Jul 302020
 

Written by Meghan Gemma with Juliet Blankespoor
Photography by Juliet Blankespoor

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Ready to start or expand your herb garden?

Here we’re introducing medicinal, edible, and cultivation profiles for three cherished healing plants: elderberry, lemon balm, and rose. You can also find a wheelbarrow-full of articles on designing, growing, and tending a home herb garden via our Medicinal Herb Gardening Hub (and you’ll find cultivation featurettes for dozens more herbs!).

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Elderberry (Sambucus nigra var. canadensis)

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra var. canadensis)

Elderberry
(Sambucus nigra, S. nigra var. canadensis, Adoxaceae)

Elderberry is an herb gardener’s reverie. Blessed with lush foliage, creamy clusters of frothy blossoms, and heavy bunches of dark fruit that beckon birds to flit and flutter between its branches, elder captures the eye and the heart. Humans are drawn to its canopy just as readily as the birds. This herbal shrub is a rich source of immune-boosting medicine, and is deeply steeped in lore; around the world, stories abound about a healing spirit said to live within the tree. She is often called the Elder Mother, Elder Lady, or Elda Mor—and she can be appealed to on behalf of the ill.1

Elder's Medicinal Uses

Parts used: Flowers and berries
Preparations: Syrup, tincture, infusion, decoction, mead, wine, honey, shrub, and vinegar
Herbal Actions:

  • Berries:
    • Antiviral
    • Immune tonic
    • Antibacterial
    • Antioxidant
    • Antirheumatic
    • Anticatarrhal
    • Anti-inflammatory
    • Diaphoretic
    • Cardiovascular tonic
    • Diuretic
  • Flowers:
    • Antiviral
    • Anticatarrhal
    • Diaphoretic
    • Antispasmodic
    • Astringent
    • Alterative
    • Anti-inflammatory
    • Diuretic
    • Nervine

Elder is a traditional immune system tonic with significant antiviral properties. The berries are more potent than the flowers in this light, and work by strengthening cell membranes against viral penetration. Elderberry also increases the production of cytokines—chemical messengers that enhance communication between white blood cells and the body during an infection.2 You may have read concerns regarding elderberry as a possible cause of cytokine storms. My opinion is that elder is likely safe for most people, but if you’d like to read more on the topic, I recommend this article by herbalist Paul Bergner.

Elderberry is effective against many viruses, including the common cold and a broad spectrum of influenza strains (especially when taken at the first signs of illness).

The most delicious and nourishing way to imbibe elderberry’s medicine is to prepare a rich purple syrup that combines elderberry tincture, elderberry tea, and elderberry-infused honey. For children and folks who avoid alcohol, I swap out the alcohol in the tincture for apple cider vinegar. I also add liberal quantities of cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) and ginger (Zingiber officinale). It is beyond tasty! See our video tutorial on preparing herbal honeys and syrups for more guidance.

Taken tonically, elderberry has a range of other benefits; it is anti-inflammatory for arthritic conditions, iron-rich and building to the blood, a preventative for vascular disease and atherosclerosis, and an antioxidant preventative for cancer.

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Elder flowers perfect for picking

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Elder flowers are gently antiviral and healing for the upper respiratory system. Rich in tannins and volatile oils, they effectively dry up excessive fluids and help mucus flow more freely from the sinuses, alleviating stuffy nose, headache, and earache. In addition, their flavonoid compounds are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-stimulating.

When taken hot, a tea or tincture of elder flower can help sweat out a cold or fever, especially when combined with other diaphoretic herbs like peppermint (Mentha x piperita) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium).

Safety and Contraindications: All parts of elder (except the flowers) contain cyanogenic glycosides (CGs) that can cause varying degrees of upset stomach—nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The seeds and unripe berries are the most common culprits, but any toxicity is generally neutralized by cooking or tincturing. The leaves, bark, and roots contain progressively higher levels of CGs and are more likely to cause side effects. Once the plant has been purged from the system, there is no lasting illness.

Blackberry Elderberry Shrub

Edibility

Elderberry is an exemplary nutritive tonic food that is rich in vitamin C, minerals, and bioflavonoids. The berries are not naturally very sweet and benefit from a bit of added honey, maple syrup, or other sugar. This makes them classic for pies, cobblers, jams, syrups, homemade sodas, and meads. Try combining them with other wild berries like serviceberries (Amelanchier spp.), black cap raspberries (Rubus occidentalis), and blackberries (Rubus spp.).

Elder blossoms contain fatty acids and have an almost buttery consistency. They can be added to pancakes, banana bread, muffins, and crepes. They’re also traditional in cordials, liquors, sodas, and tea. And if a special occasion is on the horizon, you might consider looking up a recipe for elderflower champagne.

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Removing elderberries from the stem

How to Grow + Gather Elderberry

In Old World Europe, elders were traditionally planted near the home or at the edge of the herb garden as a guardian and protector. In North America, Native Americans have gathered medicine from wild elders (including S. canadensis) for millennia. Given their own choice, elders will prefer a moist habitat with rich, loamy soils. To raise a lush tree or hedge, I recommend a little pampering: enrich the soil with organic matter, mulch heavily after planting to retain moisture, and water young plants frequently. Once established, they need little care. Note: elders are generally tolerant and can establish themselves in dry conditions and poor, salty, or clayey soils.

Elderberries are propagated easily from seed, and even more easily from vegetative cuttings. Follow the guidelines for taking cuttings below. (You can also order cuttings and live plants from many edible plant and permaculture nurseries.)

If you have a local stand of elders, or know someone who has planted a shrub or two, you can harvest cuttings. Be sure to gather cuttings from bushes that have tasty berries, healthy growth, and prolific fruit.

  1. Take cuttings in late winter or very early spring, before the branches have begun to leaf out. From a living branch, take several 10- to 12-inch (25 to 30 cm) cuttings with at least two pairs of leaf nodes apiece. Make an angled cut at the “root” end, about ½ inch or so below a leaf node. At the other end, make a flat cut about ½ inch above a pair of leaf nodes. Use sharp pruners that have been sterilized with hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol.
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  2. Apply a rooting hormone. Dust the angled ends of your cuttings with a rooting hormone. Alternately, you can try using willow (Salix spp.) tea. This will increase your success in propagating viable plants.
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  3. Fill 1-gallon pots with a planting medium. You can use coarse sand or perlite. If you don’t have either of these on hand, regular potting soil (preferably without fertilizer) will be adequate.
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  4. Make holes in the soil in the center of each pot using a pencil or twig and settle cuttings into the holes. Plant the cutting, burying the bottom leaf nodes about 2 inches (5 cm) below the surface of the soil. It’s fine to plant many cuttings into one large pot. Make sure to tamp the soil securely around each cutting.
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  5. Water, and try to keep the cuttings consistently moist but not soaking wet. Place them in diffused sunlight until they begin to grow both roots and leaves. Harden them off by gradually introducing them to direct sunlight.
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When ready, transplant the cuttings that have successfully rooted in fall or early spring. Space transplants about 6 feet (1.8 m) apart. Many transplants flower and fruit in their first year, though it may take several years before you can gather a sizable harvest.

The berries ripen in mid- to late summer and should be a deep dark purple before they are plucked. You’ll likely have competition from the birds, so be sure to check your bushes regularly. The stems of the berry clusters are considered somewhat toxic, so you’ll want to remove all of the larger stems and most of the smaller ones. If a little “stemlette” or two finds its way into your medicine, don’t fret—it won’t do any harm! Berries can be used fresh for medicine making or cooking, frozen for later use, or dried, which sweetens up their flavor.

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Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)

Lemon Balm
(Melissa officinalis, Lamiaceae)

The patron herb of bees, lemon balm encourages a bounty of sweetness in the world—not only does it gladden the heart, but it’s traditionally planted near honeybee hives to dissuade the bees from swarming (they adore lemon balm’s aroma). I know few herbalists who are without this plant in the garden. It is a traditional nervine, digestive, and antiviral ally.

Lemon Balm's Medicinal Uses

Parts used: Leaves and flowering tops
Preparations: Infusion, tincture, vinegar, essential oil, salve, succus, pesto, and condiment

Herbal Actions:

  • Nervine
  • Carminative
  • Antiviral
  • Antidepressant
  • Diaphoretic

With bright green leaves that waft an uplifting lemony fragrance into the air, lemon balm is known to levitate the spirit. It is a brightening nervine remedy for melancholy, mild anxiety, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and mild depression.* With relaxing, antispasmodic, and gently sedative qualities, it’s also indicated for tension headaches, stress-related insomnia, panic attacks accompanied by heart palpitations, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and overexcitement or restlessness in children.3

I find a fragrant infusion of lemon balm to be more encouraging for downcast spirits than a tincture, but both are effective. Try blending in other gladdening herbs like rose (Rosa spp.) and tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum). For tonic use, you might consider adding replenishing nervines like milky oats (Avena sativa) and skullcap (Scutellaria spp.). Taken regularly, these herbs can strengthen and rehabilitate a stressed, strained, and saddened nervous system.

Like many members of the mint family, lemon balm extends its aid as a carminative herb and digestive remedy. Its high concentration of essential oils has an antispasmodic and calming effect on dyspepsia, gas, nervous indigestion, nausea, heartburn, and the pains and cramping associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).4

Lemon balm is also widely used as a topical and internal antiviral herb, especially for herpes (types 1 and 2), chickenpox, shingles, mononucleosis (mono), and sixth disease (roseola).5 Internally, the tincture or strong tea will be appropriate, taken regularly. Topically, a concentrated store-bought cream is highly effective. A dab of the essential oil diluted in a carrier oil is also wonderfully relieving (note that the essential oil is very expensive).

Safety and Contraindications: Lemon balm may be contraindicated for hypothyroidism (in large or consistent doses) because it inhibits the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).6

*A note here on depression: Therapies to treat mental illness are highly individualized; each person and situation is unique. People typically need therapeutic treatment beyond herbalism: this might include acupuncture, talk therapy, nutrition, supplements, or pharmaceuticals. Please do not judge yourself or anyone else for needing and seeking help, natural or otherwise!

If you’re in a dark place or considering hurting yourself, please reach out right now—there are folks who want to talk to you. And we’re in this together. You are not alone! This helpline is one option: (1-800-273-TALK).

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Lemon balm is delicious in herbal iced tea blends

Edibility

Lemon balm is one of my favorite nutritive kitchen herbs; its fresh and tender shoots can be added to salsas, jams, liquors, ice cream, sorbet, smoothies, pestos, finishing salts, and infused vinegars. I often chop up a handful and combine it with mint (Mentha spp.) and flower petals as a topping for tacos. Likewise, the fresh leaves can be minced and tossed into fruit salads, tabouleh, and leafy green salads. Lemon balm leaves stirred into lentils or bean dishes add a nice flavor and improve their digestibility.

The simplest way to prepare lemon balm, however, is as a summertime iced tea. It is delicious on its own or combined with herbs like calendula (Calendula officinalis), hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa), and mint. I also love Dina Falconi’s recipe for Everything Lemony Lime, which blends lemon balm, lemongrass, lemon verbena, lime zest, lime juice, sea salt, and raw honey. I make this at the height of summer when all the herbs can be gathered fresh from the garden. You can find the recipe in Dina’s exquisite book, Foraging & Feasting: A Field Guide and Wild Food Cookbook.

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Dew-laden sparkling lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)

How to Grow + Gather Lemon Balm

Lemon balm has been cultivated in medicinal gardens for over 2,000 years. Native to the Mediterranean regions of south-central Europe and the Middle East, it is a sun-loving botanical that can thrive in USDA zones 3–10.

Among the easiest culinary and medicinal herbs to grow, lemon balm is most easily propagated by root division. If you know someone who already has a patch in their garden, you might promise to bring them a plate of lemon balm shortbread cookies in exchange for a division or two. For best success, see our guide to herbal root division here.

Lemon balm is also easily started from seed. Because this plant is a light-dependent germinator (LDG), the seeds should be planted right on the surface of the soil or just barely covered. Watering will gently press them into full contact with the soil. Expect germination after 7 to 14 days.

Lemon balm prefers rich soil with a bit of moisture but will also do well in dry or sandy soils. It is a bushing herbaceous perennial and can become extravagantly lush as summer unfolds. Space plants 1–2 feet (0.3–0.6 m) apart.

If you’ve heard rumors that lemon balm wantonly sows its seeds, I have to tell you the reputation is well-deserved. Many gardeners complain about its proclivity to produce offspring that will inhabit the near and far corners of your garden (though I don’t mind this myself). If you wish to thwart lemon balm’s advance, be sure to harvest the flowering tops before they set seed (but after the bees have had an opportunity to sip their nectar!).

I like to harvest lemon balm several times throughout the growing season. You can simply cut back all of the aboveground growth when the plant is looking at its verdant peak, usually right before it flowers. The leaves and stems can be dried, but I prefer to use lemon balm fresh as its aromatic oils quickly disperse. For fresh preparation suggestions, see the Edibility section above.

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Rose (Rosa spp.)

Rose
(Rosa spp., Rosaceae)

As an herbalist, it took me a while to come around to rose. Growing up, my only context for its blooms were the florist-perfect, sanguine-red bouquets that emanated a cloying scent on Valentine’s Day. I had never seen an heirloom rose in the garden or buried my nose in the petals of a wild bramble. So, I held little favor for this luxuriant medicine. Years later, as a budding gardener and herbal student, I discovered—with surprise and wonder—that I love rose with all my heart.

Rose's Medicinal Uses

Parts used: Flower buds, blossoms, and hips
Preparations: Infusion (buds and flowers), decoction (hips), tincture, oil, salve, honey, syrup, elixir, rose otto essential oil, vinegar, flower essence, hydrosol, compress, poultice, and soak
Herbal Actions:

  • Flowers and Buds:
    • Nervine
    • Astringent
    • Anti-inflammatory
    • Cardiotonic
    • Antimicrobial
    • Diuretic
    • Anticatarrhal
    • Antianxiety
    • Aphrodisiac
  • Rosehips:
    • Blood tonic
    • Nutritive tonic
    • Astringent
    • Antimicrobial

Rose is a deliciously nuanced medicine—it is ancient, paradoxical, and mythic. The Greek poetess Sappho aptly named it “Queen of the Flowers.” After all, wild roses have been rambling on the planet for at least 70 million years (compare that to the first fossil evidence of Homo sapiens appearing around 300,000 years ago).

With velvety, kitten-soft petals, rose bears a doctrine of signatures that suggests succor and soothing. Both the blossoms and unopened buds are a remedy for those who are experiencing grief or loss, or feeling tenderhearted or unloved. The benefits are amplified when combined with hawthorn blossoms (Crataegus spp.), lavender blooms, (Lavandula angustifolia), and/or mimosa flowers (Albizia julibrissin). Rose is also an ally for those in conflict—a tea, elixir, cordial, or essence of the blooms can temper anger and encourage resolution.

In children, rose can impart a sense of comfort and security. It calms irritability, fits of anger, and nightmares. A spritz of rosewater on the pillow right before bedtime is a soothing ritual and helpful measure toward sweet sleep.

And of course, rose is deeply aligned with romance—it is a champion for nurturing love and intimacy. A stirring aphrodisiac, rose helps to awaken the libido and thaw sexual frigidity. It can also be an aid to those experiencing impotence, especially when linked to sexual abuse or trauma.

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Rosehip of Rosa rugosa

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Rosehips are one of the most concentrated forms of vitamin C in the world. They are an excellent tonic for the immune system and can be eaten throughout the winter months in compotes, jams, fruit leathers, and vinegars. I find the best way to get a daily dose is to stir a handful or two into my yearly batch of elderberry syrup. I also love brewing rosehips with burdock root (Arctium minus, A. lappa) and cinnamon for a delicious and nourishing cold season tea.

A blood-building tonic, rosehips can support those who experience symptoms of blood deficiency, including fatigue, a pale complexion, numbness or tingling in the limbs, dizziness, scanty menses, and dry or lusterless skin and hair. The hips can be made into a delicious stand-alone syrup, or combined with other blood-building herbs such as schisandra berries (Schisandra chinensis), nettle leaves (Urtica dioica), and yellow dock roots (Rumex crispus).

Edibility

Rose is a food-medicine capable of inducing swoonful states and culinary enchantment. Both the petals and hips are profoundly nutritive. Roses with pink and red petals are especially high in bioflavonoids, carotenoids, and anthocyanins, and contain as many (if not more) antioxidants as green tea.7 To enjoy, add the petals to green salads, smoothies, fruit salads, and salsas.

In the summertime I combine the beautiful fresh flowers and flower buds with hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) and mint (Mentha spp.) to make a cooling and refreshing herbal iced tea. The petals can likewise be added to meads and steeped in wine, brandy, or other liquors. You may wish to experiment with different roses in the kitchen; each species and cultivar will taste and smell a little bit different.

Rosehips can be prepared into delicious, vitamin-rich jams and syrups.

Safety and Contraindications: Rose is cooling and drying and can aggravate cold and dry constitutions if taken regularly.

Rose harvest

How to Grow + Gather Rose

Vegetative cuttings are the easiest way to propagate roses—I recommend taking cuttings in early to mid-summer from the new, green growing tips of the canes. This growth should be relatively hard, but not yet woody. Follow the numbered instructions for taking cuttings under How to Grow + Gather Elderberry above, except try to choose cuttings that have 3 to 5 leaf nodes apiece and are 4–8 inches (10–20 cm) in length.

You can also dig up suckers from the base of a rose bush to transplant. Make sure to cut back the aboveground parts by about half to minimize transplant shock.

In the garden, most roses do well in moist, well-drained soil. A sunny spot that has ample airflow will be ideal. In climates where fungal diseases are a concern, it’s important to water roses at the base rather than from overhead, which opens the door to fungal pathogens. Any dead or infected leaves should be promptly pruned away and cleared from the base of the plant.

Rose cultivars are heavy feeders and will appreciate regular applications of fertilizer—once in the spring and again in the fall. Compost tea, alfalfa meal, or an organic fertilizer blend for flowers are all good options. Side dressing your roses with a layer of compost is also recommended.

Wild rose varieties rarely need pruning, other than a snip here and there to keep their clambering canes in check. Cultivated roses, on the other hand, benefit greatly from pruning to form shapely hedges, encourage blooming, and increase air circulation. Take special care with heirloom and old-fashioned varieties; these should be pruned only after flowering is complete. Roses that bloom repeatedly, however, should be pruned frequently to remove weak growth and spent blossoms. For a few simple and valuable tips on pruning your rose bushes, see this short video from Peaceful Valley Farm Supply: Growing Organic Roses.

Gathering rose blossoms for medicine is a timely art. The essential oils present in the petals are most highly concentrated on the morning a rose first blooms, and sometimes the day prior. These oils deteriorate rapidly under a hot sun or drenching rain, so have your baskets ready and be prepared to consistently gather blooms until they are spent.

If you’d also like to gather rosehips, leave a generous quantity of flowers on the bush to mature into fruit. Rosehips are best frost-ripened, and are traditionally gathered throughout the fall and early winter months. Look for hips that are shining and red, and be sure to leave plenty for the birds. Most rosehips contain irritating hairs inside that surround the seeds. You’ll want to split the hips to scrape out the hairs and seed capsules. Often, it’s helpful to run fresh, ripe hips through a food mill or sieve to separate out these parts.

Please only gather flowers and hips from organic rose bushes or those that are growing wild in clean places, as roses are one of the most heavily sprayed plants in gardens and commercial farms alike. Along these lines, absolutely avoid using bouquet roses from florists as food or medicine.

Looking for more blog articles about medicinal herb cultivation?

Check out our Medicinal Herb Gardening Hub. It is brimming with articles, including:

References

  1. Forsell, M. The Herbal Grove. New York: Villard Books, 1995.
  2. Barak, V., Halperin, T., and Kalickman, I. “The Effect of Sambucol, a Black Elderberry-based, Natural Product, on the Production of Human Cytokines: I. Inflammatory Cytokines.” European Cytokine Network, April–June 2001.
  3. Hoffmann, D. Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Rochester: Inner Traditions/Bear & Co., 2003.
  4. Romm, A. J. Botanical Medicine for Women’s Health. London: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier, 2010.
  5. Schnitzler, P., Schumacher, A., Astani, A., and Reichling, J. “Melissa Officinalis Oil Affects Infectivity of Enveloped Herpes Viruses.” Phytomedicine, 2008.
  6. Yarnell, E., and Abascal, K. “Botanical Medicine for Thyroid Regulation.” Alternative and Complementary Therapies, June 2006.
  7. Vinokur, Y., Rodov, V., et al. “Rose Petal Tea as an Antioxidant-Rich Beverage: Cultivar Effects.” Journal of Food Science, 2006.
Meghan Gemma

MEGHAN GEMMA is one of the Chestnut School’s primary instructors through her written lessons, and is the principal pollinator of the school’s social media community—sharing herbal and wild foods wisdom from the flowery heart of the school to an ever-wider field of herbalists, gardeners, healers, and plant lovers.

She has been in a steady relationship with the Chestnut School since 2010—as an intern and manager at the Chestnut Herb Nursery; as a plant-smitten student “back in the day” when the school’s programs were taught in the field; and later as a part the school’s woman-powered professional team. Meghan lives in the Ivy Creek watershed, just north of Asheville, North Carolina.

JULIET BLANKESPOOR founded the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine in 2007 and serves as the school’s primary instructor and Creative Director. She's been a professional plant-human matchmaker for close to three decades. Juliet caught the plant bug when she was nineteen and went on to earn a degree in Botany. She's owned just about every type of herbal business you can imagine: an herbal nursery, a medicinal products business, a clinical practice, and now, an herbal school.

These days, she channels her botanical obsession with her writing and photography in her online programs and here on her personal blog, Castanea. She's writing her first book: Cultivating Medicinal Herbs: Grow, Harvest, and Prepare Handcrafted Remedies from Your Home Garden. Juliet and her houseplants share a home with her family and herb books in Asheville, North Carolina.

Want to take a deeper dive into medicinal herbs and their uses?

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Click for detailed story

Jun 172019
 

Written and Photographed by Juliet Blankespoor

This article was originally written for Mother Earth Living magazine and is published here with permission from the publisher. Mother Earth Living is an American bimonthly magazine about sustainable homes and lifestyle.

The Healing Benefits of Gotu Kola: An Edible and Medicinal Herb

Gotu kola (Centella asiatica, Apiaceae) has been a legendary herb in India and China for over two thousand years, where it’s considered to be one of the best herbs for promoting clarity, focus, and a peaceful, calm nature.

Gotu kola is both a medicinal herb and a food plant. I’m especially fond of the botanicals that are food-herbs for several reasons: one, they’re generally the safest remedies, and two, there are countless ways you can ingest them. You can take gotu kola as a tea, a tincture, or in capsules, and if you’re a culinary creative, try sneaking the herb into broths, vinegars, smoothies, and vegetable juices.

Also called brahmi, gotu kola is one of the easiest tonic herbs to grow, in the garden or in containers. Take note that there is another plant called brahmi: Bacopa monnieri is a low-growing wetland herb in the plantain family (Plantaginaceae), which also goes by the name water hyssop; it has some overlapping uses with gotu kola. This has resulted in copious confusion in the scientific and herbal literature and in commerce. Herbalists debate how their uses differ and overlap. Both are used to increase focus and mental clarity.

If you purchase gotu kola, be sure to double check the scientific name—you’re looking for Centella asiatica.

Gotu kola growing in a broad, shallow pot

Gotu kola growing in a broad, shallow pot

Medicinal Benefits of Gotu Kola

Parts Used:  Leaves; may include small amounts of stem, flower, and fruit

Medicinal Preparations: Tea, tincture, infused oil, garnish, infused ghee, broth, green smoothie, fresh juice, compress, poultice

Tincture ratios and dosage: Fresh leaves 1:2 95%; dried leaves 1:5 50%. Both preparations 2–5 ml (½ to 1 teaspoon) three times a day

Infusion ratios and dosage: 1-2 teaspoons (5-10 ml) of the cut and sifted dried leaves infused in 1 cup (240 ml) of boiling water three times a day

Herbal Actions:

  • Nervine
  • Antianxiety
  • Secondary adaptogen
  • Antioxidant
  • Alterative
  • Vulnerary (promotes wound healing)
  • Antibacterial
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Diuretic

Medicinal Uses: This low-growing member of the carrot family, also known as brahmi or mandukaparni (Sanskrit), is a tonic remedy for assuaging memory loss, stress, worry, and foggy thinking.1In Ayurvedic medicine—the ancient healing system of India—gotu kola is used to increase memory, concentration, and comprehension. In the Himalayas, yogis use gotu kola as an aid for meditation.

Folklore tells us that daily ingestion of gotu kola keeps the mind fresh and promotes longevity and vitality. In Southeast Asia, gotu kola has long been credited as the source of elephants’ long life spans and exceptional memories.

In addition to its effects on the brain, contemporary herbalists use gotu kola as a wound healer, diuretic, antioxidant, nerve tonic, and antibacterial remedy.

Close-up of gotu kola leaves

Close-up of gotu kola leaves

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An Herb to Promote Relaxation and Alertness

Natural healers and researchers debate whether gotu kola is a true adaptogen (a tonic herb that helps balance the body by supporting its ability to deal with physical and emotional stress). Tonic herbs are traditionally taken on a daily basis over a long period of time, as opposed to herbs that are only used on an as-needed basis. In any case, gotu kola has a long tradition of use as a tonic herb for promoting longevity, vitality, and equanimity. I find it to be one of the most useful herbs to help people feel energized, alert, and relaxed. Gotu kola is one of the safest remedies for easing stress and anxiety. See the accompanying tea recipe for inspiration on combining gotu kola with similar tonic herbs.

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A Traditional Remedy for Wounds and Injuries

Gotu kola has long been used to heal wounds, both internally and topically. Once famous for its use in treating leprosy in India, gotu kola is used today by herbalists to treat burns, minimize scarring, heal wounds, and promote tissue repair after injury or surgery. It appears to promote wound healing through its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial qualities, in addition to stimulating keratinization (an integral process of nail and hair growth) and epidermal repair (the epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin).2

One in vitro study which used an isolated constituent, asiaticoside, demonstrated the proliferation of fibroblasts, which are specialized cells responsible for producing and maintaining the structure of connective tissue. Fibroblasts are integral to wound healing.3

In my herbal practice, I use gotu kola to promote tissue repair after surgery or injury, such as sprains, bone breaks, bruising, burns, and wounds. In fact, it’s the primary herb I recommend for this purpose! Gotu kola has another benefit in this healing arena: its adaptogen-like qualities help with the emotional and physiological stress of physical trauma. Calendula (Calendula officinalis) is an herb that I frequently pair with gotu kola. Calendula flowers also promote tissue repair and support the lymphatic system in fighting infection.

In addition to its internal use in healing injuries, gotu kola is used topically, in the form of poultices, compresses, soaks, and infused oils (don’t use infused oils on fresh burns). A compress is the simplest preparation: prepare a concentrated tea, strain it, and soak a clean washcloth in the tea when it’s still warm. Apply the cloth to the affected area several times per day. The proportions of tea to water aren’t essential for this herb—simply make the tea about three times as strong as you would make a tea to drink.

Along with gotu kola’s wound-healing properties, it’s also applied topically to mollify a variety of skin conditions, including insect bites, seborrheic dermatitis, cold sores, eczema, psoriasis, and dry, irritated skin. I like to infuse the dry herb into sesame or coconut oil, which can be rubbed into the scalp to calm the mind, deepen sleep, and promote hair growth.4

Safety and Contraindications: Avoid gotu kola in pregnancy or when trying to conceive.5 A small number of people react to the topical use of the herb with dermatitis.6 Be sure to check with your health care provider before ingesting any new herb, paying special attention to any possible contraindications with medications.

Harvesting gotu kola with the hair-cut method

Harvesting gotu kola with the hair-cut method

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Eating and Preparing Gotu Kola

Gotu kola is grown in southern Asia as a medicinal potherb and salad green. The fresh leaves are added to green drinks, which are sold as a health and energy tonic on the streets in many tropical Asian countries. The parsley-like flavor of juiced gotu kola pairs nicely with vegetable juices containing apples, ginger, lemon, and kale. Substitute concentrated gotu kola tea for the juice if you don’t have it growing fresh. An innovative way to incorporate gotu kola into the diet is to infuse the dried herb into herbal broths (see the accompanying herbal broth recipe).

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Relaxation & Clarity Gotu Kola Tea Recipe

This blend is helpful for promoting relaxation throughout the day, as the herbs aren’t sedating and, instead, typically increase alertness. Tulsi, gotu kola, and milky oats are classic nerve tonics for assuaging anxiety, stress, and forgetfulness. Lemon verbena adds a splash of citrusy flavor and is a traditional remedy for imparting calm.

  •   3 Tablespoons dried milky oat tops (Avena sativa)*
  •   1½ Tablespoons tulsi, flowering herb (Ocimum tenuiflorum)
  •   1½ Tablespoons gotu kola, herb (Centella asiatica)
  •   2 teaspoons lemon verbena, herb (Aloysia citriodora)

Yield: 32 ounces (1 L)

Bring 32 ounces (1 L) of water to boil. Turn off the heat, add all the herbs, and cover for thirty minutes. Strain and enjoy warm or at room temperature. Sweeten with honey or maple syrup if desired. Drink 1 to 3 cups a day. The measurements in this blend are for dried, cut and sifted herbs (store-bought). If you’re using homegrown herbs, or fresh herbs, use larger quantities.

*If you can’t find milky oat tops, substitute oatstraw, which is simply a different part of the same plant.

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Healing Herbal Broth Recipe

I help keep my family’s immune systems in tip-top shape by adding dried gotu kola to my herbal broths. This broth is high in minerals due to the seaweed and stinging nettles—fold it into chili and stews to add some of the nutritional benefits of leafy greens into the diets of picky eaters. The flavor of this broth is mild enough that you won’t notice the flavor of the herbs, especially if you add other classic stew ingredients, such as carrots, celery, or onion peels. The broth can also be used as a medicinal base for healing soups and stews when recuperating from injury, childbirth, or surgery. Since this broth is an all-day affair, start early in the morning on a day you’ll be at home, or use a slow cooker set to simmer.

  •   ½ cup gotu kola, herb (Centella asiatica)
  •   ½ cup calendula flowers (Calendula officinalis)
  •   ¼ cup astragalus root, cut and sifted (Astragalus propinquus)
  •   1 cup shiitake mushrooms, whole dried (Lentinula edodes)
  •   1 cup stinging nettles, herb (Urtica dioica)
  •   1 cup seaweed pieces, such as kombu, wakame, kelp, or alaria  

Yield: 1 gallon (4 L)

Add 1½ gallons (6 L) of water to a large stew pot. Add the astragalus, seaweed, nettles, and shiitake. If you’d like, add your classic stock ingredients at this time (see above). For those of you who prepare bone broth, go ahead and add the bones into the pot, alongside the herbs. Bring to a boil and simmer for four to six hours. Turn off the heat and add the calendula and gotu kola. Let steep for a half hour with the lid on and then strain, pressing out the plant material with a spoon and fine-meshed colander.

Use the stock as a base for soups, stews, chili, and marinades. Freeze any unused portions into large ice cubes, which are handy for adding a quick herbal boost to most any dish. The measurements in this blend are for dried, cut and sifted herbs (store-bought). If you’re using homegrown herbs, or fresh herbs, use larger quantities.

Gotu kola makes a lovely herbal houseplant

Gotu kola makes a lovely herbal houseplant

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How to Grow Your Own Gotu Kola

I find that gotu kola is one of the most luscious herbal houseplants, and I enjoy its presence in my library, where it keeps me company throughout the winter as I write. When the afternoon doldrums seize my creativity, I nibble on a leaf or two for renewed inspiration.  It’s surprisingly easy to grow, both as a garden herb and as a potted plant. In zones 7b and warmer, gotu kola can be grown outdoors as a perennial ground cover, and in colder climates it can be grown as a frost-tender annual.

Gotu kola prefers moist soils with good drainage. If your soil is compacted or clayey, add finished compost, coarse sand, or pine bark fines. In milder climates, you can grow gotu kola in full sun, as long as the soil stays relatively moist, either through irrigation or by choosing a moist garden site.

In hotter climates, plant gotu kola in part shade; preferably with morning sun and afternoon shade. In my garden, I play the herbal matchmaker by pairing gotu kola with passionflower vine (Passiflora incarnata). Passionflower is trained up a tipi-type trellis, providing shade and holding in moisture for its creeping companion, who, in turn, suppresses weeds.

As a container plant, gotu kola prefers a shallow, broad pot with a saucer underneath to help keep it moist. You may need to water your plants every few days—they’ll readily wilt when they’re thirsty. In the summer, I grow potted gotu kola on my front porch, which receives full morning sun and afternoon shade. Before the first frost, I bring the plants inside, placing them in front of an east-facing window.

Whether your plants are in the garden or a container, harvest gotu kola with the “haircut method,” using kitchen scissors to trim most of its leaves. It quickly grows a new batch, offering a few cuttings per growing season.

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Suppliers

For a list of suppliers where you can purchase gotu kola seeds and plants, please see our article on Herbal Seed Suppliers and Nurseries. To find out where to purchase dried herbs and seaweed for the accompanying recipe, see the supplies section of our links page.

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References

  1.  Khalsa, K. P. S. , and Tierra, M. The Way of Ayurvedic Herbs: The Most Complete Guide to Natural Healing and Health with Traditional Ayurvedic Herbalism (Lotus Press, 2008).
  2. Morisset, R., Côté, N. G., Panisset, J. C., Jemni, L., Camirand, P., and Brodeur, A. "Evaluation of the Healing Activity of Hydrocotyle Tincture in the Treatment of Wounds," Phytotherapy Research 1, no. 3 (1987): 117–121. doi:10.1002/ptr.2650010305.
  3. Lu, L., Ying, K., Wei, S., et al. "Asiaticoside Induction for Cell-Cycle Progression, Proliferation and Collagen Synthesis in Human Dermal Fibroblasts." International Journal of Dermatology 43, no. 11 (2004): 801–807. doi:10.1111/j.1365-4632.2004.02047.x.
  4. McIntyre, A. The Complete Herbal Tutor: The Ideal Companion for Study and Practice (Octopus Books, 2010).
  5. American Herbal Products Association’s Botanical Safety Handbook, 2nd ed. (CRC Press, 2013).
  6. Mills, S., and Bone, K. The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety (Elsevier Health Sciences, 2005).

Meet the Green Mastermind Behind Blog Castanea:

JULIET BLANKESPOOR founded the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine in 2007 and serves as the school’s primary instructor and Creative Director. She's been a professional plant-human matchmaker for close to three decades. Juliet caught the plant bug when she was nineteen and went on to earn a degree in Botany. She's owned just about every type of herbal business you can imagine: an herbal nursery, a medicinal products business, a clinical practice, and now, an herbal school.

These days, she channels her botanical obsession with her writing and photography in her online programs and here on her personal blog, Castanea. She's writing her first book: Cultivating Medicinal Herbs: Grow, Harvest, and Prepare Handcrafted Remedies from Your Home Garden. Juliet and her houseplants share a home with her family and herb books in Asheville, North Carolina.

Want to take a deeper dive into medicinal herb cultivation?

Our 1,000-hour Herbal Immersion Program is the most comprehensive handcrafted online herbal course available, covering botany, foraging, herb cultivation, medicine making, and therapeutics.

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Don’t have a garden?

Porches, patios, and sunny windowsills are all prime time real estate for the herb gardener. Take a wink at our Container Gardening Hub for a collection of resources that will have you growing potted plants like a pro.

Click for detailed story

May 212019
 

By Meghan Gemma and Juliet Blankespoor
Photography by Juliet Blankespoor

10 healing plants for your porch or patio

Lush, aromatic plants gracing the gateways to your home—porch steps, patios, pathways, and windowsills—are the ultimate welcome mat.

In particular, potted culinary and medicinal herbs bring a little something extra. Their fragrance and beauty are a daily reminder that herbal self-care is within reach. And keeping healing herbs close at hand increases the likelihood they’ll star in your next meal or cup of tea.

Most culinary herbs double as medicinal allies, and the ones on this list are no exception. Plants that serve as both food and medicine are among my most reached-for herbs.

Here, we’re rolling out the green carpet for ten of our most essential culinary/medicinal herbs—all of which can be grown in pots and other containers with ease.

Wondering where to acquire herb starts and seedlings? Find a roll call of growers in our catalog of Herbal Seed Suppliers and Nurseries.

And for our tips on choosing containers and stirring up an all-purpose potting mix, visit our blog on Growing Medicinal Herbs in Containers.

*Please note that this article’s discussion of medicinal uses is introductory in scope. We’ve provided safety guidelines for each plant, but we recommend that you research any new herb and consult your health-care providers for possible drug/herb contraindications and precautions before ingesting.

Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) is a prime nectary plant, attracting a veritable promenade of pollinators

Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) is a prime nectary plant, attracting a veritable promenade of pollinators

1. Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum, Lamiaceae)

Parts Used:  Flowering tops—leaves, stems, and flower spikes

Medicinal Preparations: Tea, tincture, infused honey, syrup, mead, herbal steam, infused vinegar

Herbal Actions:

  • Nervine
  • Carminative
  • Expectorant
  • Diaphoretic (stimulates perspiration)
  • Anti-emetic (anti-nausea, anti-vomiting)

Medicinal and Culinary Uses: With a spicy-sweet aroma reminiscent of licorice, anise hyssop is a gentle remedy for coughs, colds, indigestion, insomnia, mild depression, and anxiety. I like to combine it with catnip (Nepeta cataria) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) in teas, as their flavors meld nicely and their medicinal uses are complementary.

Children have a special affinity for anise hyssop’s sweet flavor—it can be used to mask the more unpleasant flavors of other medicinals.

In the kitchen, try adding a few finely chopped leaves to salad, herbed goat cheese, and fruit salad for an anise-like flair. Anise hyssop can be artfully woven into all manner of confections, including ice cream, sorbet, icing, cookies, cordials, and smoothies. To infuse the flavor, you can prepare a concentrated tea if the recipe calls for water, or heat milk or butter, gently infusing the herb and then straining.

I highly recommend combining anise hyssop with black birch (Betula lenta) for a delicious root beer–flavored mead or home-fermented soda. Iced tea prepared from anise hyssop, mint (Mentha spp.), and lemon balm is divinely refreshing.

Tender anise hyssop leaves in the prime stage for culinary uses

Tender anise hyssop leaves in the prime stage for culinary uses

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Cultivation: Anise hyssop is one of the easiest herbs to grow and thrives in both hot and cool climates. In the warmer reaches of its range, it can be grown in part shade and moist soil. In more temperate regions, it will do just fine in average to dry-ish soil and full sun.

Pinch back the growing tips every week in the spring to stimulate lush new growth. The plant can grow spindly if you don’t encourage it to branch and become bushier. In addition, pinching back the growing shoots encourages more flowering stalks. Anise hyssop is a short-lived perennial, with a life span of two to three years. Divide plants after the second summer to increase their longevity.

Few plants attract as many bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to the garden as this showy medicinal—its lavender flower spikes are abuzz with pollinators during its long flowering season.

Safety and Contraindications: No known precautions.

Three cultivars of garden sage

Three cultivars of garden sage

2. Garden Sage (Salvia officinalis, Lamiaceae)

Parts Used: Leaves

Medicinal Preparations: Tea, tincture, infused oil, compress, wash, gargle, tooth powder, infused vinegar, herbal finishing salts

Herbal Actions:

  • Antibacterial
  • Antifungal
  • Carminative
  • Antioxidant
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Diuretic
  • Bitter
  • Cholagogue (stimulates bile)

Medicinal and Culinary Uses: Classic garden sage has a special affinity for the mouth and throat, and is treasured as a gargle or rinse for sore throat, canker sores, periodontal disease, bad breath, and cold sores. It has a rich tradition of use as a mental stimulant and is often added to formulas to aid concentration, memory, and focus.

This Mediterranean herb is unique in that it can slow breast milk production and sweating. For these purposes, it should be drunk at room temperature in small doses throughout the day. Sage is commonly employed with motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) in reducing hot flashes during menopause.

Sage is renowned for its pungent resinous flavor, and its ability to complement fatty foods. Indeed, our taste buds may be speaking for our stomachs in this department, as sage is one of the best culinary herbs for enhancing the digestion of fats (by stimulating bile).

Many of us identify with sage as the quintessential stuffing herb; I like to combine it with generous portions of black pepper and anise seeds. Sausages are frequently spiced with sage, as is meat loaf. Sage is often thought of as the poultry seasoning, but it is equally at home with winter squash and roasted roots.

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White sage (Salvia apiana) in the foreground

White sage (Salvia apiana) in the foreground

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Cultivation: Sage will grow like a dream in containers, as long as the soil is well-drained. If you live in a colder, four-season climate, be sure to overwinter sage indoors in a south-facing window to avoid cold season casualties.

As with most mint family members, pinching back the growing tips during the first year will encourage bushiness. In the spring of the second year before the plants begin to regrow, cut them back by a third to discourage woodiness. Continue with this pruning regime every year to keep the plants perky and promote fresh succulent shoots. Sage is often a short-lived perennial, petering out or becoming woody after several years.

Safety and Contraindications: Sage should be avoided in medicinal doses during pregnancy. Smaller culinary doses are considered safe. Avoid during lactation, unless you are weaning, as sage will slow milk production.

Basil, nasturtium, Swiss chard, and European vervain growing with purple sorrel on the front porch

Basil, nasturtium, Swiss chard, and European vervain growing with purple sorrel on the front porch

3. Basil (Ocimum basilicum, Lamiaceae)

Parts Used: Leaves

Medicinal Preparations: Tea, tincture, pesto, infused oil, infused vinegar, herbal butter, herbal finishing salts

Herbal Actions:

  • Nervine
  • Carminative
  • Antimicrobial
  • Anti-nausea
  • Diaphoretic
  • Circulatory stimulant
  • Antioxidant
  • Emmenagogue (stimulates menses)

Medicinal and Culinary Uses: Basil is best known for its culinary uses, but it is also a versatile medicinal. This spicy garden herb possesses some of the same qualities as its cousin, holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum). Both herbs are used to lift the spirits, impart vitality, brighten the mind, and alleviate anxiety.

Its pungent flavor and warming quality make basil an excellent aid to digestion, and it is helpful in reducing gas and nausea. Warm tea, prepared from ginger (Zingiber officinale), catnip, and basil, with a touch of added lemon juice, makes an excellent remedy for steadying queasiness due to motion sickness, illness, or the side effects of chemotherapy. The sweet taste of the tea also makes it a good remedy for children’s upset tummies.

Basil is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial for bacterial, parasitic, and fungal infections. Research indicates its efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella flexneri, Escherichia coli, adenovirus, and herpes simplex 1 and 2.1 It can be used topically as a compress, poultice, fresh juice, or full-body bath for fungal skin infections, ringworm, and thrush.

Culinary uses are wide-ranging; my favorites include pesto, pasta sauce, and summertime salad dressings.

Cultivation: Basil is the crown jewel of the vegetable and herb garden. Equally at home in a pot as in the soil, basil does well as a container plant on patios or porches with ample sunshine.

Indigenous to the tropics, basil thrives in warm soils. Plants really take off when the days are hot and the nights are balmy (above 60°F/16°C). Soil should be fertile, but not too rich. Basil likes to be well watered, but note that watering from above when the sun is hot will result in spots and damage to the leaves.

Pinch the tips of basil every week or two to encourage bushiness and to deter flowering. Once basil flowers and sets seed, the show is all over—this is why we aim to keep basil out of reproductive mode. Pinching back the flowering tops allows the plants to live longer and remain luscious.

Potted basil can be protected from frost at the bookends of the growing season by moving the plants to shelter. An added bonus is that container-grown plants can be shielded from slugs—the nemesis of the basil gardener. The purple varieties are especially attractive in mixed herbal containers.

Safety and Contraindications: Although most women do not avoid basil as a culinary herb while pregnant, higher doses (medicinal strength) are contraindicated during pregnancy in both Asian and Western systems of traditional medicine.2

Curly and Italian (flat-leafed) parsley chumming it up in a pot

Curly and Italian (flat-leafed) parsley chumming it up in a pot

4. Parsley (Petroselinum crispum, Apiaceae)

Parts Used: Leaves

Medicinal Preparations: Tea, pesto, vinegar, infused oils, compound butters, marinades, dressings, fresh juice, bouquet garni

Herbal Actions: 

  • Carminative
  • Antioxidant
  • Diuretic
  • Emmenagogue

Medicinal and Culinary Uses: Have you ever wondered how parsley landed the starring role as garnish de rigeuer on dinner plates across the country? Perhaps it has to do with parsley’s ability to stay perky throughout a five-course meal, or it may be a nod to herbal culinary tradition: parsley has a beneficial effect on lackluster digestion; it eases gas and bloating, and freshens the breath. Parsley is also a nutritional powerhouse—it’s high in vitamins A, C, and K (which are linked to heart and bone health).

I prefer to eat parsley as a condiment or seasoning herb. I blend it into green sauces, pestos, dressings, and marinades. Throughout the summer, I also add generous handfuls to big bowls of tabbouleh.

Parsley is a folk remedy to slow breast milk production. Garden sage is likewise used for this purpose; the two are used as herbal allies in weaning. Parsley is also an emmenagogue and blood tonic; it can help to bring on delayed menses as well as encourage a healthy menstrual cycle.

Cultivation: I grow a large quantity of parsley every year so I can have it on hand throughout the warm season. Parsley is typically grown as an annual herb, as the leaves become bitter upon flowering during its second year. Harvest the outer leaves, taking only of the plant, to allow new leaves to regrow from the center crown.

In hot climates, parsley will appreciate a bit of afternoon shade, and can be planted as a fall and winter crop. Parsley flourishes in containers as long as the soil is rich and doesn’t dry out. It can be grown indoors in a sunny windowsill, and outdoors in window boxes, hanging baskets, and mixed herbal pots.

Safety and Contraindications: Do not use medicinally or consume large amounts during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Corsican mint (Mentha requienii); photo courtesy of James Jenkins Stock Photography

Corsican mint (Mentha requienii); photo courtesy of James Jenkins Stock Photography

5. Mint (Mentha spp., Lamiaceae)

Parts Used: Leaves

Medicinal Preparations:Tea, tincture, garnish, potherb, powder, poultice, compress, green smoothie ingredient (for flavor), essential oil

Herbal Actions:

  • Carminative
  • Antispasmodic
  • Diaphoretic
  • Nervine
  • Anti-emetic (reduces nausea)

Medicinal and Culinary Uses: The herbs of the Mentha genus, including peppermint (Mentha × piperita) and spearmint (Mentha spicata), are some of our most essential and delicious remedies to stock in the home medicine cabinet.

The mints excel at relieving a number of common household complaints including indigestion, nausea, cramps, headaches, colds, and fevers. Peppermint, in particular, shines as a remedy for digestive issues by strengthening and soothing the stomach. It can be taken as tea for gas, hiccups, irritable bowel syndrome, dyspepsia, and for increasing appetite.

Mint is also a staple in the kitchen. During the warm months, I mince fresh leaves into salads and dressings, and churn up a batch or two of peppermint ice cream. It also makes a cooling and refreshing beverage tea (spearmint is my hands-down favorite in this case). Try our Hibiscus Mint Herbal Iced Tea with Key Lime Ice Cubes when the days dawn hot and steamy.

Cultivation: Mint is fragrant and fast-growing, which makes it a very satisfying herb to grow. There are literally hundreds of varieties to play with, including flavorful options like chocolate mint, apple mint, and orange mint.

The mints like plenty of moisture in a well-drained soil, and will thrive in both full sun and partial shade. Harvesting regularly is ideal to prevent legginess. Snip stems about down their length.

If, like me, you use a lot of mint in your kitchen, you may wish to grow it in a large container like an old whiskey barrel.

Safety and Contraindications: Mint may aggravate heartburn.3

Silver variegated thyme growing with European vervain (purple spikes), 'Vana' tulsi in the center, and white sage on the left rear

Silver variegated thyme growing with European vervain (purple spikes), 'Vana' tulsi in the center, and white sage on the left rear

6. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris, Lamiaceae)

Parts Used: Leaves and flowering tops

Medicinal Preparations: Culinary, tea, tincture, herbal steam, infused honey, vinegar, infused oil

Herbal Actions:

  • Antimicrobial
  • Carminative
  • Diaphoretic
  • Expectorant
  • Antispasmodic
  • Emmenagogue

Medicinal and Culinary Uses: Thyme is one of my favorite culinary herbs and is highly revered in French, Italian, and other Mediterranean cuisines. It can be added to homemade herbes de provence blends or used on its own to flavor poultry, root vegetables, stews, sauces, and marinades. Experiment with thyme varieties—lemon thyme and orange thyme both impart a savory citrus flavor to dishes.

Like many mint-family herbs, thyme is stimulating to the digestive system—easing uncomfortable symptoms like gas and bloating. Its antimicrobial activity lends it to topical wound care and for fungal and yeast infections, and internally for digestive and respiratory infections.

Thyme is one of the first herbs I add to steam pots—it helps to relieve inflammation and break up congestion. Combined with its antispasmodic and expectorant properties, thyme is a traditional remedy for painful, hacking coughs, including conditions like whooping cough and bronchitis.

Cultivation: Thyme hails from the same Mediterranean soils as rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and sage, and likewise prefers similar growing conditions. Namely: full sun, warm days, and well-drained soil. Be sure to add a generous helping of sand to your potting mix and let the soil dry out completely between waterings.

Harvest thyme in a “cut-and-come-again” style; simply give the plant a haircut early in the season and it will grow back lickety-split. If you enjoy the look of mixed plantings, consider pairing thyme in a pot with rosemary and strawberries (Fragaria spp.).

Safety and Contraindications: In high doses, thyme is an emmenagogue (stimulates uterine contractions and/or menstrual flow) and should be avoided in pregnancy. Culinary doses, lower in nature, are generally considered to be safe.

A young potted lemongrass

A young potted lemongrass

7. Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus , Poaceae)

Parts Used: Stems and leaves

Medicinal Preparations: Tea, broth, soup

Herbal Actions:

  • Nervine
  • Carminative
  • Diaphoretic
  • Antibacterial
  • Antifungal
  • Expectorant

Medicinal and Culinary Uses: Lemongrass is one of our most delicious herbs for both beverage teas and home remedies. It’s employed around the world for a handful of common health complaints: headaches, insomnia, stress, anxiety, indigestion, coughs, colds, and flu.

I use lemongrass as a tasty medicinal tea, and add the flavorful “bulbs” at the base of the stems to Thai coconut soups, curries, and healing broths. For a refreshing herbal iced tea, I suggest pairing lemongrass with other citrusy herbs, like lemon balm and lemon verbena (Aloysia citriodora), along with hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa).

Cultivation: I am a lemongrass devotee, and this aromatic herb is a mainstay on my patio. Tropical in origin, lemongrass is often grown in containers and brought indoors to be protected during the colder months. A true showpiece, lemongrass really pops when planted with other ornamental herbs, such as artichoke (Cynara scolymus) and purple sage (Salvia dorii). For a tropical aesthetic, pair with nasturtium (Tropaeolum spp.) and other cascading flowers.

To keep this warm weather native happy, situate lemongrass in full sun and provide soils that drain rapidly—consider adding extra perlite or pine bark fines to your soil mix. The stems can be harvested repeatedly throughout the growing season, with lush regrowth following close behind.

If lemongrass starts aren’t readily available in your area, you may be able to acquire pieces of lemongrass stem with attached roots from Asian grocers. These can be directly planted in pots or encouraged to root in a glass of water before planting.

Safety and Contraindications: Individuals who have reacted to lemongrass essential oil may develop an allergic contact dermatitis handling the fresh plant.

Freshly harvested turmeric

Freshly harvested turmeric

8. Turmeric (Curcuma longa, Zingiberaceae)

Parts Used: Rhizomes

Medicinal Preparations: Tea, tincture, powder, fire cider

Herbal Actions: 

  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Antioxidant
  • Circulatory stimulant
  • Cholagogue
  • Hepatic
  • Analgesic
  • Carminative
  • Astringent

Medicinal and Culinary Uses: Fiery turmeric is pleasantly warming and bitter, making it a natural ally for stoking the digestive processes. Its anti-inflammatory abilities make it a natural aid for a wide range of complaints, including irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, leaky gut, gas, and colitis.

Turmeric also soothes pain and inflammation in the muscles and joints; it’s a classic remedy for arthritis and injuries.

To enhance your body’s ability to assimilate turmeric’s medicine, add 3% black pepper (Piper nigrum) to any preparation featuring turmeric.

Turmeric's golden-orange hue makes it a delight to use in the kitchen. During the winter months, I imbibe turmeric freely in fire cider (a spicy immune-boosting tonic) and golden milk (a warm and creamy turmeric beverage sweetened with honey or maple syrup). It’s also a traditional ingredient in curry, rice, and stir-fry dishes.

Turmeric in the foreground and ginger in the rear; growing in a greenhouse in North Carolina

Turmeric in the foreground and ginger in the rear; growing in a greenhouse in North Carolina

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Cultivation: Growing turmeric is a sublime pleasure as its tropical greenery evokes an experience of equatorial paradise. You can grow turmeric from rhizomes you purchase at the farmers market, grocery store, or from seed companies. Try to find organic turmeric, if possible. Choose plump pieces that have well-developed nodules or growth buds.

Turmeric is a tropical plant, and prefers warmth, humidity, moist soil, and dappled sunlight to grow. Morning sun and afternoon shade is also ideal. Do not place it in direct sunlight or where it will be exposed to frost or heavy winds.

Choose a wide container and provide fertile soil that drains easily; a mixture of compost and sand works well. Fill your pot with about four inches of soil. Place pieces of rhizome horizontally on top of the soil, with the buds facing upwards. Then cover with a light layer of soil; just ½–1 inch (1.3–2.5 cm) is plenty.

Wait to take your potted turmeric outside until the days are consistently warm. If you live in a cool climate, you may want to give your turmeric a little extra love. You can place your pot on a heating pad until temperatures rise naturally, and you can create humidity by tenting an old plastic bag over your pots (alternately situate turmeric in a bathroom window or greenhouse).

You’ll want to feed potted turmeric regularly (every few weeks). You can add liquid fertilizers like seaweed extract, fish emulsion, or homemade compost tea. Once a month, you may also want to sprinkle a light layer of compost over the rhizomes.

Now, patience! It will likely take several weeks to several months (for real) for your turmeric to sprout. Then, prepare to wait 7–10 months for fully mature rhizomes. You’ll know harvest season is upon you when the leaves begin to die back. You can also harvest younger turmeric, but it may have less flavor. Dig up what you need and allow the rest of the plant to keep on growing.

Note: because turmeric requires many months of warm weather to mature, time your planting appropriately (mid- to late winter is ideal).

Safety and Contraindications: Avoid in medicinal doses while pregnant (smaller, more culinary doses are fine). Monitor use with a physician with individuals who have a blood-clotting disorder or who take blood-thinning medication. Turmeric is notorious for staining hands, clothing, and surfaces a vivid yellow. A dab of alcohol can be used to rub it off. 

Fresh ginger grown in a greenhouse in North Carolina

Fresh ginger grown in a greenhouse in North Carolina

9. Ginger (Zingiber officinale, syn. , Zingiberaceae)

Parts Used: Rhizomes

Medicinal Preparations: Culinary, tea, tincture, powder, fire cider, vinegar, fresh-pressed juice

Herbal Actions: 

  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Circulatory stimulant
  • Expectorant
  • Carminative
  • Diaphoretic
  • Anodyne (pain-relieving)
  • Antimicrobial
  • Anti-emetic (relieves nausea)

Medicinal and Culinary Uses: This familiar warming spice is also a household medicinal. The rhizome is used in tea or tincture form to increase circulation, alleviate arthritis, and allay nausea (it’s a classic for reducing motion sickness and nausea from pregnancy or chemotherapy).

It is also a premier circulatory stimulant, making it an ally for people who run cold or have poor blood flow to their extremities. It is widely used to relieve inflammation from arthritic conditions.

Ginger is a traditional remedy for colds and flu. Taken as tea or infused in honey, it helps to disperse congestion and has an antimicrobial effect. I begin taking a gingery concoction called fire cider at the first sign of colds or flu. See our spicy-sweet Roselle Hibiscus Pomegranate Fire Cider recipe for inspiration.

Along these lines, ginger straddles the food-medicine divide with panache. It’s a traditional ingredient in tasty immune-stimulating soups and teas. I frequently add finely chopped ginger to ruby red sauerkraut recipes. Ginger takes salad dressings, marinades, lemonade, and fresh juices to the next level.

Cultivation: Ginger is closely related to turmeric, and is grown in a similar fashion. See our cultivation notes above on turmeric for all the details!

Safety and Contraindications: Ginger is heating and can aggravate heartburn. It may be too stimulating in high doses for folks who run hot.

Potted rosemary

Potted rosemary 'BBQ'

10. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis, Lamiaceae)

Parts Used: Leaves

Medicinal Preparations: Culinary, tea, tincture, infused oil, vinegar, herbal steam

Herbal Actions: 

  • Aromatic
  • Antioxidant
  • Nervine
  • Antidepressant
  • Carminative
  • Circulatory stimulant
  • Antimicrobial

Medicinal and Culinary Uses: Resinous and aromatic, rosemary sprigs can be bound together with other herbal companions in fragrant smoke bundles for cleansing and purification.

Rosemary is classically known as an aid for memory and concentration in tea or tincture formulas with gotu kola (Centella asiatica) and ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba). Topically, it is astringent and makes an excellent hair wash for those with oily to medium hair.

Taken tonically, rosemary can improve circulation and quench free radicals through its antioxidant qualities. It can also calm nervous complaints, especially when digestive flair-ups are paired with tension or headache.

Rosemary is a classic kitchen herb used to spice any number of savory dishes—including poultry, fish, root vegetables, stews, and red meat. It has also become a popular ingredient in craft cocktails and mocktails.

Cultivation: Rosemary plants that attain old age are elegant and enticing beyond compare. With soft blue to purple edible blooms and a singular aroma, they are often the herbal pièce de résistance on the patio. Lucky for us, rosemary grows easily and thrives in containers.

Rosemary has a penchant for sunlight and soils that drain easily—imagine the climate and terrain of its native Mediterranean habitat. You can mimic these conditions by stirring plenty of sand into your soil mix and letting the soil dry between each watering.

If you live in zone 7 or colder, you’ll want to bring potted rosemary plants indoors over the winter and place in a south-facing window. Otherwise, you may need to provide artificial light.

Harvesting rosemary frequently will encourage plants to become lush and bushy. Using a sharp pair of kitchen scissors, snip off the top few inches of growth from each sprig.

Safety and Contraindications: Avoid using rosemary in large or medicinal doses during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Culinary doses are fine.

References

  1. Buhner, S. H. Herbal Antivirals: Natural Remedies for Emerging & Resistant Viral Infections (Storey Publishing, 2013).
  2. Tobyn, G., Denham, A., and Whitelegg, M. The Western Herbal Tradition: 2000 Years of Medicinal Plant Knowledge (Elsevier Health Sciences, 2010).
  3. ESCOP. “Menthae Piperitae Aetheroleum” and “Menthae Piperitae Folium.” In ESCOP Monographs on the Medicinal Use of Plant Drugs. Vol. 3. (ESCOP Secretariat, 1997).

Meet Our Contributors:

JULIET BLANKESPOOR founded the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine in 2007 and serves as the school’s primary instructor and Creative Director. She's been a professional plant-human matchmaker for close to three decades. Juliet caught the plant bug when she was nineteen and went on to earn a degree in Botany. She's owned just about every type of herbal business you can imagine: an herbal nursery, a medicinal products business, a clinical practice, and now, an herbal school.

These days, she channels her botanical obsession with her writing and photography in her online programs and here on her personal blog, Castanea. She's writing her first book: Cultivating Medicinal Herbs: Grow, Harvest, and Prepare Handcrafted Remedies from Your Home Garden. Juliet and her houseplants share a home with her family and herb books in Asheville, North Carolina.

MEGHAN GEMMA is one of the Chestnut School’s primary instructors through her written lessons, and is the principal pollinator of the school’s social media community—sharing herbal and wild foods wisdom from the flowery heart of the school to an ever-wider field of herbalists, gardeners, healers, and plant lovers.

She has been in a steady relationship with the Chestnut School since 2010—as an intern and manager at the Chestnut Herb Nursery; as a plant-smitten student “back in the day” when the school’s programs were taught in the field; and later as a part the school’s woman-powered professional team. Meghan lives in the Ivy Creek watershed, just north of Asheville, North Carolina.

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May 092019
 

By Juliet Blankespoor and Meghan Gemma
Photography by Juliet Blankespoor

You can grow a respectable herbal apothecary in pots. In fact, some of the most beneficial medicinal herbs will positively thrive in containers placed right on your porch or patio.

Many can even double as attractive houseplants, the likes of which may arouse the botanical curiosity of friends and neighbors.

These ten hand-picked herbs will round out any medicine chest and add beauty to your home. Adaptogens, first-aid herbs, digestives, and relaxing remedies are all represented.

We’ve included hearty medicinal tidbits for each plant, alongside the “green thumb” information you need to shower your medicinal herbs with proper TLC.

Need more guidance? For a fleshed-out primer on selecting containers and understanding the sensitivities unique to potted medicinals, visit our blog on Growing Medicinal Herbs in Containers.

Curious where to find herb starts and seedlings? Take a wink at our catalog of Herbal Seed Suppliers and Nurseries.

*Please note that this article’s discussion of medicinal uses is introductory in scope. We’ve provided safety guidelines for each plant, but we recommend that you research any new herb and consult your health care providers for possible drug/herb contraindications and precautions before ingesting.

Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) receiving a harvesting "haircut"

Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) receiving a harvesting "haircut"

1. Gotu kola (Centella asiatica, Apiaceae)

Parts Used:  Primarily leaves, may include small amounts of stem, flowers, and fruit

Medicinal Preparations: Tea, tincture, infused oil, nibble, infused ghee, milk decoction, powder, broth, poultice, compress, green smoothie, and fresh juice

Herbal Actions:

  • Vulnerary (wound healing)
  • Diuretic
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Antioxidant
  • Anxiolytic (anti-anxiety)
  • Nervine
  • Antibacterial
  • Alterative
  • Secondary adaptogen*

Medicinal Uses: Gotu kola, also known as brahmi, has been used medicinally in Asia for over two millennia as a rejuvenative tonic in the treatment of memory loss, stress, worry, and foggy thinking.

It is often combined with ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) to improve memory and concentration, while simultaneously promoting a calm nature. I add gotu kola to herbal formulas for people who have trouble concentrating or who feel scattered or indecisive, including those who experience ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder).

Gotu kola can be used, both internally and topically, in healing wounds. Famous for its use in treating leprosy in India, it is now used by contemporary herbalists to treat burns, minimize scarring, and promote tissue repair after injury or surgery.

Gotu kola is also used topically as an infused oil, compress, and poultice to heal a variety of skin conditions, including insect bites, rashes, seborrheic dermatitis, herpes sores, eczema, psoriasis, and dry, irritated skin.1

*Most herbalists recognize gotu kola as a secondary adaptogen, or “almost-adaptogen.” In my experience, it clearly has adaptogenic properties: it’s helpful for increasing vitality, reducing stress, balancing the immune response, and acting as a tonic for overall well-being.

Cultivation: Personally, I find that gotu kola makes one of the most luscious herbal houseplants, and I enjoy its presence in my office where it keeps me company as I write about medicinal herbs.

The key to growing this verdant herb is to provide moist soils with good drainage. Some people grow brahmi in an old whisky barrel or retired bathtub. If your space is more limited, try planting it in a shallow, broad pot with a saucer underneath to help keep it moist.

To increase the drainage of your soil mix, add coarse sand or pine bark fines. Water the plants so the soil is continuously damp but not waterlogged. You may have to water your containers every two to three days, and gotu kola will readily communicate with you through the ancient plant code of wilt.

Gotu kola can be placed in full sun if it’s well-watered or if summertime temperatures are mild. But if your summer is sweltering, gotu kola relishes some cover. In hot climates, morning sun and afternoon shade are ideal. I bring my potted gotu kola plants inside every winter to an east-facing window and then return them to the outdoors when the temperatures warm in the spring.

I harvest gotu kola with the “haircut method”: using scissors to cut off all the leaves. (See the photo above of gotu kola receiving a harvesting haircut.) It quickly grows a new batch of tender leaves, typically offering at least three cuttings per growing season.

Safety and Contraindications:  Avoid in pregnancy or if attempting to conceive.2 Although rare, some people react with dermatitis to topical use. In Ayurveda, there are precautions that high doses may lead to headaches and loss of consciousness, but it is important to remember that gotu kola is widely consumed as a food plant without incidence in much of tropical Asia.3

Spilanthes (Acmella oleracea); note the profusion of seedlings in the front—spilanthes rapidly spreads, or self-sows

Spilanthes (Acmella oleracea); note the profusion of seedlings in the front—spilanthes rapidly spreads, or self-sows

2. Spilanthes (Acmella oleracea, Asteraceae)

Parts Used: Leaves, stems, and flowers

Medicinal Preparations: Tincture, tea, nibble

Herbal Actions:

  • Immunostimulant
  • Antimicrobial
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Sialagogue (stimulates salivation)
  • Oral anodyne
  • Diuretic

Medicinal Uses: Spilanthes is a joyful herb to behold and has been one of my top ten herbal allies ever since I began growing it and using it for medicine. Its succulent leaves and gumdrop-shaped flowers are useful for a wide spectrum of infectious illnesses including colds, flu, sinus infections, and ear infections.

Clinical studies demonstrate that spilanthes is effective against pathogenic bacteria. One of the primary ways I use spilanthes is as an immune stimulant, much like echinacea species.

Spilanthes is employed as a toothache remedy in many locations, including India and Southeast Asia.4 Sometimes called “toothache plant,” it can temporarily numb the mouth during tooth infections and abscesses. (Dental infections typically require conventional dental care, with herbal care offering temporary symptomatic relief.)

Additionally, it is helpful for maintaining healthy gum tissue by increasing salivation and blood flow. The dried flowers can be added to tooth powders to address periodontal disease and prevent dental caries, or cavities.

Cultivation: Spilanthes is one of the easiest medicinal herbs to grow, and kids absolutely love its zippy-zappiness. It does well in containers and can be interplanted with other ornamental medicinals, such as lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) and artichoke (Cynara scolymus).

Plan to grow spilanthes as a frost-tender annual unless you live in the tropics. Transplant seedlings into outdoor pots containing average to rich soil after all danger of frost has passed.

Despite its succulent appearance, spilanthes relishes water more than most other medicinals. You may want to amend your potting soil with extra organic matter or add a bit of clay to aid with water retention. Protect the plants from slugs, as they will devour it—slug candy, indeed!

The plants are also prone to spider mites—telltale signs include mottled yellow leaves and fine cobwebs on the underside of the leaves. Also, the plants readily self-sow, so it may become a weed in your garden, although it’s typically not troublesome.

Safety and Contraindications: Immune-stimulating herbs, like spilanthes, have the potential to increase autoimmunity and have caused flare-ups in people with autoimmune conditions, although this is more the exception than the rule.

Because spilanthes is in the aster family, it may cause a reaction with people who are highly sensitive to plants like ragweed (Ambrosia spp.) and chamomile (Matricaria recutita); this possibility is rare, but sensitive individuals should proceed with caution when taking spilanthes for the first time.

Take care not to squirt the tincture on the back of your throat or chew too large a wad of spilanthes, as the throat may take offense and clamp down—not a fun exercise!

Aloe (Aloe vera)

Aloe (Aloe vera)

3. Aloe (Aloe vera; A. barbadensis, Asphodelaceae)

Parts Used: Fresh leaves and gel extracted from the fresh leaf

Medicinal Preparations: Gel, poultice, prepared juice

Herbal Actions:

  • Emollient (soothing to skin)
  • Vulnerary (wound healing)
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Antibacterial
  • Laxative

Medicinal Uses: Every home will benefit from an aloe plant. Soothing and cooling, aloe is a useful first-aid herb for burns, abrasions, blisters, and stings.

It’s a summertime staple; helping to heal mild sunburns, after the area has been bathed in cool or tepid water. A few drops of lavender (Lavandula officinalis) essential oil can be mixed with the gel for additional anti-inflammatory action.

Aloe can also be used topically as a skin tonic for conditions like acne and rosacea, and be applied to the hair for smoothing.

Internally, aloe is a traditional cleansing herb—it is laxative in appropriate doses. It can take quite a bit of aloe to prepare the needed juice, so alternately you can use organic preserved aloe juice from your local natural foods store. Follow the dosage instructions on the bottle.

Cultivation: Aloe is truly a winsome houseplant—it’s both hardy (hard to kill) and beautiful, with its glowing succulent leaves. It is well-adapted to many climates, and can be grown nearly anywhere. I grow aloe as a potted patio plant in warm weather, and bring it inside during the colder months (aloe is frost-sensitive). Despite aloe’s succulent status, it won’t tolerate full sun; instead, give it dappled shade or morning sun. If your aloe’s leaves are turning yellow, it’s a sign that the plant is receiving too much light.

When indoors, a north- or east-facing window will keep it perky. You’ll almost certainly be blessed with aloe “babies,” which will grow from the parent plant’s roots. These can easily be separated and placed in their own pots. In this way, aloe will multiply itself for years and years.

Safety and Contraindications: Internally, aloe is a laxative and should be avoided in pregnancy and breastfeeding. For this same reason, take care and follow dosage instructions on purchased aloe juice; too much can cause painful stomach cramps.

Do not apply aloe to staph or staph-like infections; the gel creates a perfect breeding ground for staph bacteria.5

Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum)

Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum)

4. Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum, Cucurbitaceae)

Parts Used: Leaves and stems

Medicinal Preparations: Tea, powder, tincture, nibble

Herbal Actions: 

  • Adaptogen
  • Immune tonic
  • Antioxidant
  • Cardiotonic
  • Hypocholesterolemic (lowers cholesterol levels)
  • Hypotensive (lowers blood pressure)
  • Liver tonic

Medicinal Uses: Also called Southern ginseng, jiaogulan is a popular folk herb in Southeast Asia where it is grown as an affordable substitute for ginseng (Panax spp. Araliaceae).

It’s gaining popularity in Western herbalism, where it is used as a tonic for longevity and vitality. The leaves are brewed into a medicinal tea that can be taken for anxiety, stress, depression, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

Sometimes known as sweet tea vine, jiaogulan is ironically quite bitter; it has a flavor reminiscent of ginseng with mild soapy undertones. However, I enjoy the taste! If bitter tea isn’t your thing, you can combine jiaogulan with pleasant-tasting herbs like peppermint (Mentha piperita), anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), and tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum).

Cultivation: With its lush growth and star-shaped leaves, jiaogulan is easily one of my favorite herbal houseplants of all time. Given the right conditions, it becomes a rambunctious trailing vine that grows beautifully as a potted plant or in a hanging basket.

Joe Hollis of Mountain Gardens describes it as the easiest to grow of the adaptogen herbs (which are health-promoting, immune-boosting, and stress-balancing botanical tonic remedies). Joe is credited with bringing jiaogulan into popular cultivation in the West. You can hear him speak personally about growing and using jiaogulan here.

In the ground, jiaogulan can spread assertively, which makes it an ideal potted medicinal (the container reins it in). It favors moist, rich soil and is partial to light shade. If you have this kind of habitat, I DON’T recommend planting jiaogulan in the ground, as it can completely overtake an area and be almost impossible to control!

You’ll notice a distinct thinning and yellowing of the leaves if the plant is receiving too much sun. A porch or patio with dappled shade is a perfect niche for jiaogulan. Bring indoors once the weather starts to cool.

Safety and Contraindications: Do not use in pregnancy. Can cause nausea in larger doses or with sensitive individuals. Use caution when combining with blood pressure or blood thinning medications.

Lavender (Lavandula spp.)

Lavender (Lavandula spp.)

5. Lavender (Lavandula spp., Lamiaceae)

Parts Used: Above ground parts in flower, or flowers

Medicinal Preparations: Tea, tincture, infused oil, essential oil, sachet

Herbal Actions:

  • Relaxing nervine
  • Gentle sedative
  • Anxiolytic (relieves anxiety)
  • Antidepressant
  • Carminative (relieves gas and bloating)
  • Antimicrobial
  • Analgesic
  • Bitter

Medicinal Uses: Lavender has a wonderful proclivity for soothing the nerves, and has been used medicinally for centuries as a remedy for digestive issues, headaches, stress, and grief. It is a gentle sedative, which also makes it beneficial for anxiety and insomnia.

Lavender is often used in formula for the herbal treatment of depression as it has more immediate effects as compared to many of the slower-acting tonic antidepressants and adaptogens. I combine lavender with lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) and lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora) in tea to help lift the spirits.

The flavor of lavender tea is stronger than one might expect: it’s slightly bitter, mildly astringent, and very aromatic. A little goes a long way. Try combining it with rose petals (Rosa spp.), mint (Mentha spp.), chamomile (Matricaria recutita), or passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) for relaxation and decompression. It is generally safe for children and the elderly.

Topically, lavender (as a wash or essential oil) can be healing for burns, wounds, and minor infections. It is soothing, antimicrobial, and pain-relieving.

Don’t forget that lavender is also a culinary herb! Find our recipe for decadent Lavender Truffles on the blog.

Cultivation: Lavender’s beautiful purple spikes and uplifting aroma make it a classic garden darling. English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is the most common species grown and used medicinally. However, there are thirty-nine species of lavender, many of which are grown ornamentally! Ask your local herb nursery which varieties or cultivars grow best in your area.

A short-lived perennial, lavender prefers full sun, well-drained soil, and ample airflow. You may want to add perlite, gravel, or sand to lavender’s potting soil to provide ideal growing conditions. And if you live in a region with high rainfall, consider giving the plants cover in a sunny locale so they don’t receive too much water. Bring your lavender plants inside to overwinter—preferably in a place that receives bright, direct light—if your climate experiences hard freezes!

Safety and Contraindications: There are no known safety precautions for lavender, although its tonic use may be constitutionally inappropriate. For example, if you have very dry skin and mucous membranes, the long-term internal use of lavender may be too drying.

Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) in the rear, spilanthes (Acmella oleracea) in the foreground, lavender (Lavandula spp.) plants on the right

Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) in the rear, spilanthes (Acmella oleracea) in the foreground, lavender (Lavandula spp.) plants on the right

6. Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum, Lamiaceae)

Parts Used: Leaves and flowers

Medicinal Preparations: Infusion, tincture, pesto, medicated ghee, infused oil, infused vinegar, compress, and poultice

Herbal Actions:

  • Adaptogen
  • Antioxidant
  • Antidepressant
  • Anxiolytic (anti-anxiety)
  • Immunomodulator
  • Anticatarrhal (dispels phlegm and mucus)
  • Hypotensive (lowers blood pressure)
  • Hypocholesterolemic (lowers cholesterol)

Medicinal Uses: Tulsi, also known as holy basil, is Sanskrit for “the incomparable one.” It is a sacred folk herb in much of the Eastern world, and has quickly been adopted into the repertoire of Western herbalists, whose understanding of the plant originated with its traditional uses in southern Asia and northern Africa.

Tulsi is highly aromatic, antimicrobial, and adaptogenic; the leaves and flowers are used as a medicinal tea for colds, coughs, asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis, headaches, arthritis, stress, and anxiety.

Tulsi helps increase focus and clarity, making it especially useful for elders with declining cognitive abilities, children and adults with ADHD, and enterprising college students.

It can be combined with gotu kola (Centella asiatica), calamus (Acorus calamus), and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) in formulas to increase concentration and cognition. Holy basil is a fine ally for people who are naturally scattered or distracted, as it is both calming and centering.

Cultivation: Holy basil may appear puny when you first plant it, leaving you to wonder if it has some botanical failure-to-thrive syndrome— perhaps you spoke too harshly with it when you were transplanting it.

Take heart in knowing when the days grow longer and the nighttime temperatures warm, it will take off!

Tulsi enjoys full sun in temperate areas, but doesn’t mind a little afternoon shade in warmer climates. It will grow in most any soil, but will thrive more lushly with good fertility and consistent moisture.

As with culinary basil, pinching back the shoots and early flowers encourages the plant to bush out and promotes more vegetative growth. Tulsi truly is an early bloomer, sometimes flowering when it is only a few inches high! Pinching off those early flowers helps it to develop into a well-rounded plant with lush foliage.

Several harvests can be obtained in one year: simply cut back the mature plant to eight inches or so, and it will re-grow quickly.

There are at least five varieties of tulsi. Tropical gardeners can grow all of them with success, and most varieties will reach waist-high proportions as woody perennials. Four-season herb growers can experiment with the tropical varieties as annuals or potted herbs that are brought indoors to overwinter, but the easiest to grow variety is the temperate holy basil. It germinates readily and self-sows, giving you a hearty supply of tulsi for years to come. For the largest variety of holy basil seeds, please see Strictly Medicinal Seeds.

Safety and Contraindications: Avoid in pregnancy or if trying to conceive. There is some controversy around the use of holy basil in pregnancy, but it has been used traditionally as an abortifacient and antifertility herb in some cultures.6

Holy basil may modify blood sugar regulation—people with diabetes should monitor blood sugar closely and talk to their physician prior to use.7

Several studies on male animals have shown a decrease in sperm count and motility and decreased mounting time (lower sexual behavior score) with extremely high doses (relative to body weight).8 It’s not clear whether this has any bearing on human physiology with moderate consumption.

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) growing with artichoke and sage

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) growing with artichoke and sage

7. Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus , Poaceae)

Parts Used: Stems and leaves

Medicinal Preparations: Tea, broth, honey, soup

Herbal Actions:

  • Nervine
  • Carminative
  • Diaphoretic
  • Antibacterial
  • Antifungal
  • Expectorant

Medicinal Uses: Throughout the world, lemongrass is a popular tea and everyday home remedy for some of the most common health complaints: headaches, stress, anxiety, indigestion, insomnia, coughs, colds, and flu.

It is a staple herb in Brazilian, Caribbean, Chinese, and Indian folk medicines. Much of the contemporary research conducted on lemongrass has centered on the essential oil, which has demonstrated marked antibacterial and antifungal properties.

I use lemongrass as a uniquely delicious medicinal tea. In the summertime, try pairing lemongrass with other citrusy herbs, like lemon balm and lemon verbena, along with hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa), for a refreshing herbal iced tea.

You can add the flavorful “bulbs”—the tender inner base of the stems—to broths, Thai coconut soups, and curries. Teas and broths featuring lemongrass are wonderful for easing the symptoms of colds and flu. 

Cultivation: This aromatic tropical grass is often grown as a container plant and brought indoors to be protected during the colder months. Growing it in a pot helps to keep its size manageable, and it’s quite commanding when planted with other ornamental herbs, such as artichoke (Cynara scolymus) and purple sage (Salvia officinalis ‘Purpurascens’).

For a tropical flair, pair with nasturtium (Tropaeolum spp.) and other cascading flowers. Plan to acquire a large pot for lemongrass and its companions!

Lemongrass prefers full sun and soils that drain rapidly—consider adding extra perlite or pine bark fines to your soil mix. Harvest the stems repeatedly throughout the growing season to increase yields and to keep growth in check.

If you have difficulty finding lemongrass starts in your area, you can often obtain pieces of lemongrass stem, with attached roots, from Asian grocers. These can be directly planted in pots or encouraged to root in a glass of water before planting. You can also grow it from seed if you get a head start on the season.

Safety and Contraindications: Individuals who have reacted to lemongrass essential oil may develop an allergic contact dermatitis handling the fresh plant. The essential oil must be properly diluted before coming in contact with the skin.

White Sage (Salvia apiana)

White Sage (Salvia apiana)

8. White Sage (Salvia apiana, Lamiaceae)

Parts Used: Leaves and stems

Medicinal Preparations: Tea, tincture, aromatic smoke, honey, gargle, and steam inhalation

Herbal Actions: 

  • Antibacterial
  • Antifungal
  • Astringent
  • Carminative (lessens intestinal gas)
  • Anti-inflammatory

Medicinal Uses: White sage’s medicinal uses are nearly interchangeable with its Mediterranean cousin, garden sage (Salvia officinalis), although the former is more antimicrobial and stimulating than its domestic brethren.

I use a steam inhalation of the leaves to help break up respiratory congestion in both the lungs and sinuses. Try combining it with thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) in the steam pot with a few drops of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) essential oil.

The practice of burning white sage as an aromatic cleansing and purifying agent has been widely adopted by Westerners, to the demise of wild populations which have been overharvested, primarily for sale as “smudge sticks.”

Cultivation: Endemic to southern California and Baja California, white sage has become increasingly rare in its native habitat due to over-gathering. If you enjoy this herb, please consider growing your own supply. Do not gather or purchase wild-harvested white sage. We have a more detailed growing guide (plus recipes!) on the blog.

White sage favors warm, dry conditions. In humid climates, white sage will sometimes develop fungal diseases or rot. I cut off the afflicted area, and it will often make a comeback, but sometimes the whole plant up and dies. Subsequently, I plant more white sage than I ultimately need.

White sage is especially alluring in a terra-cotta or glazed blue ceramic pot. Add extra drainage material to the soil mix, such as coarse sand, perlite, or pine bark fines, and take care not to overwater. White sage is also prone to aphids; if it seems over wilty, look for the little green, red, or black insects on the undersides of the fresh growth. Use insecticidal soap as an organic pest control.

Try placing potted white sage in a covered spot that receives ample sunshine, but excludes rainfall (like the overhang of a roof). Overwinter in a greenhouse, or in a south-facing window.

Safety and Contraindications: Sage is a uterine stimulant and should not be used internally in large doses by pregnant women. In medicinal quantities, it can dry up the breast milk. White sage is also highly drying and can aggravate dry skin and sinuses. 

Calamus (Acorus americanus, syn. A. calamus var. americanus)

Calamus (Acorus americanus, syn. A. calamus var. americanus)

9. Calamus (Acorus americanus, syn. A. calamus var. americanus, Acoraceae)

Parts Used: Rhizomes (root-like subterranean stems)

Medicinal Preparations: Tincture, tea

Herbal Actions: 

  • Aromatic bitter
  • Carminative (lessens intestinal gas)
  • Circulatory stimulant
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Decongestant
  • Rejuvenative

Medicinal Uses: Calamus is a warming, stimulating, and drying remedy and is thus used for cold, damp conditions, and stagnation. For instance, it’s a valuable remedy for digestive issues, menstrual cramps, and chronic sinus congestion.

Calamus is especially helpful for supporting a crisp, clear mind—it nurtures alertness and clarity, and is a treasured ally for those with foggy thinking or a tendency to mind-wander. Many students appreciate the root for augmenting focus while studying!

Calamus also acts as a circulatory stimulant for people who run cold in the winter. Combined with ginger (Zingiber officinale) and cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), it makes a tasty tea, although those with a tender palate may find it too spicy.

The root is a classic remedy for allergies, acting as a decongestant and anti-inflammatory. I combine it with turmeric root (Curcuma longa) and goldenrod (Solidago spp.) to treat allergies acutely (right when symptoms are present).

A little goes a long way with calamus—its pronounced flavor and spiciness make it an ideal candidate for formulas. In other words, combine milder tasting medicinals with calamus in your teas and tincture combinations to offset its potency.

Cultivation: Calamus is a wetland herb, and therefore thrives in containers that can be kept consistently moist, such as a retired bathtub or a plastic pond liner. For this reason, take extra care to water the plants during dry spells.

In cooler climates, calamus is quite happy and tolerant of the sun; gardeners in warmer or arid climates will want to give the plants afternoon shade, in addition to extra watering, to help it tolerate the heat and dryness.

Calamus reproduces by rhizomes; after two years you can divide the plants and colonize new containers or keep the harvested roots for medicine.

When sourcing calamus plants, look for A. americanus specifically rather than A. calamus. They are closely related—in fact, it’s still debated whether they are distinct species. However, a difference in chromosome numbers means that A. americanus plants don’t produce a potentially toxic compound (beta-asarone), whereas A. calamus does.

Safety and Contraindications: Do not use in pregnancy. May cause vomiting in high doses and may aggravate heartburn.

Lemon verbena (Aloysia citriodora) and one of her admirers

Lemon verbena (Aloysia citriodora) and one of her admirers

10. Lemon verbena (Aloysia citriodora, Verbenaceae)

Parts Used: Leaves and flowers

Medicinal Preparations: Tea, honey, syrup, and vinegar

Herbal Actions: 

  • Hypnotic
  • Nervine
  • Antibacterial
  • Antiviral
  • Analgesic
  • Antidepressant

Medicinal Uses: Lemon verbena is a tropical, South American plant—and it is often a favorite among the lemony herbs for its crisp aroma and fine flavor. Lemon verbena is an uplifting remedy, and is useful for conjuring sunshine during the dreariness of gray winter days, as well as during dark nights of the soul.

It is simultaneously brightening and calming, and doesn’t induce lethargy in most people if they drink it throughout the day. It is safe for children and elders, and in the same league as chamomile (Matricaria recutita) and mint (Mentha spp.) in that it rarely has side effects and is an everyday beverage tea. I combine lemon verbena with catnip (Nepeta cataria) and chamomile as a gentle sedative for insomnia.

Lemon verbena is also useful in quieting nausea and can be mixed with ginger and catnip for this purpose. It is useful for motion sickness, as well as the queasiness brought on by various infectious illnesses.

Cultivation: This brightly-scented perennial bush thrives in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun. It is highly drought tolerant and does best if it dries out between waterings. Pinch back the growing tips to encourage bushiness; this is most important when the plants are seedlings. The plants are also prone to spider mites—telltale signs include mottled yellow leaves and fine cobwebs on the underside of the leaves. Treat organically with a spray of insecticidal soap.

Potted plants in all but the warmest climates should be pruned, then brought indoors for the duration of the winter. Planted into moist soil amended with sand, lemon verbena will happily hibernate in your basement or an unheated greenhouse (tucked in with a cozy mulching of straw) until warm weather arrives again. Be warned that the plant will lose all its leaves over winter. Be sure to water it infrequently throughout the winter, though, to keep the roots alive.

Safety and Contraindications: No known precautions.

References

  1. Khalsa, K. P. S., and Tierra, M. The Way of Ayurvedic Herbs: The Most Complete Guide to Natural Healing and Health with Traditional Ayurvedic Herbalism. Motilal Banarsidass, 2010.
  2. American Herbal Products Association’s Botanical Safety Handbook, 2nd ed. CRC Press, 2013.
  3. Frawley, D., and Lad, V. Yoga of Herbs. Lotus Press, 1986.
  4. Tiwari, K., Jadhav, S., and Joshi, V. “An updated review on medicinal herb genus Spilanthes.” J Chin Integr Med. 2011.
  5. Gladstar, R. Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health: 175 Teas, Tonics, Oils, Salves, Tinctures, and Other Natural Remedies for the Entire Family. Storey Publishing, 2008.
  6. Cambie, R. C., and Brewis, A. Anti-Fertility Plants of the Pacific. CSIRO Publishing, 1997.
  7. American Herbal Products Association’s Botanical Safety Handbook, 2nd ed. CRC Press, 2013.
  8. Sethi, J., Yadav, M., Sood, S., Dahiya, K., and Singh, V. “Effect of tulsi (Ocimum Sanctum Linn.) on sperm count and reproductive hormones in male albino rabbits.” International Journal of Ayurveda Research. 2010.

Meet Our Contributors:

JULIET BLANKESPOOR founded the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine in 2007 and serves as the school’s primary instructor and Creative Director. She's been a professional plant-human matchmaker for close to three decades. Juliet caught the plant bug when she was nineteen and went on to earn a degree in Botany. She's owned just about every type of herbal business you can imagine: an herbal nursery, a medicinal products business, a clinical practice, and now, an herbal school.

These days, she channels her botanical obsession with her writing and photography in her online programs and here on her personal blog, Castanea. She's writing her first book: Cultivating Medicinal Herbs: Grow, Harvest, and Prepare Handcrafted Remedies from Your Home Garden. Juliet and her houseplants share a home with her family and herb books in Asheville, North Carolina.

MEGHAN GEMMA is one of the Chestnut School’s primary instructors through her written lessons, and is the principal pollinator of the school’s social media community—sharing herbal and wild foods wisdom from the flowery heart of the school to an ever-wider field of herbalists, gardeners, healers, and plant lovers.

She has been in a steady relationship with the Chestnut School since 2010—as an intern and manager at the Chestnut Herb Nursery; as a plant-smitten student “back in the day” when the school’s programs were taught in the field; and later as a part the school’s woman-powered professional team. Meghan lives in the Ivy Creek watershed, just north of Asheville, North Carolina.

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Nov 012018
 

In the wake of traumatic events of any nature, whether they’ve occurred nationally, locally or personally to you and/or to your loved ones, our bodies and minds need time to process difficult feelings.

It’s not often that we have an opportunity to sit quietly among others and process our feelings without having to say much of anything.

We provide you with a space to grieve, to mourn, to let go of anger, to ease fear and anxiety, to uplift your spirit when you’re feeling depressed, to relax and to work through the complexities of your emotions.

Chinese medicine theory acknowledges various states of emotional imbalance, and certain points can be used to address emotions such as grief and sadness, anger, irritability, anxiety, fear and worry on a physical and emotional level.  Sitting quietly during an acupuncture treatment in a room among others who are also healing, no matter what their health condition or situation is, can be a powerful and peaceful way to experience relief and respite from difficult emotions.

We’re here for you when you’re in need.  We offer community healing.

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