Herb of the Month Club

Herb of the Month Club

Join us each month at the Learning Garden and deepen your relationship with our local herbs!

For folks in Atlanta, we hope you will join us at the garden so you can experience these herbs first hand.  You will also have a chance to go home with some plant material, either to plant in your garden or for use in your home apothecary.  And if you don’t live nearby, we have loads of online material to share as well, through our detailed materia medicas, filled with tons of herbalistic info, including our favorite recipes and formulas!

Rosemary Materia Medica

Salvia rosmarinus (Formerly Rosmarinus officinale)
LAMIACEAE FAMILY

Rosemary is a warming, stimulating, and exhilarating plant.  Like the sun, Rosemary is a powerhouse medicinal, safeguarding against both chronic illness and acute infection.   It strengthens the heart, eases pain and inflammation, tonifies the mind, builds deep energy, and is a general all around tonic.

 The ancient Greeks dedicated sweet rosemary to Apollo, the god of medicine, music, poetry, and prophecy.  To the Romans, rosemary represented loyalty and learning.  It accompanied Pharaohs to the next life.  Rosemary has been worn to weddings and offered at funerals.  It inspires a commitment to love, and it reminds us of those we loved and lost. Rosemary is for remembrance.  And for strength.  It helps us to remember our truth, to find our path, and to shine.

As a member of the Mint Family, Rosemary is featured in our “Mint-tastic” Materia Medicia Class that we taught at the Free School in 2023.  In that class, we explored the botanical family patterns of the Mint Family andlearn about many of Rosemary’s relatives, including Lavender ,Lemon Balm, Peppermint and Oregano. This class, and all Free School Classes are available in the Free School Archive, located in the Herbalista Toolkit.  

Visit the Herbalista Toolkit

DESCRIPTION

Native to the regions surrounding the Mediterranean and the Caucuses, this evergreen shrub with needle-like leaves blooms sweet whitish bluish to lilac throughout the winter.  Leaves: simple, entire margin, green above and white below, aromatic.  Flowers: typical mint, two-lipped, with only 2 stamen.  The flowers grow in clusters from the axil. 

It likes dry, sunny climates, and well drained soil. 

PART USED

leaves (with or without flowers)

HARVEST

Anytime you need it!  Like most mint family plants, if you clip them back they will fill in twice as strong.  Since this plant is already quite dry, it is not difficult to dry.  Simply hang branches until dry.  Then strip the leaves from the twigs with your hands.   On the herbal farm I volunteered on in Italy, we simply laid the boughs out on tables in an upper attic room of the farm house.   

ENERGETICS + TASTES

warm, dry, moving

ACTIONS

anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, astringent, circulatory tonic, antidepressant, diffusive stimulant, cardiac tonic, digestive tonic, nervine

SYSTEMS

circulatory, nervous, digestive, skin

INDICATIONS

infection, cold/ depressed state, Raynaud’s, cold fingers and toes, depression, forgetfulness

PREPARATION + DOSAGE (INTERNAL)

  • Tincture: Dry Herb Alcohol; consider using hydrosol as water portion of tincture. Take up to 2.5 mL (½ tsp), up to 3 xs per day. 
  • Glycerite: Dry Herb Glycerine; consider using hydrosol as water portion of glycerite; Take up to 2.5 mL (½ tsp), up to 3 xs per day.
  • Hydrosol: Fresh Herb Distillation.  Take 1 tsp hydrosol per cup of water. See Hydrosol Therapy Guide
  • Tea: 1 tsp per cup of water.  Steep covered to preserve the aromatics. Take up to 3xs per day.
  • Powder/ Herbal Spice: Add freely to foods.  Rosemary tastes especially good with beef, pork and lamb.  Used commonly in blends such as Italian Seasonings or Herbs de Provence. See our  Garlic + Herb Spice Blend
  • Capsule: Dry Powdered Herb. 500 mg, up to 3xs per day. See our Inflam Re-Leaf Capsules

PAIRINGS (INTERNAL)

  • Circulatory Support: Ginger or Cayenne
  • Energy: Eleuthero, Ginger, etc.
  • Memory: Sage
  • Heart Health: other cardiovascular anti-inflammatories, such as Hawthorne.
  • Headaches: with Lavender or Oregano
  • Depression: with Lavender or Cardamom
  • Bad Breath: with Cinnamon, Cardamom or Clove

PREPARATION + DOSAGE (EXTERNAL)

  • Tea (Soak or Hair Rinse): 1 oz herb per quart.  
  • Infused Oil: Dry Herb Olive Oil. Use alone or in blends to support the skin and circulation, particularly in the winter months. See our Cozy Toes Salve
  • Essential Oil: Use diluted at a 2% dilution.
  • Aromatic Cleanser: See Thieves Oil Blend 
  • Hydrosol: See our Foot Spritz
  • Queen of Hungary Water: Distilled rosemary with other mint family herbs.  Many recipes abound, dating all the way from the 14th century.

PAIRINGS (EXTERNAL)

For Wound Care

  • Pair with other antimicrobial herbs such as berberine containing ones like Goldenseal and Oregon Grape, Yarrow, Calendula, etc.
  • Pair with astringent herbs such as Witch Hazel or Rose.

For Circulation to Finger and Toes

  • Pair with other movers, such as Ginger. 

SAFETY/ CAUTIONS

  • Avoid concentrated supplements and large doses during pregnancy.
  • Food-like and generally considered safe.

PLANTING ROSEMARY

Check out this video of Sam planting Rosemary at the Learning Garden.  He gives us lots of tips and tricks to ensure a healthy and happy Rosemary. 

Yarrow Materia Medica

Achillea millefolium
ASTERACEAE FAMILY

Yarrow is a powerhouse herb. From fevers to infections, digestive complaints to wound care, yarrow is a safe herb that is easy to grow and gorgeous to look at. 

It is abundant (growing all around the northern hemisphere, in towns and the wild); it is highly effective medicine (used for infection, colds, digestive complaints, wound care,  and more); it can be turned into many different types of medicine for both internal and external use (oil, water glycerine, vinegar AND alcohol soluble); and with all of that incredible healing potential, it is also quite safe medicine.

PART USED

Leaves and/ or flowers

ENERGETICS

pungent, spicy, bitter

SYSTEMS

immune, mucosal, skin

HERBAL ACTIONS

anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticatarrhal, emmenagogue, diaphoretic, hepatic stimulant, immune stimulant, emotionally protective, styptic

INDICATIONS

infection, wounds, fevers, excess mucous, urinary tract infection, G.I. tract inflammation, sinusitis

CAUTION

Avoid in pregnancy

PREPARATIONS

tea, oil, soak, poultice, tincture

HERBALISTA REMEDIES

Cold Care Tea Blend, B.R.A.V.E. Glycerite Compound

About Spring Weeds

Spring brings the most dazzling array of herbal abundance! 

Often thought of weeds, these are some of our most healing, reliable, and safe herbal medicines. 

Check out our detailed “Wonderful Weeds” Materia Medica which has detailed entries for the following spring herbs:

  • Chickweed
  • Cleavers
  • Dandelion
  • Nettles
  • Plantain
  • Violet. 

We taught a whole class on Spring Weeds for the Free School, back in 2023. If you’d like to our “Spring Weeds” class video, you can find it in the Herbalista Toolkit.

Visit the Herbalista Toolkit

Motherwort Materia Medica

Leonurus cardiaca
LAMIACEAE FAMILY

Don’t let the prickle and bitter of motherwort fool you.  She is a gentle and loving ally.  The botanical name roughly translates as ‘Lion-hearted’, which is kind of awesome.  Native to southeastern Europe and central Asia, it has a long history of use, in particular for “female” complaints as well as cardio support as we can see from both its common and botanical names.    

Motherwort is one of the herbs we covered in our detailed “Heart Herbs” Materia Medica which is featured along side several other heart supportive herbs like Hawthorne and Linden.  If you’d like to view the Free School Class Video we taught on this, please visit the Herbalista Toolkit.

Visit the Herbalista Toolkit

DESCRIPTION

A tall perennial (up to 5 feet) in the mint family, it has opposite leaves and a square stem but lacks the typical strong aromatics of other members of this plant family .  Her palmately lobed leaves are silvery below and a darker green above.  Flowers whorls grow in the axils and get quite prickly, so be careful when harvesting!  It is native to temperate parts of Europe and Asia and has naturalized in America.  

PART USED

Aerial parts in flower; you can also just work with the leaves (as some people do to avoid the prickly flower parts).

HARVEST

when in flower, be careful and wear gloves as the calyx around the flowers are quite prickly! In Atlanta, the first harvest of Motherwort is typically in May.  Possible second harvest in the autumn. Can be tinctured fresh or dried for later use.  This plant is easy to dry and can simply be hung on a line to dry.

ENERGETICS

cool, drying, bitter

ACTIONS

nervine, emmenagogue, anxiolytic, cardiotonic, bitter relaxant, diuretic, antispasmodic

SYSTEMS

nervous; ovarian-based system (female reproductive); cardiovascular and circulatory

INDICATIONS

anxiety and tension (heart palpitations); PMS (irritability, mood swings, depression); menopausal symptoms (hot flashes, emotional lability);  insomnia, delayed menses; water retention 

PREPARATION + DOSAGE (INTERNAL)

PAIRINGS (INTERNAL)

  • For insomnia or anxiety with other nervine sedatives (Passionflower, Chamomile, Skullcap, etc.)
  • For hyperthyroid (Lemon Balm, Bugleweed)
  • For menopausal support (Schisandra, Black Cohosh, Anemarrhena, etc.)

SAFETY/ CAUTIONS

As an herb for hyperthyroid and cardio excess, not recommended for folks with underactive thyroid. 

Do not use excessively in early pregnancy due to the emmenagogue effect.  

The Blueberry Crew

Vaccinium corymbosum and Friends
ERICACEAE FAMILY

Instead of focusing on a single berry, I’m going to be looking at a specific Genus that has several species of berries in it!  We are talking about the Vaccinium Crew and it rolls deep – Cranberry (V. macrocarpon), Blueberry (V. corymbosum) and Bilberry (V. myrtillus) all are members of this botanical Genus.

While each Vaccinium has its own speciality, they hold similar properties and in general we use them in very similar ways – as a superb anti-inflammatory, to support the vasculature, and to prevent or heal from infection.  Please check out our detailed “Berry Bliss” Materia Medica which has a Blueberry entry along side several other blissful berries like Goji and Schisandra.  And if you’d like to view the Free School Class we taught on this, please visit the Herbalista Toolkit.

Visit the Herbalista Toolkit

DESCRIPTIONS

  • Blueberry: Native to North America. Low-growing, perennial shrub with green oval shaped leaves. Blueberries tend to hold onto their leaves through the winter. White, bell shaped flowers grow in clusters and mature to a beautiful blue (hence the name).  Often cultivated.
  • Bilberry: Native to northern Europe. Low-growing, perennial shrub with pale green leaves and finely-toothed margins. Pale green-pink globular flowers grow singularly or in pairs and ripen to a very dark bluish-black color.  Bilberries grow in poor, acidic soils and due to the small sized fruit, are not typically in cultivation.  In Ireland, the traditional time to harvest the wild fruit is the final weekend of July to mark the end of summer and that Sunday is known as Fraughan Sunday.
  • Cranberry: Native to North America with a subgenus native to northern and central Europe. Small, low-growing perennial shrub or vine with evergreen leaves.  The flowers are pink, with dramatically reflexed petals and mature to a plump red fruit. 

PART USED

Berry

HARVEST

Harvest when ripe.  Use fresh for food and medicine or dry to use later.  Dry in dehydrator or low oven setting.

FLAVONOID FOCUS

  • Anthocyanins (pigment) accounts for up to 60% of the phenolic content in blueberries. 
  • Quercetin is the main flavanoid of Bilberries, accounting for up to 50%
  • Cranberries – 10 times the amount of anthocyanins were found in the skin than the pulp, highlighting the importance of whole plant medicine– eat it!

ENERGETICS: sweet, sour, cooling

ACTIONS: astringent, anti-inflammatory, cardiotonic, nutritive, antioxidant,  

SYSTEMS: cardiovascular, neurovascular, epithelial tissue, urinary, eyes

INDICATIONS

  • Bilberry: macular degeneration, systemic inflammation, diabetes, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, atherosclerosis
  • Blueberry: systemic inflammation, diabetes, high cholesterol, dardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, hypertension
  • Cranberry: urinary tract infections, systemic inflammation, diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension

PREPARATION + DOSAGE (INTERNAL)

The best way to consume these fruits is as a FOOD.  However, all three of the vacciniums we have highlighted here are also used in herbal medicinal preparations.  Here are a few of our own recipes.

PAIRINGS (INTERNAL)

  • ALL: Pair with other antioxidant and flavonoid rich herbs (i.e. hawthorne, rosehip, etc)
  • Blueberry: Pair with Cinnamon to support blood sugar balance.
  • Bilberry: To support ocular health, pair with herbs such as Calendula and Goji
  • Cranberry: For UTI, pair with diuretic and antibacterial herbs (i.e. Goldenseal, Buchu, Cornsilk, etc.) 

SAFETY/ CAUTIONS

Food like and generally considered safe. 

Aloe Materia Medica

Aloe vera, A. barbadensis, etc.
SPHODELACEAE FAMILY

Aloe vera has an incredibly long documented history of use– described on Mesopatamian clay tablets and Egyptian papyrus, referred to in the works of Dioscorides, Pliny and Galen, aloe is a plant loved by so many cultures around the world.

Aloe is a powerful and famous first aid herbal remedy, most well-known for its ability to soothe and cool burns.  Simple and safe, it soothes our skin and mucosa both topically and internally.    

Aloe is one of our best slimers!  Check out our detailed “Slip and Soothe” Materia Medica which has an Aloe entry along side several other slimy soothers like Marshmallow and Seaweed.  If you’d like to view the Free School Class Video we taught on this, please visit the Herbalista Toolkit.  

Visit the Herbalista Toolkit

DESCRIPTION

Evergreen perennial originated from the Arabian Peninsula but has made itself at home around the world.  Literally.  Since I was a child, my family has always had a plant in the window, and I’m sure the same can be said for many of you.

The light green leaves are thick and fleshy with white tipped, saw-like, serrated edges. The leaves grow in a basal formation.

PART USED

the gooey insides (aka pulp/ gel/ juice); Please note: the outer leaf is also used in some remedies but that contains a powerful bitter compound which is a strong laxative.  We are NOT talking about this part.  Only the inner part. 

HARVEST

When grown as a perennial houseplant in a sunny window, you can simply harvest from it whenever you have need.  Cut only a section of the leaf that is what you need with scissors.  Split it open and scrape out the gooey-goo!

ENERGETICS

cool, moist

ACTIONS

anti-inflammatory, refrigerant, demulcent. emollient, mucilaginous, vulnerary, immunomodulator

SYSTEMS

skin + mucosal tissues

INDICATIONS

radiation burns, sunburns, wounds, ulcers, rashes, dermatitis, mucosal and skin inflammation, vaginitis, ulcers

PREPARATION + DOSAGE (EXTERNAL)

  • Gel or Juice: apply topically as needed for burns or any dry and inflamed areas.
  • See RAW Dressing (a blend of Rose Hydrosol, Aloe Gel and Witch Hazel distillate).  This soothing spray can be used for a variety of inflammations from hemorrhoids to sunburn.  Apply as needed.
  • Mix Aloe gel with a couple drops of Lavender essential oil and apply topically for burns.  

PAIRINGS (EXTERNAL)

Aloe is well used as a vehicle to deliver other herbal extracts. For example:

  • Add a few drops of Lavender essential oil or hydrosol for a cooling burn remedy.  
  • Blend into lotions with other vulnerary herbs such as Calendula for extra healing.
  • Mix with other cooling anti-inflammatories for topical spray such as rose water

PREPARATION + DOSAGE (INTERNAL)

  • Again, we are only referring to the inner pulp type of extract here.  NOT WHOLE LEAF which would include the outer leaf containing alloin which is extremely laxative. 
  • Aloe Juice is a popular beverage in Mexico, Brasil, India and many other places around the world.  Blended with other juices to make a cooling and refreshing drink, there are many different aloe based brands sold at grocery stores (i.e. Aloe King).  
  • Typical undiluted Dose: ½  – 3 fluid oz. of Aloe Juice per day. 

PAIRINGS (INTERNAL)

  • For inflammation and summer heat,  pair with other cooling and refreshing herbs and foods such as cucumber or watermelon.
  • For digestive heat, pair with carminatives such as chamomile and fennel.  

SAFETY/ CAUTIONS: Inner pulp of Aloe considered a food and generally considered safe.  Warnings against use while pregnant, most likely referring to use of the outer leaf which is extremely laxative.

Peppermine Materia Medica

“Mint” is a bit of a general term and a word we might use to refer to peppermint, spearmint among others.  In this Materia Medica we will focus on Peppermint. 

We did a whole class on the mints in our Free School programming for 2023. If you’d like to check out the class video, please visit the Herbalista Toolkit.  

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Mentha piperita 
LAMIACEAE FAMILY

There are sooooo many mints.  So many of them, that they decided to name the whole family after them . We are going to focus on Peppermint for this entry.  This is probably one of the most widely known and used herbal teas, with the exception of Chamomile.  If a restaurant or grocery store has an herbal tea on offer, this will be it. This makes it accessible medicine and worth our attention.  Not to mention it’s lovely and aromatic AND effective.

Peppermint is also an interesting example of complex energetics.  Peppermint manages to be both cooling and warming, both calming and energizing.  It is perfect for a cold winter’s night and a sweltering summer’s day.  It can give you a pep and invigorate you or relax the tension you are holding in your body.   

DESCRIPTION

Perennial herb spreading via rhizomes.  It is quick growing and some regard it as invasive.  Square reddist stem with opposite leaf pairings. The leaves are simple, dark green leaves with a toothed edge and reddish veins.  Purple flowers are in whorled clusters around the stem, often at leaf axils. Originally native to southern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East, it is now naturalized in many places around the world including the Americas and Ireland.  Although it has its own species name, most botanists believe it to be a hybrid cross between a water mint (Mentha arvensis) and spearmint (Mentha spicata). 

PART USED

Leaves

HARVEST

Leaves when vibrant. Dry by hanging in bunches.

ENERGETICS + TASTES

spicy, pungent, warming/ cooling, dry

ACTIONS

carminative, aromatic, antispasmodic (general + specifically esophageal), anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic, antimicrobial, analgesic, nervine-relaxant, decongestant, antiemetic

SYSTEMS

digestive, nervous, respiratory, urinary

INDICATIONS 

digestive upset, colic, morning sickness, motion sickness, fevers and colds, flu, IBS, tension headaches, indigestion headaches, nasal congestion, spasms of the urinary tract

PREPARATION + DOSAGE (INTERNAL)

  • Food: common ingredient in cocktails, sweets + treats, salads, chutneys, and more.  Fresh tasting it gives a lift to a recipe.  I’m partial to a mint julep myself.  See Herbal Tzatziki Sauce Recipe.
  • Tea: 1 tsp per cup of water. Steep covered to preserve the aromatics. Often added to tea blends to brighten and lift the formula. (See Springtime Tea)
  • Tincture: Fresh Herb Alcohol; Dry Herb Brandy Preferred
  • Glycerite: Dry Herb  Glycerine
  • Spirit of Peppermint:  meaning 1 part of Peppermint Essential Oil to 10 parts 95% Ethanol. 
  • Hydrosol: Add 1 tsp per cup and sip.  Also delightful misted over a cocktail. Can be used as part of the  water portion for tincture or glycerite preparation.
  • Syrup: Peppermint + Licorice Syrup is amazing!  We serve it a lot at the Dublin Herb Bike.  You an watch it being made in the Free School’s Syrup Video.

PAIRINGS (INTERNAL)

PREPARATION + DOSAGE (EXTERNAL)

  • Leaves: roll up two mint leaves to make tubes and insert them into your nostrils to clear up a stuffy head (per Christopher Hedley)
  • Essential Oil for Inhalation 
  • Inhaler Stick: Place 6-10 drops in an aromatic inhaler stick.  Use as needed.
  • Steam: Place a few drops (you can always add more) into a bowl of just boiled water. Cover with a towel.  
  • Hydrosol: Refreshing to the skin.  Also soothing and calming to skin inflammation. Apply liberally. 
  • Tea (Soak): Compress for chest to open the lungs.

PAIRINGS (EXTERNAL)

  • Bug Bites: with Lavender
  • Respiratory: with other respiratory opening herbs such as Thyme or Oregano. 

SAFETY/ CAUTIONS

  • Food-like and generally considered safe.
  • Use with caution if you suffer from the following: acid reflux, hiatal hernia, GERD as the peppermint can relax the esophageal sphincter (the gate between the stomach and esophagus), exacerbating the problem.  Although some folks use enteric coated capsules to bypass the stomach and avoid this problem. 

Goldenrod Materia Medica

Solidago spp.
ASTERACEAE (Sunflower) FAMILY

Abundant.  I’d like to start there.  Goldenrod is abundant to say the least.  Botanically, it is a massive genus with over 100 species!  Entire chapters in our field guides are dedicated to Goldenrods.  And visually it is also easy to notice with its gorgeous late summer and early autumn golden flowers. 

For all its abundance, I do not use it as much as I should.  This is a highly effective plant that found its way early on into a couple of my most used formulas– the Allergy Re-Leaf Tea for its astringent effects on the mucosal tissues and our Cran Re-Leaf Capsules for its diuretic properties.  But I’m afraid I let it get pigeon-holed there and haven’t experimented with some of its other properties, such as effects on the muscular tissues. Well, maybe I can begin to play with it there as well!

Goldenrod is also known as Farewell to Summer and lets us know we better enjoy these final golden warm days.  Unfortunately for Goldenrod, it blooms  at the same time as Ragweed, a wind pollinated plant that responsible for lots of our seasonal allergies around that time.  Since Goldenrod is the more noticalbe plant and the flowers of Ragweed are rather inconspicuous, Goldenrod often gets falsely accused.  In fact, as we’ve already noted, Goldenrod HELPS with allergy symptoms. (Ragweed is a surprising anti-histamine as well, but that is another story for another da.)

DESCRIPTION

Native to North America.  A member of the Asteraceae family, it has golden-colored compound flowers.  A perennial, it  spreads via a rhizome system. Due to the large genus, there is quite a lot of variety among species.  Most leaves are simple, compound, but some are serrated.  Most flowers have both disk and ray flowers, but some only have disk flowers.  Some grow flopped out along the ground and some are quite tall and erect, growing up to 1 meter tall. Some are hairless and some have hairs.  

The most commonly cited in our herbal literature is the Solidago odora (Sweet Scented Goldenrod).  Click here to read the botanical description in King’s Dispensatory. 

PART USED

Flowering Tops, Herb in Flower

GROWING TIPS

Grows wild all around Atlanta and is also easy to establish in your garden.

HARVEST

Harvest at the end of summer when it looks its finest, often starting in late August, through September, and even into early October. 

ENERGETICS + TASTES

astringent, bitter, aromatic (some species)

ACTIONS

anti-inflammatory, astringent, styptic, diuretic, anti-catarrhal, catarrh (mucus in the airways), carminative (S. odora)

SYSTEMS

  • urinary, adrenal, mucosal, digestive

INDICATIONS 

PREPARATION + DOSAGE (INTERNAL)

  • Tea: Use dry herb.  Other than the famous Solidago odora (Sweet Scented Goldenrod), Goldenrod is best in blends with other herbs.
  • Tincture: tinctures well into all menstruums (alcohol, glycerine, and vinegar)
    • Fresh Herb Alcohol. Take up to 2.5 mL (½ tsp), up to 3 xs per day.
    • Dry Herb Alcohol; Take up to 2.5 mL (½ tsp), up to 3 xs per day.
    • Dry Herb Glycerine; Take up to 2.5 mL (½ tsp), up to 3 xs per day.
    • Most often used in combinations.
  • Capsule: See our blend Cran Re-Leaf Capsules   

PAIRINGS (INTERNAL)

  • Urinary Tract Support: Pair with Cranberry, demulcents like Marshmallow, and antimicrobials like Uva Ursi, Buchu or a berberine-containing Plant like Oregon Grape.
  • Allergy Support: for the sniffly-sneezy and watery eyes that comes along with seasonal or pet allergies, pair with other anti-histiminic herbs such as Nettles or eyebright; See Springtime Tea (aka Allergy Re-Leaf)

PREPARATION + DOSAGE (EXTERNAL)

  • Sprains + Strains Used by many herbalists in a salve or soak for bruising and muscle strains.  I haven’t used it this way yet, but considering the abundance of this herb, it’s a great option.

PAIRINGS (EXTERNAL)

  • Sprains + Strains: Pair with other anti-inflammatory herbs (i.e. Ginger, Rosemary, Yarrow), circulatory stimulants (i.e. Mustard) or magnesium salts (i.e. epsom salt)

SAFETY/ CAUTIONS

  • Caution if you are allergic to other members of the  Asteraceae family such as Chamomile.

Lemon Balm Materia Medica

The following Materia Medica was taken from the Mint-tastic Mint Family Class we taught in 2023.  If you’d like to view the class video, you can find it in your toolkit Herbalista Toolkit.

Visit the Herbalista Toolkit

Melissa officinalis 
LAMIACEAE FAMILY

If there was any entry I wish was a scratch and sniff, this would be it! When you rub a leaf, it releases an uplifting lemony fragrance that puts a smile on your face.  Lucky for us, lemon balm is a vigorous, easy to grow plant and once you’ve planted it in your garden, it’s there to stay.  And what a great plant to have too much of!  Like most mints, It is used both for emotional support as well as for physical ailments. It is a powerful remedy, traditionally used for hyperthyroidism and herpes, but also gentle enough for young children.

DESCRIPTION

Perennial herb spreading via rhizomes.  Square Stem, Opposite pairs of simple, vibrant green leaves with a serrated edge.  Pale, whitish-pinkish flowers with the classic mint family arrangement. Native to southern Europe, the Mediterranean, Persia and Central Asia.  Naturalized in many places around the world including the Americas and Ireland.

PART USED

Leaves, aerial parts

HARVEST

When leaves are looking their best, before or during flowering.  Dry by hanging on a line or in a dehydrator.  Can be used fresh for medicine and foods, but most easily worked with as a dry herb.  Since the aromatics can be easily destroyed, it is a good idea to dry quickly and efficiently and then bag and store properly. 

ENERGETICS + TASTES

cool, sour, spicy

ACTIONS

carminative, aromatic, diaphoretic, nervine, febrifuge, clears heat, anti-depressant, antiviral, exhilarant

SYSTEMS

nervous, digestive, cardiovascular, skin + mucosal

INDICATIONS 

  • Emotional: SAD (seasonal affective disorder), anxiety, depression
  • Cold + Flu: fever, ‘ickiness’
  • Excess Conditions: palpitations, nervous indigestion, herpes, shingles, mania,  hyperthyroidism

PREPARATION + DOSAGE (INTERNAL)

  • Tea: 1 tablespoon per cup of water. 2-3 cups per day. Steep covered to preserve aromatics.
  • Tincture: Fresh Herb Alcohol; Dry Herb Brandy Preferred.  Take up to 5mL, up to 3xs per day.
  • Glycerite: Dry Herb Glycerine.  Consider the hydrosol for the water portion.  Take up to 5mL, up to 3xs per day.
  • Food: pesto, sorbet, chop finely and add to salad and salsa.
  • Klosterfrau Melissengeist (also known as Carmelite Water): this remedy composed of lemon balm and several other aromatic herbs (i.e. ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, elecampane, pepper) was the first traditional remedy approved by the European Union. It is prepared as a hydrosol distillate, by infusing into wine or alcohol, or through the combination of essential oils.   Klosterfrau Melissengeist (meaning Woman of the Monastery Spirit of Melissa) is still sold today. 

PAIRINGS (INTERNAL)

PREPARATION + DOSAGE (EXTERNAL)

  • Classic Herpes Salve/ Ointment Preparations: either use the essential oil (which is quite expensive) or oil infusion.
  • Klosterfrau Melissengeist (also known as Carmelite Water): this remedy composed of lemon balm and several other aromatic herbs was the first traditional remedy approved by the European Union. It is prepared as a hydrosol distillate, by infusing into wine or alcohol, or through the combination of essential oils.   Klosterfrau Melissengeist (meaning Woman of the Monastery Spirit of Melissa) is still sold today. 
  • Hydrosol: it takes soooo much plant to get off any essential oil when distilling, but easily produces the hydrosol.  Use freely to calm and cool inflammation of the skin. 

PAIRINGS (EXTERNAL)

  • With other wound care herbs for herpes zosters, such as Licorice and Calendula. 

SAFETY/ CAUTIONS

  • General considered safe.  
  • Avoid large quantities in HYPOthyroidism as this is utilized specifically for HYPERthyroidism.  I would especially be cautious in combining it with other synergistic, hyperthyroid specifics like Lycopus and Motherwort.

Ginger Materia Medica

Zingiber officinale
ZINGIBERACEAE (Ginger) FAMILY

Ginger is a sensational spice! It is an herb long utilized and loved by humans.  The earliest writings we have are from around 500 BCE, penned by disciples of Confucius who said he ate it with every meal and that the plant was grown in pots and kept aboard ships to help prevent scurvy.  It soon spread around the world, first to the middle east and the Mediterranean and then on to the Americas. 

It is one of my absolute favorite herbs, not only because it is tasty (making it helpful for taking your more bitter herbs), but because it is so effective for such a wide variety of issues.  It’s ability to improves digestion makes it a star addition to many formulas and can help with the absorption of other herbs.  You will notice it appears in A LOT of our recipes. 

It loves hot growing conditions and so lucky us, living in HotLanta!

DESCRIPTION

A perennial plant that is native to southern China.  It has been cultivated for so long by humans that apparently it doesn’t actually exist in the wild. Leaves: Tall, simple, oblong leaves. Flowers: gorgeous spike of yellow/ white flowers. Roots: technically, the roots are small hairs that grow out of the more bulbous rhizome which is the part we actually use. 

PART USED

Rhizomes (another word for underground stem).  We would commonly call this the root!

GROWING TIPS

Plant an organic root from the grocery store! Likes sandy, well-drained soil and tropical climates, so can be grown in Georgia’s hot and humid growing season as an annual and harvested in fall. Can be grown as perennial if brought inside during winter.

HARVEST

Harvest roots in the Autumn after the first frost

ENERGETICS + TASTES

  • warm, spicy, pungent
  • Fresh Ginger is considered HOTTER than Dry Ginger

ACTIONS

anti-inflammatory; peripheral circulatory stimulant; surface immune stimulant, diaphoretic; expectorant, carminative, antiemetic; analgesic, rubefacient

SYSTEMS

  • digestive, respiratory, circulatory, immune, musculo-skeletal

INDICATIONS 

PREPARATION + DOSAGE (INTERNAL)

  • Cook with it! Add freely to foods.  Ginger tastes especially good with squashes and sweet potatoes, chicken and fish.  One often sees slices of ginger served alongside sushi as it helps protect against seafood toxicity issues.  In Chinese medicine, Ginger is used as a specific for seafood poisoning.  Here  are a couple recipes we love:
  • Tea: use fresh or dry as tea. 1 tsp per cup of water.  Steep covered to preserve the aromatics. Take up to 3xs per day.  Also great in tea blends.  See individual Recipe cards for preparation and dosage instructions.
  • Syrup: see Cold Care Syrup (aka Winter Syrup)
  • Tincture: tinctures well into all menstruums (alcohol, glycerine, and vinegar)
  • Hydrotherapy: Easily made into a tea, ginger makes a great compress, gargle or soak. 
  • Capsule: Dry Powdered Herb. 500 mg, up to 3xs per day. See also our blends: Inflam Re-Leaf Capsules, Green Bling Capsule
  • Oil/ Salve: Dry ginger extracts well into an oil.  Powder the herb for maximum extraction.
  • Powder: Add freely to foods.  Ginger tastes especially good with squashes and sweet potatoes, chicken and fish.  Of course, fresh ginger is so easy to use as well, see Cook with it! section above.   

PAIRINGS (INTERNAL)

  • Anti-inflammatory Support: with Turmeric, Rosemary, Berberine containing plants, etc. (See Inflam Re-Leaf Capsules)
  • Digestion:
    • with other aromatic carminatives (cardamom, orange peel, fennel, etc.)  (See Aromatic Bitters);
    • pair with nutrient rich herbs to help increase their absorption (see Green Bling Capsules)
    • pair with other tummy settling herbs for nausea (i.e. fennel or peppermint)
  • Circulatory: with other anti-inflammatory herbs (i.e. Turmeric) or other cardiovascular supportive herbs (i.e. Eleutherococcus)
  • Immune Support: pair with other diaphoretics (i.e. Yarrow or Peppermint); pair with other immune stimulants (See Defender Compound, Herbal Shield Compound) 

PREPARATION + DOSAGE (EXTERNAL)

  • Sprains + Strains Ginger can be used for its anti-inflammatory properties externally.
    • Tea: Make a strong decoction with dry herb or fresh herb Soak.  Consider adding Epsom Salts.

PAIRINGS (EXTERNAL)

  • Sprains + Strains: Pair with other anti-inflammatory herbs (i.e. Rosemary, Yarrow), circulatory stimulants (i.e. Mustard) or magnesium salts (i.e. epsom salt)

SAFETY/ CAUTIONS

  • Food like and general considered safe.  
  • Pregnancy: use only small amounts (less than 2 grams daily) for morning sickness
  • High fever: RED FLAG Fever over 104 F/ 40 C; typically we use Ginger and Cinnamon to encourage a lower grade fever that needs a little help along to break.
  • Sensitive Tummys:  not everyone tolerates ginger, especially if someone suffers from GERD

Turmeric Materia Medica

Curcuma longa
ZINGIBERACEAE (Ginger) FAMILY

Turmeric needs little introduction.  A common kitchen spice, it is a staple in Indian cuisine.  A powerful herbal ally, it is a staple for many herbalists.  Turmeric is a tonic herb that can be taken everyday and since it is food-like, it is generally considered safe.  It has become most famous of late as a anti-inflammatory and the more we realize the role inflammation plays in many chronic diseases, the more we look to turmeric to help.  From diabetes to cardiovascular complaints to arthritis, turmeric is a powerful plant ally.

It loves hot growing conditions and so lucky us, living in HotLanta!

DESCRIPTION

A perennial plant that is native to the Indian subcontinent.  Leaves: Tall, simple, oblong leaves. Flowers: gorgeous spike of yellow/ white flowers. Roots: technicallyl, the roots are small hairs that grow out of the more bulbous rhizome which is the part we actually use. 

PART USED

Rhizomes (another word for underground stem).  We would commonly call this the root!

GROWING TIP

Plant an organic root from the grocery store! Likes sandy, well-drained soil and tropical climates, so can be grown in Georgia’s hot and humid growing season as an annual and harvested in fall. Can be grown as perennial if brought inside during winter.

HARVEST

Harvest roots in the Autumn after the first frost

ENERGETICS + TASTES

bitter, resinous

ACTIONS

anti-inflammatory, antioxidant; bitter, digestive; antimicrobial; hepatic, hypolipidemic

SYSTEMS

cardio-vascular, hepatic, musculo-skelatal, digestive, skin

INDICATIONS 

  • Inflammation: General inflammation or chronic conditions with inflammatory ramifications, such as diabetes (see Suga’ Fix Powder ), cardiovascular disease, arthritis (see Inflam Re-Leaf Capsules)
  • Strains and Sprains: an extremely effective anti-inflammatory herb, great for muscular strains and sprains.  Most often taken as a capsule for this. Can be used alongside over the counter anti-inflammatories as well. (See Inflam Re-Leaf Capsules)
  • Skin: acne, infected wounds
  • Digestion: sluggish digestion (bitter), trouble digesting fats (see Aromatic Bitters)
  • Cardio-vascular: high cholesterol, artherosclerosis, cardio

PREPARATION + DOSAGE (INTERNAL)

  • Cook with it! Combining it with both a fat/oil and with spices such as Black Pepper or Fenugreek can improve our digestion and absorption of the curcuminoids. (See Winter Soup + Stock, Fire Cider)
  • Capsule: Again, combining with a pinch of black pepper or fenugreek (per Kerry Bone from Mediherb) will increase our absorption of the curcuminoids. (See Inflam Re-Leaf Capsules)
  • Tincture: in alcohol due to high resin content.  Turmeric doesn’t tincture as well in Glycerine.
  • Powder: easily included in powder blends. Suga’ Fix Powder

PAIRINGS (INTERNAL)

  • To increase absorption: always pair either with black pepper, long pepper (traditional in Ayurvedic Medicine), or fenugreek (per Kerry Bone of MediHerb).
  • Anti-inflammatory Support: with Ginger, Rosemary, Berberine containing plants, etc. (See Inflam Re-Leaf Capsules)
  • Digestion: with other bitters (gentian or motherwort) and aromatic carminatives (ginger, cardamom, orange peel, fennel, etc.)  (See Aromatic Bitters)

PREPARATION + DOSAGE (EXTERNAL)

  • Acne + Wound Care: Turmeric can be used for its antiinflammatory and antisceptic properties externally.  However – the strong pigment will stain the skin (temporarily) and clothing (more permanently) so beware!  But you can simply make a paste from the powder or use the tincture or oil infusion mixed into other salves for an effective dressing.

PAIRINGS (EXTERNAL)

  • With other wound care herbs such as Licorice, Yarrow and Calendula. 

SAFETY/ CAUTIONS

  • Food like and general considered safe.  
  • Caution with biliary blockages and gallstones

Herb of the Month Club Gallery

Adults and children together are repotting large aloe plants
Yarrow in bloom at the Learning Garden
Sam plants a small Rosemary bush on sloped lawn.
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