Never ingest anything you have not positively identified.
For practice with proper plant identification, go on a guided plant ramble or use a reliable field guide such as, Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants by “Wildman” Steve Brill, or Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Please harvest responsibly and review this Wildcrafting Checklist by Howie Brounstein who reminds us, “Wildcrafting is stewardship.”
Click on each photo for more detailed information.
Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
May 1, 2015
This sweet daisy is a great addition to an allergy formula, as it dries up excess secretions (think stuffy noses and runny eyes.) Perfect timing! Pluck the flower heads to tincture at [1:2, 95%].
Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
May 1, 2015
It grows in clumps and flowers for at least a month. The leaves are a tasty munch as well.
Plantain (Plantago major)
May 3, 2015
Plantain is about the most reliable of plants. She grows the world over and especially loves to be around human habitation, particularly pathways. No wonder her name “plantago” comes from the word for the sole of the foot (“plantaris”)..
Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana?)
May 3, 2015
As delicious as it looks, I don’t harvest along the old rail lines of Atlanta. While it’s a great place to walk and look and practice your botanical skills, the long history of chemicals (both in the rail ties and sprayed to keep the weeds down along the tracks) makes these corridors far from organic.
ELDER (Sambucus nigra)
May 4, 2012
Beautiful flower clusters and very distinct leaves. Each leaf is pinnately divided into 5-9 leaflets with serrated edges (margin).
ELDER (Sambucus nigra)
May 3, 2012
Scabrous bark.
MIMOSA (Albizia julibrissin)
May 4, 2012
In the Chinese Materia Medica, this flower is known as He Huan Hua, which translates as “Collective Happinesss Flower” since it lifts the spirits and resolves depression. The flowers will bloom for a couple of months. Tincture fresh [1:2, 95%] or it also makes an amazing syrup that I like serving as a spritzer.
MIMOSA (Albizia julibrissin)
May 4, 2012
This plant was introduced to America from China. It is another exotic that is a little too happy here and many locals find it invasive. However, this tree is filled with such incredible medicine, I feel blessed to have it in my yard.
ELDER (Sambucus nigra)
May 10, 2012
These lovely, fragrant flowers make one of my favorite teas. Tasty and aromatic, elder is both soothing to the spirit and is also a very effective diaphoretic (stimulates sweating) which makes it a top choice for fighting off colds (often blended with peppermint & hyssop) But the more flowers you pick now, means fewer berries in the fall, and how would we make it through winter without elder berry syrup! This tree is a veritable medicine chest...bark, leaves, flowers, berries all have medicinal and energetic uses.
MULLEIN AND BLACKBERRY
May 11, 2011
Both of these plants are volunteers in my garden this year. The mullein’s soft fuzzy leaves can be prepared as either a tea or a tincture for supporting the respiratory system. The Blackberries, other than just tasting good, are filled with antioxidants. The root can be decocted to make an extremely astringent tea, useful in instances of diarrhea.
Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus)
May 18, 2014
Also known as curly dock, this dock gets its botanical and common name from the crispy fried look of the leaves. The margins are quite distinctive.
Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus)
May 18, 2014
Not to be comfused with the very common R. obtusifolius, also known as broadleaved Dock. Despite the R. crispus being the traditionally used dock as an alterative, to tonify the bowels, and to increase mineral absorption, I have been asking around and lots of herbalists say that they are using the R. obtusifolius similarly. I have yet to do any comparative studies myself, but look forward to reasearching this more, as the R. obtusifolius is MUCH more common around here.
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)
May 18, 2014
This lovely flower is also lovely to harvest. Just pop of the pom-pom like heads. Dry to use as a tea or tincture. Traditional alterative (blood cleanser) with a long history of use. Also, since clovers are nitrogen fixing, planting some red clover around means medicine for your family and your garden.
Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus)
May 18, 2014
While telling the difference between the docks can at times be challenging when you only have the leaves to go by, once it goes to seed there is no mistake. The wings surrounding the seed (actually these are tepals which now enclose the fruit) do not have spikes to them. The R. obtusifolius (very common around here) does.
Field of Flowers
May 18, 2014
Just to show how many herbs can be in one square foot... I spy dandelion, red clover, wild onion, chickweed...
Mulberry (Morus sp)
May 18, 2014
So this is probably my favorite season, when the mulberries begin to ripen. I just have too many finger-licking memories of this tasty berry. Check out the mulberry syrup recipe on the elixirs page as well.
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)
May 18, 2014
Learn this plant. EVERY part of it is medicinal or useful. Leaves (lung tonic and wilderness toilet paper), flowers (oil for earaches), root (urinary tract astringent and tonifies the trigone muscle - basically helps with incontenence), and finally the stalk - makes a great torch!
VITEX (Vitex agnes-castus)
May 25, 2012
Close up of flower heads turning to seed.
VITEX (Vitex agnes-castus)
May 25, 2012
Vitex grows as a large shrub/small tree and here provides a lovely companion while waiting for Marta.
VITEX (Vitex agnes-castus)
May 25, 2012
Part Used: Seeds
Action: Female Reproductive Amphoteric (balancing). It’s a long term tonic. Also known as monk’s pepper, it has a nice aromatic kick and was said to assist one remain celibate.
Hawthorne (Crataegus sp.)
May 27, 2013
This shrub member of the rose family offers us such sweet heart medicine, made from the berry and flower. But protecting this gentle medicine are quite the thorns!!
Mulberry (Morus sp.)
May 30, 2013
It’s mulberry time! These trees grow all around the city and are easy to find. Just look for the lovely purple splattering on the ground, look up, and you’ve found a delicious and flavonoid rich treat.
Honeysuckly (Lonicera japonica)
May 18, 2014
For such a delicate flower, it packs a powerful punch. This is one of the major “Clear Wind and Heat,” meaning infection, often viral infections, in Chinese medicine. It is one of the ingredients in Yin Qiao. Harvest just before the bloom fully opens. Dry quickly, at a low temperature and use as tea or tincture.
