Common Names:  cleavers, clivers, catchweed, robin-run-the-hedge, goosegrass, sticky willy, bedstraw, grip grass, velcro plant, whippysticks, rennet herb, lady’s bedstraw, sticky bobs

Family:  Rubiaceae 

Habitat:  Cleavers are native to Europe, North Africa and Asia, but have become naturalized in the Americas.  It can be found growing in gardens, disturbed areas, and in moist, shady low and mid elevations.  It can be found in Central Florida, north, and throughout the panhandle.  Cleavers have sprawling square stems that cling to adjacent plants using their hooked hairs and in the absence of other plants, they form a mat hugging the ground.  Its thin, linear shaped leaves are 0.5-3” long and form a whorl around the stem of 6-8 leaves.  Flowers form on the branchlets that attach to the leaf joints and usually have between 3 and 5 small whitish blooms.  The best time to harvest is when the plant has started to bloom, just be careful when disentangling it from whatever it is growing on.

Parts Used:  whole, matted herb, all aerial parts including flowers

History/Tradition:  Used as a dye to color Scottish tartans as well as to color cheeses.  Historically, it has been used to treat bladder and kidney inflammation, dropsy, kidney stones and fever.  Other species of Galium have been used traditionally by native people to treat the flu, coughs, hoarseness, asthma, and respiratory problems, as well as for making dyes.

Energetics:  cooling and drying, salty and sweet

Indications:  Cleavers is a spring tonic herb and is especially aligned with the lymphatic and urinary systems.  It can help to lessen heat in the lymphatic system, and is useful for hot conditions like rashes, eczema and psoriasis.  It is also used as a diuretic helping to clear deposits from the bladder and kidneys, as well as soothing inflammation in the bladder, urethra and urinary tract, or when urination is painful due to obstructions, infection, or inflammation.  Cleavers can be used externally as a wash or poultice to help treat poison oak/ivy, sunburn, blisters, sores, psoriasis and other types of skin eruptions.  An oil can also be made with dried cleavers and then made into a salve or lotion to help with swollen glands, complexion, and nodular growths on the skin.

The fresh or dried herb can be used to make either an infusion or tincture, but fresh herb, when available, is always preferred. Richo Cech advises to protect cleavers from bruising during the harvesting process and to spread thinly on drying screens with good air flow and mild heat for the herb to dry within 2 days.  He also suggests that the best way to preserve cleavers is to make a succus, which is a combination of 1 part alcohol by volume to 3 parts plant juice by volume.  He also states that boiling cleavers destroys the plants medicinal value, so he suggests using warm water for infusions, or making a cold infusion instead.

Systems:  lymphatic, urinary, integumentary

Actions:  diuretic, anti-inflammatory, kidney tonic, lymphatic, alterative, demulcent, astringent, antioxidant

Cautions:  None known

Constituents:  plant chlorophyll, citric acid, coumarin, iridoid glycosides (asperuloside and rubichloric acid), plant acids (caffeic, gallic, salicylic), tannins, phenols, flavonoids

Culinary Use:  A cold infusion of fresh cleavers has a delightful, green, grassy, cucumber like flavor.  The seeds can be roasted and made into a coffee-like beverage and even contains a small amount of caffeine. 

Other Uses:  The name bedstraw comes from the fact that it has been used as bedding due to the plants ability to form thick straw-like mats, which were used to stuff mattresses.  Cleavers have also been used as a plant dye where the flowering tops produce yellow dyes, and the roots yield red. 

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galium_aparine

https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/plant/species/3883#classification

Pacific Northwest Medicinal Plants:  Identify, Harvest, and Use 120 Herbs for Health and Wellness by Scott Kloss.  2017.  Timber Press.

Making Plant Medicine by Richo Cech.  2016. Herbal Reads LLC.

Florida Ethnobotany by Daniel F. Austin.  2004. CRC Press.

Written by Jaime Pawelek

Common Names:  rosemary, compass plant, romarin, encensier, Rose de Marie, dew of the sea, elf leaf, polar plant

Family:  Lamiaceae

Habitat:  Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean region (as well as Portugal and NW Spain) but is now widely grown across the world.  It is an evergreen perennial with aromatic leaves growing as a small shrub up to 2 meters tall, though some cultivars are more prostrate in growth.  Leaves are needle-like, opposite and evergreen, and flowers, which are blue, white or lavender, are arranged alternately along the stem.  Grows best in full sun to part shade (morning sun/afternoon shade) and needs very well drained soil. 

Parts Used:  leaf, stem

History/Tradition:  Rosemary was associated in Greek mythology with the goddess Mnemosyne whose name means memory. Students in ancient Greece wore rosemary garlands in their hair as they believed it would improve their memory.  It was also common practice to hold rosemary stems at funerals and to place them on coffins as “rosemary is for remembrance”. There are ancient records of it being burned as incense at religious ceremonies as well.  It has a long history of use ranging from the treatment of jaundice, to increase milk production in breastfeeding mothers, and was used to relax muscles by adding to baths.  Another fun fact, Napoleon Bonaparte was obsessed with eau de Cologne which featured a citrus blend, heavy on the rosemary!

Energetics:  dry, pungent, warming, aromatic, stimulating

Indications:  Rosemary can be useful for a variety of conditions.  It may be helpful for brain fog and mental clarity, depression, cardiovascular issues, tension headaches, gas and bloating, stimulation of the gall bladder and liver, and hair growth stimulation.  Rosemary helps to increase the circulation throughout the body and enhance blood flow.  Topically it can be used to relieve muscle and joint pain, rheumatism, and arthritis.

Systems:  digestive, musculoskeletal, nervous, cardiovascular

Actions:  carminative, bitter, antispasmodic, antidepressant, rubefacient, antimicrobial, emmanagogue, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective

Cautions:  Avoid large doses while pregnant

Constituents:  volatile oils (borneol, camphene, camphor, cineole, limonene, linalool), flavonoids, rosmarinic acid, carnosic acid, diterpenes, rosmarinicine, and triterpenes

Culinary Use:  Rosemary has a pungent taste and a scent with a hint of pine.  It can be used fresh or dried in a variety of savory and sweet dishes including with roasted meats and chicken, breads and stuffing, with vegetables, cheeses and eggs.  It can be used to flavor olive oil and used in salad dressings as well as being infused into milk or cream that can be used in mashed potatoes, quiche, and even ice-cream!  Chopped fresh rosemary added to a shortbread cookie recipe makes a nice variation, especially during the holidays.  Rosemary wands can also be used to baste meats as they grill and the mature branches can be stripped of leaves and used as a skewer for roasting vegetables.  Rosemary also makes a lovely herbal butter that can be used in a variety of ways.  Rosemary, combined with mint, thyme, and sage makes a beautiful vinegar, much like the four thieves vinegar of the 17^th century, which may have also included wormwood, juniper, cloves, horehound, angelica and camphor.

Other Uses:  I love making a rosemary hydrosol to use as a facial toner and leave-in scalp spray for hair growth. 

Written by Jaime Pawelek

References:

Medical Herbalism:  The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine by David Hoffmann.  2003. Healing Arts Press.

Your Backyard Herb Garden by Miranda Smith.  1997. Rodale Press, Inc.

https://www.ahpa.org/herbs_in_history_rosemary

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7491497

https://www.herbrally.com/monographs/rosemary

Common Names:  kumquat

Family:  Rutaceae

Habitat:  Kumquats are native to SE China and tropical Malaysia and are grown throughout the subtropics around the world.  They were introduced into Florida in 1855 and are grafted onto trifoliate orange rootstock.  They have a small compact growth (8-15’ tall) and prefer full sun and hot humid climates and can tolerate freezes.  They can be grown in a large pot due to their smaller size, and they can be pruned into a hedge shape if desired.  The flowers are white, very fragrant and have 5 parts, and the leaves are simple, alternate and lanceolate in shape.  Fruits resemble a small citrus but are much smaller in size and the whole fruit is edible.

Parts Used:  fruit, leaves

History/Tradition:  Originally in the Citrus genus, it was renamed as Fortunella as a reference to the Scottish botanist Robert Fortune who in the 1800’s made several trips to China and Japan and brought back with him many interesting plants, including kumquats.  Kumquats have a long been used in Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to treat respiratory conditions like cough and sore throat.

Energetics:  in TCM it is considered warming

Indications:  For a sore throat you can make a kumquat syrup, or a decoction of kumquat fruits and add honey. 

Systems:  respiratory, digestive

Actions:  antitussive, expectorant, anti-inflammatory, carminative, antioxidant

Constituents: vitamin C, essential oils in skin (like limonene, alpha-pinene and monoterpenes), calcium, vitamin A

Culinary Use:  Fruit can be eaten whole, skin and all.  The skin is sweet and matched with the tangy interior, makes for a delicious bite!  Fruits have been used to make marmalade, as well as being canned, preserved whole in sugar syrup, dried, candied and sugared.  They can also be cured in salt and even pickled.

References:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S092422442300167X

https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/68010844/Citrus-citrus-libre.pdf?1626053118=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DSpecies_profiles_for_Pacific_Island_agro.pdf&Expires=1729540237&Signature=SvfLYq5RMyGf3CQtPD64euAVOgIfwk6T-8e9r-axzSsUpUMTaq7~v6IX77YaGCSEjKxpwD1pVBeBbkiQsQRsURhuhHcgXFGv8bTTvRkefVz2I4spBUpgwBwPgiwBMzP5FW5V4InVfcXClgvJ0Q-iZWsfV8qfX7Kc~pyPADqKJk38mmyJHBDNuJRM89bYTh1uPRK5YiIXBkK43bFjcvQ2Arf7tLWuXYmxmswfQ0~O-P~WDYpTaHGGPFrkoz8e7YxB0xkH0UiXMos2R9CupVsj9CRjRM~ozu88X9phaDqRKaRMDytC-7~XhU8cL242zR82ccQc6x9jVRJDMdnn7jd4~g__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA

https://www.visiontimes.com/2024/10/16/grow-medicinal-kumquat.html

https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Fortunella+japonica#:~:text=Medicinal%20Uses&text=The%20leaves%20and%20fruit%20contain,good%20for%20infants%5B283%5D.

http://www.stuartxchange.org/Kumquat

Written by Jaime Pawelek

Common Names:  star fruit, carambola, five-corner, in TCM it is called Yang Tao

Family:  Oxalidaceae          

Habitat:  Star fruit is a small to medium sized evergreen tree growing up to 10m high and can be multi-trunked.  Long compound leaves (15-30cm) are arranged alternately on branches with each leaf having 5-12 leaflets.  Flowers are small, pink/lavender, and have 5 sepals and petals each.  Fruits are typically 5-15cm long with usually 5 longitudinal ribs and when cut in cross-section appear star shaped.  The flesh is yellow and juicy and lacks fiber and should be picked when ripe as it doesn’t increase in sugar content after harvest.

Considered native to Malaysia, they are now widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions around the world and grown for their star-shaped fruit.  In Florida, they have been cultivated for about 100 years and with the importation of material from Thailand, Taiwan and Malaysia the fruit has become sweeter over time.  They prefer warm growing conditions, protection from strong winds, well drained soils, and are not particularly drought tolerant.

Parts Used:  fruit, leaf

History/Tradition:  Star fruit has been used in Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat conditions such as fever, cough, diarrhea, chronic headache, inflammatory skin disorders (eczema), and fungal skin infections as well as diabetes, diabetic nephropathy, arthralgia, vomiting, hangovers, and chronic paroxysmal.

Systems: immune, cardiovascular, urinary, digestive

Actions:  antioxidant, hypoglycemic, hypotensive, hypocholesterolemic, hepatoprotective, anti‐inflammatory, anti‐infective, immune-boosting, cardioprotective, and antitumor

Cautions:  Star fruit has is high in oxalates, so those with kidney issues should consult their doctor before eating.

Constituents: saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, and pyrogallic steroids. Rich in antioxidants like Vitamin C, beta-carotene, gallic acid, magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, potassium and phosphorus.

Culinary Use:  Star fruit is delicious eaten raw, made into a beverage, added to salads, pickled or added to baked goods.  My favorite way to prepare it so far has been to make a star fruit upside down cake for Thanksgiving.  Trees produce abundant fruit from late summer through fall here in FL and having been gifted a large amount just before Thanksgiving I tasked myself with finding a recipe that would be nice to share and that shows off the unique shape of the fruit.  Here is a link to an easy to make recipe:

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/star-fruit-upside-down-cake-3363912

Other Uses:  Star fruit has also been used as a stain remover, for the treatment of bee stings, and as an anti-rust agent in the treatment of metal.

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7958541

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG269

https://ntbg.org/database/plants/detail/Averrhoa-carambola#:~:text=In%20Brazil%2C%20the%20carambola%20is,and%20hence%20to%20allay%20fever.%22

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8407000

Written by Jaime Pawelek

Common Names:  Pond apple, alligator apple, cachiman cochon, monkey apple, dog apple, corkwood, palo bobo, mangrove annona, bobwood

Family:  Annonaceae

Habitat:  Pond apple is the only Florida native Annona species and it thrives in wetland environments.  In addition to Florida, it is also native to the Caribbean, tropical Central and South America and West Africa.  It was also introduced to Australia and Sri Lanka, where it has become extremely invasive.  In Florida, it is commonly found in the Everglades as well as other southern coastal areas and can tolerate both fresh and saltwater.  

Pond apple can grow up to 10 meters tall and is semi-deciduous.  The leaves are alternating along the branches and are acute at the tip, measuring about 3-6 inches long and 1.5-2.5 inches wide.  The flowers are white to yellow and are about 1 inch long with 3 outer petals and 3 inner petals.  Trees can fruit after 2 years and produce a large, mango-sized fruit, similar in appearance to a custard apple, that turns yellowish when ripe.  The fruit contains around 100 small light yellow-brown seeds and is eaten by various wildlife like alligators, hogs, raccoons, squirrels, and birds.  While edible, the fruit isn’t typically grown as a fruit tree as it isn’t very sweet, though it can be enjoyed as a beverage or jam.

Parts Used:  seeds, bark, leaves and fruit

History/Tradition: One of the more common uses of pond apple is to make a syrup from the boiled fruit to treat cough from tuberculosis, as well as other lung and chest issues.  A tea made from the leaves has been drunk to provide relief from abdominal cramps, colic, diarrhea, and dysentery.  The tea has also been used as a vermifuge to treat hookworms.  There is some evidence that teas made from annonas can cause symptoms that resemble Parkinson’s disease, so caution should always be used when consuming any part of this plant.

Indications:  Used in large doses, many of the constituents within the pond apple are considered poisons.  Studies have shown that some of its chemical constituents are known to inhibit cancer cell growth, especially with leukemia cell lines, and have found there is great potential in the future study of this plant.  

Systems:  respiratory, digestive

Actions:  emetic, vermifuge, anti-cancer

Cautions:  Seeds are NOT EDIBLE and are POISONOUS.  Be careful to wash your hands well after handling seeds as they have been known to cause blindness.  Seeds have been used to poison fish.

Constituents:  acetogenins, apomorphine alkaloids, cyclopeptides, diterpenoids, phenylpropanoid, reticuline 

Culinary Use:  The ripe fruit, which has a sweet scent and has been described to taste like honeydew melon and menthol mango/melon, though most folks do not seem to enjoy it. Green Deane’s description may not entice many as he describes it as “musky, subacid, resinous flavor, not desirable.”

Other Uses:  The soft wood of pond apple is likened to cork and has been used as corks for bottles, as well as for making rafts, fishing pole floats, small boxes and other small wooden products.  The seeds have been used to poison fish, and both the seeds and leaves are considered insecticidal and have been used to kill lice in the nests of chickens.

References: 

Florida Ethnobotany by Daniel F. Austin.  2004.  CRC Press. 

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1281

https://sccf.org/blog/2021/09/08/meet-the-natives-pond-apple/#:~:text=A%20wide%20of%20wildlife%20eat,been%20used%20medicinally%20for%20centuries.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/tag/pond-apple

https://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/anticanres/28/2A/965.full.pdf

Written by Jaime Pawelek

Common Names:  prickly pear, nopales, tuna, Indian fig, many different names by many cultures of people across the regions in which it grows

Family:  Cactaceae

Habitat:  Like many other cactus species, the Opuntia genus is indigenous to much of North and South America as well as the Caribbean islands. Through human interaction, however, members of the Opuntia genus have spread to many other arid to semi-arid parts of the world. Here in Florida, we have 4 species of Opuntia indigenous to the state, and 3 that are non-native but naturalized. Of these three non-native species are O. ficus-indica & O. cochenillifera.  Opuntia species are sprawling to erect, ranging from 2 to 16 ft in height depending on the species. Cactus have modified flattened photosynthetic stems, called cladodes (pads), that are usually spiked and also have small spiny hair clusters called glochids. They have showy flowers in spring that range from yellow, to orange to red to pink that then form into dark red fruits that are also often spiked. Like other members of the Cactaceae family, Opuntia thrives in hot, desert-like climates.  Well-drained soil and full sun are ideal for this drought-tolerant plant. The easiest way to propagate a prickly pear is by rooting a cladode. Use heavy gloves to snap off a pad that is at least 6 months matured. Allow the pad to lay out for a few days and callus over. Place the callused end in a mix of equal parts potting soil and sand. Mist with water and do not water again until established. 

Parts Used:  pads, fruits, and flowers

History/Tradition:  The usage of the many Opuntia species is great and varied, from food and medicine to dye and water purification. This genus of cactus has historical and modern usage beyond that of nopal tacos (which is one superb way to utilize this spiky plant’s tender pads). Two species of Opuntia have particularly extensive histories of usage and modern science & research is delving in to further support this. Opuntia cochenillifera is a host to the insect Dactylopius coccus, or the cochineal bug. The female cochineal bug contains a red substance that, before the dawn of chemical dyes, was the main source of red-colored dye, known as carmine. In fact, this cactus and insect were historically of utmost importance in Mexican culture as well as trade. Historically carmine dye once ranked second behind silver as Mexico’s main export. While synthetic dyes have risen in popularity and remain the main source for most of the world’s red coloring, the tradition of utilizing the cochineal insect for coloring textiles is actively practiced in many Central and South American communities. Public concern about the safety of synthetic chemical dyes has created a recent resurgence of the carmine dye industry. O. ficus-indica is the species most commonly cultivated as food and is most likely what you will find as nopales on the shelf at the grocery store. As a food, both the young pads, botanically known as cladodes, and the mature fruit are consumed. There is a myriad of recipes from many different cultures around the world that utilize this cactus as food and beverage, as well as medicine. The mature fruits of the prickly pear make a delicious drink, syrup, jam, and liquor. In Florida, the fruits can be found from late fall into late winter. The tender pads can be cleaned of spikes and glochids (short, barbed spines/prickles) and consumed in a variety of different ways. (See recipe and links) The pads are a significant source of calcium, vitamin C and magnesium as well as other minerals.  

Indications:  Medicinally Opuntia has been reported through both historical use and scientific research to: act as a diuretic, an analgesic, antiviral, anti-fungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, mucilage, and more specifically to address urinary/renal issues, stomach ulcers, diarrhea, bronchial congestion, skin and eye inflammation, cuts and minor wounds and even high cholesterol & diabetes. The fruits are diuretic and when eaten in large quantities can even turn urine into a dark red color, similar to the fruits.  The fruits can be juiced and used when there is pain on urination to help with the inflammation.  The constituents within the fruit give it its hypoglycemic, antioxidant, antiulcerogenic, anticancer, neuroprotective, and hepatoprotective properties¹. The cactus pads can be heated and turned into a poultice to use on cuts, tumors, splinters, boils, pleurisy and rheumatic pain.  Michael Moore makes a drawing poultice from the filleted pad, places it against the injured body part, then covers it with gauze and tape and leaves it for several hours.  They too have different constituents within them that give them healing properties from their antioxidants, vitamins and flavonoids which help lower cholesterol and improve wound healing.

Systems:  urinary, respiratory, digestive

Actions:  diuretic, analgesic, antiviral, anti-fungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, hypoglycemic, neuroprotective

Cautions:  Handle fruit and pads with caution as the tiny, barbed spines can get stuck and irritate the skin

Constituents:  fiber, triterpines, malic acid, succinc acid, amino acids, polyphenols, ascorbic acid, vitamins E, C, K, and B, calcium, magnesium, carotenoids

Culinary Use:  Peggy Lantz offers guidance on harvesting and consuming prickly pear fruit. Utilize gloves, tongs, and care when harvesting fruit. They should be fully ripe and easy to pop off with a twist. Wash the fruit under a hose with high pressure to remove most of the spines and glochids. This is helpful but there will probably still be some spiney parts on the fruit so continue to handle with care. Slice fruits lengthwise, and put in a five-quart saucepan, add water and simmer 20 mins. Mash with potato masher and strain. Add 2 cups water to 2 cups juice and honey for a delicious cooling beverage. 

To harvest the pads, utilize the same technique of gloves and tongs. Cut off tender young pads. Carefully cut out large sections of spines with a knife. Prepare them using one of the many amazing recipes for nopales available! Here is an example of a recipe for tacos de nopales. 
Ingredients:

• ½ pound nopales
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 small spring onions or 1 white onion
• 3 small garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
•  large, fresh chili pepper, stem and seeds removed, sliced
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 16 (5-inch) corn tortillas
• Sliced radish, for topping
• Crumbled queso fresco, for topping
• Lime wedges, for squeezing

Clean nopales. Heat oil in a wide pot or pan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the sliced onion, garlic, pepper, and cleaned nopales. Stir to coat the vegetables in the oil. Cover the pot with a lid, and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove the lid, stir in the salt, and continue to cook until most of the liquid evaporates about 5 minutes. To serve, char the tortillas on a gas burner or in a hot skillet. For each taco, stack 2 tortillas, scoop some warm nopales filling into the center, and top with radish, queso fresco, and lime wedges

Other Uses:  This incredible cactus has also been utilized as a thickener for earthen walls/structures, to filter contaminated water, fodder for cattle and wildlife and as a protective hedge.

References:

Austin, Daniel F. Florida Ethnobotany. CRC Press, 2004.

Bauman, Hannah, and Schmidt, Ashley. “Food as Medicine: Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Ficus-Indica, Cactaceae).” Food as Medicine: Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Ficus-Indica, Cactaceae), 2016,cms.herbalgram.org/heg/volume12/09September/FaMPricklyPear.html?utm_source=hootsuite&ts=1574108405&signature=023198362341f3c20c35ccbf3e67e477.

Deuerling, Richard J., and Peggy Sias Lantz. Florida’s Incredible Wild Edibles. Florida Native Plant Society, 1993.

“Opuntia.” Opuntia – Genus Page – ISB: Atlas of Florida Plants, florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Genus.aspx?id=868.

¹Nopal Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) as a Source of Bioactive Compounds for Nutrition, Health and Disease. 2014. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6270776/).

Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West by Michael Moore.  1989. Museum of New Mexico Press.

Common Names:  Common boneset, boneset, agueweed, feverwort, thoroughwort, sweating-plant, cross-wort, Indian-sage, Joe-Pye, teagel, thorough grow, vegetable agrimony, wild-Isaac, howe chache (Choctaw), niya’wibukuk (Ojibwa), shauashko (Choctaw)

Family:  Asteraceae

Habitat:  Common boneset is a short lived perennial and can grow 4-6ft tall and about 2-4ft wide, often spreading into colonies by the rhizomes.  In Florida, it occurs mostly in the panhandle and northwest, in moist shady areas along the edges of streams and rivers.  The white flowers bloom in the late summer into early fall and the leaves, arranged oppositely on the stem, give the appearance as though the stem is piercing through them.  They can tolerate a variety of soil types, but definitely prefer wetter growing conditions, even tolerating occasional flooding.  Boneset is easily grown from seed (fall sowing after cold stratification) or cuttings (late spring early summer before flowering).

Parts Used:  leaf and flowering tops, just before flowers open, without the stem

History/Tradition:  The genus Eupatorium comes from Mithridates Eupator (120-63BC), who was the king of Parthia (currently NE Iran) and used a species as an antidote for poison.  The species name perfoliatum means that the stem grows through the leaf.  The Eupatorium genus comprises about 45 species in the eastern US and is known to be used by many indigenous peoples, especially E. perfoliatum.  Some of the common uses of boneset by native peoples¹ are described in Daniel Austin’s book, Florida Ethnobotany, including as a diuretic, emetic, tonic, sudorific, as well as, to treat hip pain, snake bites, epilepsy, dengue fever, colds, flus, irregular menses, pleurisy, pneumonia, to mend bones and so much more. Later, settlers and visiting physicians used common boneset as an emetic, purgative, and diaphoretic, using it to treat arthritis, gout, malaria, yellow fever, typhoid, and rheumatism.

During the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919, the Eclectics considered boneset “one of the safest and most effective remedies”². It was used widely by many doctors to treat the symptoms of the flu with great success during the flu outbreaks in the late 1890’s into the early 1900’s.

Energetics – bitter, pungent, cold, dry

Indications – The modern use of boneset includes treating flu with the accompanied aches, pains, night sweats, and congestion, as a laxative, and to treat rheumatism.  Common boneset is also included in the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States (HPUS) and European Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia.

Systems – immune, musculoskeletal, respiratory, digestive

Actions – diaphoretic, bitter, laxative, antispasmodic, astringent, antibacterial, antipyretic, antioxidant, carminative, emetic, immunostimulant, aperient

Cautions – the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA’s) indicate caution to be used, especially for pregnant people, children, or those with liver issues.  A strong hot infusion brings more of the diaphoretic and emetic qualities, so care should be given if those are not desired actions. 

Constituents – volatile oils (linalool, camphor, carvon), flavonoids (eupapholin, kaempferol, astragalin, nicotiflorin, quercetin), sesquiterpine lactones, triterpenes and sterols, caffeic acid derivatives, fatty acids and fatty alcohols, polysaccharides, and *pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA’s) – it is generally recognized that plants in the genus Eupatorium commonly have some amount of PA’s, which are known to be toxic to the liver.  Only recently has common boneset been found to have PA’s present².

¹Abnaki, Cherokee, Creek, Delaware, Iroquois, Koasati, Menomini, Meskwaki, Micmac, Mohegan, Nanticoke, Ojibwa, Penobscot, Rappahannock, Seminole, and Shinnecock.

References:

Florida Ethnobotany by Daniel F. Austin.  2004 by CRC Press.

Eupatorium perfoliatum L.: Phytochemistry, traditional use and current applications. 2011 Andreas Hensel et al. Journal of Ethnopharmacology (138):  641-651.

²Boneset Aerial Parts Eupatorium perfoliatum L.  American Herbal Pharmacopeia and Therapeutic Compendium. 2019. https://www.uni-muenster.de/imperia/md/content/pharmazeutische_biologie2/institut/meldungen/boneset_monograph_081919_reduced.pdf

Disclaimer – This content is intended for educational purposes only. Please consult your healthcare provider before making changes based on the material.

Written by Jaime Pawelek

Common Names:  oats, milky oats, oat tops, oat straw, oatmeal, oat seed, cat grass, wild oats, common oat

Family:  Poaceae

Habitat:  Relatives of Avena sativa are native to Eurasia (Iraq and Iran), but oats are known as a cultigen, which means it only grows in cultivation.  Oats are widely cultivated across the world in more temperate regions, used as soil stabilizers, cover crops and food/fodder.  In the US it is commonly found growing in dry areas including roadsides, fields, and any disturbed areas. Unfortunately, it is not commonly found in FL, though attempts to cultivate it can be successful if the right conditions are met.  Oats are an annual, cool season, grass that grows up to 5 ft. tall on long slender, hollow, smooth stalks with drooping panicles of self-fertile flowers.

Parts Used:  leaf and stem (oatstraw), fresh immature seed heads in their “milky” stage (milky oats), mature seeds (oatmeal)

Energetics:  cool and moistening, relaxing; sweet, nutritive

Indications:  Oats are both food and medicine.  Most folks are familiar with eating a nourishing bowl of oatmeal for breakfast and know that oats are a heart healthy food and very soothing to the digestive tract.  As a medicine, oats are helpful for those that are just plain exhausted, both emotionally and physically.  I love the way herbalist Michael Moore describes the medicinal uses of oats, so I will give you this quote from his book, “Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West”. 

“It is a beautifully effective medicine in the depressive states that “yangy” people get, those headstrong and bodystrong people, burned-out emotional crispy critters with not much life experience in handling their depressions.  Maybe a death in the family, maybe a breakup of marriage, whatever it is, the depression caught them by surprise, and they don’t know how to handle it.  Wild Oats, ¼ teaspoon as needed.”

Milky oats are the unripened seed tops that when squeezed between the fingers produce a white “milky” latex.  The milky oat tops are used fresh, made into a tincture or tisane, but they can also be dried at this stage to make an infusion at a later date.  Milky oats are helpful for treating stress and anxiety, exhaustion, and to help aid in recovery from addiction.  Folks that find themselves burnt out, irritable, lacking focus will find a friend in milky oats.  Also, those with low libido or heart palpitations might consider milky oats.

Oats are considered a tonic herb and a daily infusion of oat straw is rich in silica, calcium, potassium, vitamins A and C, and other minerals that nourish your skin, hair, nails, teeth and bones.  Also considered a trophorestorative, or nerve tonic, it helps restore the proper function to the nervous system, repairs the myelin sheath surrounding nerves, and can be used long term.  One of my favorite ways to enjoy oats is in my daily long infusion of nettle, oat straw and lemon balm. 

Systems:  nervous, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal

Actions:  tonic, nervine, nourishing, restorative, nutritive, anti-depressant, demulcent, relaxant, antispasmodic

Cautions:  no contraindications or side effects

Constituents:  proteins, C-glycosyl favones, avenacosides, vitamin E, starch

Culinary Use:  Oats are commonly served as a breakfast porridge and can be found as oat bran, quick oats, rolled oats, steel cut, and groats, which are the whole oat berry with only the hull removed.  Oats can be served both as a sweet dish or savory, depending on what is incorporated in them, including quick breads, cookies, granola, fruit crisps and cereal bars.  Oat flour is also a now common substitute for wheat flour in some dishes and products, like pancakes and scones.  Another relatively new product made from oats, is oat milk, which many people are using instead of traditional cow’s milk.

Other Uses:  Oats are commonly used on farms as a cover-crop and as animal feed.  Over 95% of the oats grown in the US are used for animal feed.  An oatmeal bath can be very soothing to dry, irritated and inflamed skin conditions.  For the bath, put a handful of oats in a muslin bag, steep in the hot water, and then squeeze to release the soothing emollient properties.  Oats are commonly found in skin products for their soothing and moisturizing properties.

References:

Growing Plant Medicine by Richo and Sena Cech.  Volume 1.  2002. Herbal Reeds.

Medical Herbalism:  The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine by David Hoffmann, FNIMH, AHG.  2003.  Healing Arts Press.

Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West by Michael Moore.  1989. Museum of New Mexico Press.

The Modern Herbal Dispensatory by Thomas Easley and Steven Horne.  2016.  North Atlantic Books.

Written by Jaime Pawelek.

Latin Name:  Valeriana officinalis, derived from the Latin word valere, meaning “to be well” or “to be strong”

Family:  Valerianaceae

Habitat:  Native to Europe and Western Asia but grows easily in much of North America.  Grows well in partial to full sun, prefers rich soil and moist conditions and can grow up to 5’ tall.  White flowers in an umbel, bloom through summer and easily self sows.  Lanceolate leaves are opposite and pinnately compound on a reddish stem.  Leaves are larger on the lower ends of the stem and get smaller as you move up.  Flowers have a sweet fragrance, but the roots have a pungent odor, like sweaty socks.  Considered invasive in some parts of the country.

History/Tradition:  Valerian was once used as a “cure-all” and has been used for hundreds of years.  It has been used to treat migraines and headaches, anxiety, insomnia, depression, heart palpitations, gastrointestinal spasms, and epileptic seizures.  During WWII it was used to help shell-shocked soldiers as well as citizens stressed by nightly air raid sirens and those sheltering from nocturnal bombing raids. 

Energetics: warm, drying, relaxing

Contraindications:  no drug interactions, but may potentiate the effects of sedatives, in very few people it may have the opposite effect and produce a stimulant response

Parts Used:  rhizome, stolon (runner), root; harvest from fall to early spring

Systems:  nervous, digestive

Actions:  nervine, hypnotic, antispasmodic, carminative, hypotensive, emmenagogue, analgesic

Usage:  Indicated for nervous conditions like insomnia, anxiety, and muscle tension and commonly used as a sleep aid and mild pain reliever.  It helps to promote normal sleep by its sedative action and is useful for those who have a hard time quieting the mind at bedtime.  Its action as an antispasmodic helps with hypertension as it helps by relaxing the smooth muscles lining the blood vessels, allowing more blood to flow through the body.

Tincture is most commonly used (2.5-5mL and up to 10mL at one time); an infusion of 2 tsp. dried herb per 1 cup of boiling water is made, rather than a decoction in order to preserve its aromatic oils.  Fresh root is preferred to dried if you can get it/grow it.

References:

• Medical Herbalism:  The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine by David Hoffmann  (2003).  Healing Arts Press, Rochester, Vermont.
• Medicinal Herbs:  A Beginner’s Guide by Rosemary Gladstar (2012). Storey Publishing, North Adams, Massachusetts. 
• https://www.herbrally.com/monographs/valerian
• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Valerian-HealthProfessional/#en2
• Sheltering with Valerian

By Jaime Pawelek

Botanical Name: Zingiber officinale; Zingiberaceae

Part Used: rhizome

Energetics: pungent, sweet, drying, warm to hot

Actions: Stimulant, diaphoretic, expectorant, carminative, antiemetic, analgesic

Systems: digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular

Indications: colds, flus, indigestion, vomiting, belching, abdominal pain, laryngitis, arthritis, hemorrhoids, headaches, heart health, menstrual cramps

Precautions: inflammatory skin diseases, high fever, bleeding, ulcers

Preparation: infusion, decoction, tincture, candied, culinary

Cautions: Avoid using large doses in pregnancy, due to its emmenagogue and potential abortifacient effects. Do not use in those with gallstones due to its cholagogue effects. Avoid large doses prior to surgery to avoid risk of hemorrhage and at lease one week before elective surgery. Use only with expert advice in the case of peptic ulcers. 

Habitat: Ginger grows in tropical and subtropical regions. Ginger prefers soils that are very rich and moist. In slightly cooler climates, the plant does well in full sun. However, in more southern locations, the plants may need partial shade. 

Ginger is perhaps, the best and most sattvic of the spices. It was called…the universal medicine. – The Yoga of Herbs

Ginger is a warm to hot herb with a tendency towards dryness. Fresh ginger is considered to be warm while dried ginger is considered to be hot. When utilized, it is aromatic and dispersing, spreading quickly to your core and limbs. Due to ginger stimulating fluid loos through the promotion of sweat or expelling of mucus, it is also considered drying.

Ginger can be a tonic for the heart. In traditional Chinese, Indonesian and Ayurvedic medicine, ginger has been used to treat a variety of cardiovascular conditions. Ginger’s anti-inflammatory properties inhibits the action of several genes involved in the inflammation process. It reduces the inflammation by blocking these genes needed to create inflammation. The anti-inflammatory properties result in ginger being a natural remedy for relieving arthritic conditions, pain and headaches when applied topically. 

The University of Maryland Medical Center cites a number of studies that suggest ginger may lower cholesterol and prevent blood from clotting. In addition, ginger can release those suffering from gas and cramps in the abdomen, including menstrual cramps. Findings show that gingerols from ginger prevent abnormal coagulation and improve circulation. Gingerols and other phenolic compounds relax peripheral blood vessels and promote sweating, properties that increase blood flow and metabolism. 

Ginger can neutralize toxins and help with digestion, absorption and assimilation of food.  Ginger makes food lighter and easier to digest, aiding in the cleansing of the intestines and promoting health bowel movements. 

References:

Brinker, Francis (2010) Herbal Contraindications and Drug Interactions. Eclectic Medical Publications

Lad, Vasant (1985) Ayurveda: The Science of Self-Healing: A Practical Guide. Lotus Press

Frawley, David, Lad, Vasant (1993) The Yoga of Herbs: An Ayurvedic Guide to Herbal Medicine. Lotus Press

Kelly, Alexandra (2017) Love Ginger, Love Your Heart. The Ginger People