mashing and adding water. Also used in religious rituals, as medicine, as bait for ’opelu fishing, for gluing kapa pieces together, & as a red dye for kapa (Handy et al. 1972:111–117). Dye Color and Parts: Purple/red (sap of the poni kalo) |
| Teasel, Fuller’s Root | Dipsacus sativus | Biennial | Root | O |
The large, bristly flower heads were used for combing wool. The root was used for stiff, aching joints, sprains, strains, and / or rheumatic pain (pain that is worse in cold or damp, osteoarthritis, bone pain). |
| Thistle, Milk Thistle, Blessed Thistle | Silybum marianum, Cnicus benedictus | Annual | Herb | O |
A bitter which acts on the liver; it also is excellent for skin issues and increases a nursing mother’s milk supply. |
| Thorn Apple, Jimson Weed | Datura stramonium | Perennial | Leaf | XXX |
Not to be used except by a trained herbalist. Useful in delirium, spasms with pain, bronchial spasms, for acute asthma attacks; agitation, spasmodic asthma, and convulsive cough. Also a visioning or Shamanic plant. |
| Thuja, Flat Cedar, Arbor Vitae | Thuja occidentalis | Perennial | Leaves and occasionally cones | O |
Thuja has a high concentration of essential oils. It is antifungal, antibacterial, but the essential oil is irritating. As an expectorant, emmenagogue, or diuretic, it is for short term use only. Externally, it is applied to venereal warts which are exposed to air (with small amounts internally). |
| Thyme | Thymus vulgaris | Perennial | Herb | O |
Secondary to the volatile oils, thyme is antiseptic, antiviral, and antibacterial to the lungs. It is also an expectorant, and is used for a wide range of acute lung conditions including pneumonia, bronchitis, and pertussis. It stimulates the working of ciliary elevator to expel mucous. It has numerous culinary uses. The essential oil must be diluted or it will burn. |
| Toothache Plant, Spilanthes, Paraguay or Australian Cress, Eyeball plant | Spilanthes acmella | Annual | Herb | O |
The leaves have a mild anesthetizing effect and are useful for toothaches. It is lso used as an antibiotic against candida. Fresh leaves are edible and are eaten like cress. It is antibacterial for staph and spirochetes, and is part of the Lyme Disease protocol. |
| Toothwort, twinleaf; Toothwort, cutleaf | Dentaria diphylla, Dentaria laciniata | Perennial | Herb | O |
The Cherokee used these plants cooked with other greens as a food source. |
| Tree Peony | Paeonia suffruticosa | Perennial | Outer bark | X |
A woman’s medicine for stagnant or congealed blood with gynecological conditions, e.g. fibroids, ovarian cysts. This is added to Woman’s 4 Herb tea with cinnamon and tree peony for ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea. |
| Trillium, Bethroot, Birthroot | Trillium erectum | Perennial | Rhizome | O |
Red, white, or dark pink. Trillium is a threatened species, use analogs instead. Do not use it unless it is locally abundant, but in general avoid it – it is over harvested. It takes 5 to 7 years before the first flower seeds; it is a very slow growing plant. Deer love it and if they eat the flower two years in a row, they kill it. Trillium is used for boggy atonic uterus with a tendency to excess bleeding (e.g. menorrhagia or post partum bleeding). Analogs: for bleeding, shepherd’s purse, yarrow, tien qi ginseng. To tonify uterus, raspberry leaf, lady’s mantle, partridge berry (not too common either), white pond lily. |
| Trillium, Toadshade | Trillium sessile | Perennial | Root | XX |
Not to be used except by a trained herbalist. The Cocow considered the plant poisonous. Used externally as a poultice of bruised leaves and roots to boils. |
| Trumpet Vine, Trumpet Creeper | Campsis radicans | Perennial | Whole vine in flower | O |
Used as a douche for Candida infections, and as a tea for skin funguses and tinea, or dried as a powder. Antifungal. |
| Turf Lily Grass, Mai Men Dong | Ophiopogon japonicus | Perennial | Root | O |
Treats heat and dryness in the lungs, upper respiratory tract, mucous membranes, and bronchioles. Yin tonic in TCM. |
| Turtlehead, Balmony | Chelone glabra (white), C. lyonii (pink flowers) | Perennial | Herb | O |
Turtlehead is a pure bitter. It is a digestive tonic, stimulates digestion, absorption and elimination, aperient to bowel, increases bile secretion, increase liver function, increase secretions of small intestines and pancreatic enzymes. It is used for impaired fat digestion. It likes to grow in marshy areas. Threatened species. |
| Twinleaf | Jeffersonia diphylla | Perennial | Whole plant | O |
The Cherokee used this plant in a poultice as a dermatological aid for sores and ulcers, and as an infusion for dropsy. Iroquois used a decoction of the whole plant for diarrhea. |
| Uva Ursi, Bearberry, Kanickanick | Arctostaphylos uva-ursi | Perennial | Leaves | O |
For kidney and bladder infections with heat, and bloody or mucopurulent discharge. Eliminates uric acid and is a treatment for gout and gouty arthritis. It is antiseptic and diuretic. |
| Valerian | Valeriana officinalis | Perennial | Root | O |
Valerian is a fairly strong herbal sedative for excess insomnia. Like Catnip and Chamomile (in equal parts), Valerian is specific for emotional issues stored in the gut, to calm the gut, for intestinal spasms, hiccups, spasms of IBS. |
| Violet, Sweet Violet | Viola odorata (Europe sp), V. papillonacea (US sp) | Perennial | Leaf, stalk, and flower | O |
A great lymphatic herb. Alterative. The flowers can be made into a syrup for coughs, sore throat, and upper respiratory tract congestion (with sugar or honey in water and succanat, black cherry concentrate). Do not use yellow flowers. |
| Virginia Creeper | Parthenocissus quinquefolia | Perennial | Twigs | X |
Used as an astringent, tonic and expectorant in cough syrups, also for jaundice. It is a wash for poison sumac and is also antidiarrheal. A source for pink dye. |
| Visnaga, Honeyplant | Ammi visnaga | Perennial | Seeds | O |
The seeds contain the compounds khellin and visnagin and are used to treat angina pectoris, muscle spasm, GI spasms, colic, painful menstruation and bronchial asthma. It is an antispasmodic. The leaves have a pleasant cress-like pungent flavour. Specific for night time asthma attacks. |
| Water Hyacinth | Eichhornia crassipes | Tropical annual | none | O |
No medicinal uses known, but is useful as biomass and to absorb pollution. |
| Wild Geranium, Cranesbill | Geranium maculatum | Perennial | Root | O |
Geranium is a strong vegetable astringent; use it for acute situations only, with discharge or bleeding. For acute diarrhea, dysentery, bleeding gastric ulcers or bleeding duodenal ulcers, stomach cancer with bleeding. Gargle for bleeding gums. Sitz bath for bleeding hemorrhoids. |
| Wild Ginger | Asarum canadensis | Perennial | Rhizome | O |
Both in TCM and Native American usage, it opens the exterior, to increase sweating and decrease temperature, and is used for colds and flu with chills and aches. Also for arthritis. Carminative. |
| Wild Grape | Vitis aestivalis | Perennial | Leaf | O |
Wild grape is an antidiarrheal and liver aid, and can be used to treat thrush. It is a febrifuge. The leaves are edible and can be substituted for domestic grape leaves. The fruit can be eaten and made into beverages. |
| Wild Indigo | Baptisia tinctoria | Annual | Fresh leaves, root | X |
Wild Indigo has a yellow flower, and is not interchangeable with B, australalis, which has a blue flower.As a powerful antiseptic it is specific for tissue that looks like raw meat with bluish or leaden or dusky (purplish) hue with sepsis and a foul, fetid odor, and mucopurulent discharge that smells like rotting meat. For diarrhea that looks like washings of meat (bloody water) dysentery, ulcerative colitis, proteus infections, and bacterial enteritis. For putrid sore throat. For erosion or ulceration of cervix. Sinusitis. |
| Wild Yam | Dioscorea villosa | Perennial | Rhizomes and rootlets | O |
For bilious colic with gas, pain or spasms, a tongue coated with heavy yellow moss, intestines painful to touch. IBS, antispasmodic. |
| Wintergreen, Checkerberry, Tea Berry | Gaultheria procumbens | Perennial | Leaf and essential oil | O |
For chronic urinary tract infections such as chronic cystitis or interstitial cystitis, and prostatitis with burning on urination with chronic dull aching pain. Pain killer, anti-inflammatory, for muscle pain, headaches, menstrual cramps, lowers fevers. As an essential oil it is used topically in ointments or massage oils for arthritic pain, joint pain, sciatic pain, sore muscles, stiff muscles, etc. As an inhalation therapy, place 1-2 drops ofthe essential oil in hot water, and inhalethe vapor for sinus congestion, headaches, head colds. Pleasant tea. |
| Wolfberry, Chinese; Lycium Berry, Matrimony Vine, Gou gi zi | Lycium barbarum | Perennial | Leaves, shoots, berry | O |
Wolfberry is a Chinese culinary and medicinal herb. It is used to strengthen muscles and bone, liver function, to restore vital essences and to improve vision. Increases white blood cell counts and stimulates tissue development. Leaves and shoot are a popular cooked green in Canton. Sweet berries are eaten raw as a snack or added to soups or stews. |
| Wormwood | Artemisia absinthium | Perennial | Herb | X |
Wormwood is a fragrant bitter, for parasites, amoebas, giarrdia, blastocystis hominus, Entamoeba histolytic or liver flukes. It is famous as the active constituent in Absinthe. It is high in thujone, a neural toxin in heavy consumers. Absinthe is illegal everywhere except Spain. |
| Yarrow | Achillea millefolium | Perennial | Leaf and flower | O |
Yarrow treats irritable bowel syndrome, and is anti-inflammatory to the bowel. Its astringency helps with the diarrhea of IBS but doesn’t increase constipation. It is also for mucous colitis, or early irritable bowel disease with blood in stool. Used for colds and flu, and for bleeding, passive hemorrhage. Topically great for cuts, scratches; you can chew it and slap it onto a wound. It is antibacterial, and stops bleeding. Yarrow has been found in ancient burial sites, and it is a heal all plant. |
| Yellow Dock | Rumex crispus | Biennial | Root | O |
For the skin, taken internally for weeping, oozing, pus filled skin conditions, for red and inflamed conditions. Dock ombines well with sarsaparilla or gotu kola. It is not really rich in iron, but increases the liver’s ability to absorb iron. It is an alterative, used in many alterative formulas, and increases elimination via the bowel and liver. Eclectic medicine’s specific indication for it was cachexia secondary to cancer. It is specific for the malnutrition and wasting of cancer, not really for the cancer. |
| Yellow Root | Xanthorrhiza simplicissima | Perennial | Rhizome | O |
Yellow root is an analog for Goldenseal. It contains berberine and may be substituted at will. Berberine containing herbs may be used for infection on any tissue it touches – throat, sinuses, eyes, urinary tract, GI tract, etc. Effective against oral, vaginal or systemic, thrush/candidiasis. Useful for insufficient HCl acid and bile production with constipation and regurgitation of a little stomach acid. |
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