Growing medicinal herbs can sometimes be intimidating to the beginner gardener. But there are plenty of plants that will thrive and spread with minimal care & effort. However, firstly you want to make sure you don’t ALREADY have some magically medicinal plants in your yard & garden. If you want a private Wild Weed Consult to see what may be lurking on your property, you can do so here.
After you know what you’ve got, you can decide what other friends to invite to your space. Here are 5 of my favorites:
1. Lemon Balm:
Melissa officinalis is in the mint family & a perennial, so once you plant it, you will have it in your garden forever- and plenty to share with the neighbors! Lemon balm does best planted in the sun but can also be happy in part shade. This is my favorite medicinal for anxiety & stress of all kinds. It brings a calmness to the mind & to the body. Lemon balm is also an antiviral and is a wonderful ally in keeping colds in flus at bay. Take as a gentle sleep aid and hour before bed and as a digestive aid before and after meals. This plant has so many virtues! Harvest the leaves & flowers several times throughout the growing season. Use fresh or dry for tea, make into tinctures, add to salads & cookies & pestos! This ally is delicious!
2. Calendula
Calendula officianlis is a beautiful plant that does need full sun to grow in order to be at it’s happiest. Its bright orange, yellow and sometimes maroon flowers are so uplifting to the spirit! Calendula is an annual although sometimes will surprise you and self seed in zone 5 and up. Not only is Calendula a beautiful presence in the garden but also a wonderful skin care ally! Harvest the flowering tops as soon as they open and infuse them into oil to make salves & creams or simply apply as a healing oil to burns, scratches & scrapes. Drink as tea either dried or fresh to help to flush the lymphatic system of build up and enjoy it’s antiviral effects too! This plant is a mild bitter which will also stimulate digestion & elimination as well as liver support. A win, win, win! Add some Calendula on top of salads or spring rolls for an added pop of color as well as shortbread cookies or cupcakes!
3. Stinging Nettle
You may already have Urtica dioica growing on your property, but if you don’t you need to! Nettle likes to grow in full sun, but will tolerate part shade too. Like Lemon Balm, once you have Nettle growing on your property, you will have her forever! Yay! This powerhouse plant has just about everything for your needs! From flushing waste & toxicity from the body, nourishing the nervous system, offering minerals & nutrients for energy, bringing clarity & strength to the mind, supporting the health of your hair, skin, nails & joints- there is little this plant doesn’t offer us. Yes, she stings, but even that wakes of the immune system response bringing more strength & vitality AND if you suffer from arthritic conditions, can relieve the inflammation & discomfort with her sting! Cook & eat Nettle like spinach in soups, casseroles, spanikopita, stir fries. Add to pesto, make tea with the dried or fresh leaves or tincture.
4. German Chamomile
Matricaria recutita is another sun loving plant that will quickly take off on it’s own, and if you’re lucky will self seed into the following season in zone 5 and up. Chamomile, though typically known for being in Celestial Seasonings “Sleepy Time Tea”, is much more than a sleep aid. Although the flower tops are the most potent part of the plant, you can use & harvest the entire aerial parts (above ground plat). Use fresh or dry as tea for “the cranks” especially for “whiny” children but also adults! Take as a digestive aid both before and after meals. Give to mum & babies to ease colic. Steep as a tea for 10 minutes for a sweet & calming medicine, steep longer for a bitter tea more specific for supporting healthy liver, function, anti-inflammatory actions, antiviral actions as well as promote a glowing complexion. Chamomile is also a wonderful ally (paired with Lemon Balm!) for physical relaxation and calms spasms & cramping of all kinds. Again, this herb can be infused into oil, made into a tincture or added to foods as desired.
5. Skullcap
Scutellaria lateriflora is another perennial ally for zone 5 and up that is also in the mint family (fun fact: all mints have square stems). This plant displays beautiful tiny purple flowers when it’s ready to harvest and has a unique flavor that is quite difficult to describe, but I find to be pleasant. Skullcap likes to grow in part shade and will spread Skullcap is a deeply nourishing plant specifically for the central nervous system. Wonderful for calming both the physical and mental/emotional bodies for sleep, general stress & nervous system overwork. This plant works wonders for headaches (especially those associated with caffeine withdrawal) in tincture form. This plant combines well Lemon Balm, Chamomile & Nettle for a night cap or post work day tea.
All of these plants are completely safe for adults, children & elders of all conditions and are not contraindicated with prescriptive medicine. Lemon Balm has been contraindicated for hypothyroid medications, but is now consider safe by many experts including Dr. Mary Bove. My favorite way to fertilize all of my plant babies is Neptunes liquid fertilizer!
All of these plants are completely safe for adults, children & elders of all conditions and are not contraindicated with prescriptive medicine. Lemon Balm has been contraindicated for hypothyroid medications, but is now consider safe for all by many experts including myself & Dr. Mary Bove.
My favorite way to fertilize all of my plant babies is Neptunes liquid fertilizer!
HAPPY GARDENING!