Plant History & Legend
Plants have a rich history of fact, folklore, symbolism, and mythology that often dates back thousands of years. Plants which have the most lore connected with them are those which were most useful to man as food, medicine, or commercial products.
As modern folk we are conditioned to react with amusement or fear toward these stories, but discarding old beliefs, we will also run the risk of losing more than we gain.
Both fact & legend in plant history, provides a glimpse into the past, letting us see even the most familiar plants around us in a new light.
Wishing the dandelion in your lawn or the parsley on your plate are never viewed the same again!
ALTHEA
The common names are marshmallow, mortification, sweet weed, or wymote. The entirety of the herb is medicinal, root, leaves, & flowers. In Egypt the root is decocted until it becomes a thick solution & honey is added making a syrup. Depending on the part of the plant you wish to use medicinally, they are harvested at sperate times during the season. Leaves should be harvested prior to flowering if using for raspatory purposes. It is a diuretic, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, among other diseases Knowing energy comes with the Spring, the root is best harvested during Autumn, after the upper parts have died back & the energy & medicine inside the plant is drawn back to the roots.
ANGELICA
Angelica has been used for more than a millennium & is a perennial. It is known for its medicinal properties that help with joints, preventing osteoarthritis, & acts as an anti-inflammatory while improving blood circulation. It is also used to relieve colic, bronchitis, asthma, & the common flu. Whenever the plague swept over Europe in the Middle Ages, Angelica was a first line medical defense. An old legend tells how an angel had appeared to a monk in a dream, revealing to him this herb was a cure for pestilence. The only plant no respectable witch would ever include in her brews.
ANISEED
Aniseed is often confused with Star Anise however they are different yet have a similar flavor. In ancient Chinese medicine Anise corresponds directly with energies of the microcosm & macrocosm, stability & expansion, as well as a direct connection to divine information. Native to the Mediterranean area and to Egypt, aniseed was grown by the Egyptians over 4000 years ago and is already famous for its digestive properties., among much more!
BALM
The Balm plant comes from the same family as mint & is native to southern Europe & northern Africa. Its uses date back 2000 years & is long known as a healing herb! This plant is a natural anxiety reducer, relieves nausea, & has an overall relaxing effect on us. It also adds a sweet flavor to teas that include other non-sweet herbs.
CARAWAY
Caraway is a biennial or perennial plant. Its seeds carry many medicinal properties, acts as an antispasmodic, appetizer, carminative, emmenagogue, expectorant, stomachic, & galactagogue. Caraway has a beneficial effect on the appetite & digestive system. It also promotes the onset of menstruation, relieves uterine cramps, & promotes milk secretion. Caraway can be used for colic in infants, & as a nausea stomach settler. It is not only a common kitchen spice, its medicine!
CHAMOMILE
Chamomile is not only a beautiful plant, but it also has a variety of medicinal uses. It is most known for its properties & uses as an antispasmodic, stomach stimulant, & helps flatulent colic, dyspepsia & restlessness & fever in children. German Chamomile is know to aid with nervous conditions, insomnia, neuralgia, rheumatic problems, and rashes. It also can reduce inflammation & can be used as a compress for skin conditions. It can be added to baths to calm & heal skin conditions.
COLTSFOOT
Coltsfoot is a perennial plant, that grows in areas such as streambanks, pastures & on ridges or embankments, preferring loamy & limestone soils. The plant is known for its medicinal properties as an astringent, demulcent, emollient, & expectorant. Coltsfoot is a time-tried remedy for respiratory problems. Used for coughs, colds, hoarseness, bronchitis and bronchial asthma, pleurisy & throat catarrh. For chronic bronchitis, shortness of breath & dry cough smoking the leaves. The leaves are highly medicinal & has many uses topical & oral.
FENNEL
Fennel has been used as a condiment since the times of Romans and Anglo-Saxons. In the Middle Ages people ate fennel seeds to stave off hunger during Church fasts. This custom was still going strong in the time of the American Puritans who took fennel and dill seeds, to church in handkerchiefs o eat discreetly during long services. In sixteenth-century Europe, the expression "to give fennel" meant to flatter or give false compliments. Possibly this expression was derived from fennel's use during fasting.
GENTIAN
The gentians take their name from Gentius (second century B.C.), the kind of Illyria, who was said to have first discovered the medicinal value in these plants. Actually, an Egyptian papyrus found in a tomb at Thebes and dated about 1,000 years before Gentius, describes medicines containing plants of the gentian family.
HIBISCUS
Hibiscus has many uses & different varieties in its breeds. Hibiscus has been used in many regions around the world, each providing medicinal properties for an array of ailments. It can be used as an antispasmodic, nervine, & stomachic. In Egypt the seed are chewed to relieve stomach issues, to soothe the nerves, & to sweeten the breath. Egyptians also used this plant as a powerful aphrodisiac. Hibiscus is a powerful plant in so many ways.
HOPS
Hops has been used by Native American Tribes for centuries. It is known for its healing properties as a sedative to help sleep & a digestive aid. Hops has known anti-inflammatory, menopause, & anti-cancer properties. Latest studies have shown that is also holds anti-acne properties. What an amazing plant!
LANCE LEAF
According to legend, Lance Leaf Plantain originated from a maiden who spent so much time by the roadside watching for her absent lover that she eventually turned into this common roadside plant. IN the medieval Christin art, plantain symbolizes the well-trodden path of multitude that sought Jesus. It is known for its medicinal use to treat coughs, raspatory infections, infections, & skin irritations.
LAVENDER
The name lavender is derived from the Latin lavandus, "to be washed", probably because it was used in ancient times to perfume bath water. Lavender has long had a reputation as an anaphrodisiac.
LICORICE ROOT
Licorice Root is a medicinal plant also known for flavoring products on the market today. The root is the medicinal part of the plant & is known for its properties and uses as a demulcent, diuretic, expectorant, & laxative. It is often used in medicine for bronchial problems, coughs, hoarseness, mucous, congestion, etc. Licorice Root can also be taken for stomach issues, such as peptic ulcers, bladder, or kidney ailments. Made strong enough it works as a laxative for children & can reduce fever.
LUNGWORT
In the Middle Ages it was commonly believed that the outward appearance of a plant was a God-given sign of the medicinal value contained within. Under this concept, called the Doctrine of Signatures, lungwort received its name: its lung-shaped leaves were considered a sign of its ability to treat lung diseases. Based on folklore, this doctrine was formally stated by the sixteenth-century physician Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus Paracelsus von Hohenheim. Interestingly, American Indians also had the idea in their herb lore, even before they were exposed to white men.
MILFOIL
Milfoil's genus name Achillea is taken from Achilles, the Greek hero in the Trojan War. During this war, a plant related to milfoil was used to heal the wounds of Achilles' soldiers. The Ute Indians employed milfoil for similar purposes; the Ut name from milfoil means "wound medicine". In ancient China milfoil or yarrow was considered a sacred plant with spiritual qualities. This it was an appropriate medium for use in the ancient system of divination called the "I Ching "or "Oracle of Change". In the oldest, most complex & therefore most accurate method of consulting the "I Ching", fifty dried yarrow stalks are manipulated to provide answers to the questions given. Like ruins or tarot.
MULLEIN WHOLE FLOWER
Mullein is a medicinal plant that carries properties in the whole flower. You will find this plant growing along highways & hedges, reaching upwards of 6 feet. Its basal leaves are about a foot long & 4 inches broad. Mullein Whole Flower is best known for its anodyne, pectoral, coughs, spitting blood, & other chest ailments. It has been used for griping colic, as well as a topical for pain & swelling of hemorrhoids.
OAK BARK
The majestic oak, with its impressive size and longevity (some trees have lived well over a thousand years), has been revered by a remarkable number of different peoples. To the ancient Hebrews, it was sacred because under its Abraham gave hospitality to God and two of his angels, who were disguised as three travelers. See (there are nearly 60 oak references in the Bible). One of the most interesting aspects in the oak's history as a sacred tree is its widespread association with thunder gods in various European cultures.
PEPPERMINT
Peppermint is a medicinal plant that has been used for many ailments, as well as to add flavoring. It can alleviate bloating, menstrual cramping, indigestion, nausea, diarrhea, headaches, muscle pain, & cold symptoms. It is fragrant & helps brighten any beverage!
PRIMROSE
Primrose also known as Cowslip is known for its powerful medicinal properties, as the entire plant is useful. It is a perennial plant that grows in dry meadows, lightly wooded areas, & along forest edges. Primrose is known for its uses as a anodyne, diuretic expectorant, & a flower infusion is said to help migraine headaches, insomnia, nervous system, & general weakness. Primrose in a tea is recommended for articular rheumatism. The root is used as an expectorant, decoction for catarrh, mucous congestion, coughs, bronchitis, & other lung problems. It is said to be a blood cleanser, like dandelion root, it is powerful in relieving gout & various other conditions contributed to contaminated blood.
SHAVEGRASS
Shavegrass is a member of the Equisetaceae family; the sole survivor of a line of plants going back three hundred million years. It is a descendant of ancient plants that grew as tall as trees during the carboniferous period of prehistoric times and members of this family gave rise to many of our coal deposits. Shavegrass is a natural source of silica, which helps to fix calcium issues & results in stronger bones & tendons. It helps with cramping, edema, diabetes, among many other ailments.
ST. JOHNSWORT
St. Johnswort also known as Amber or Goat Weed is a perennial plant found in dry gravel soils & fields. Its medicinal properties include an Antispasmodic, astringent, expectorant, & nervine. The calming effects of St. Johnswort has been useful in treating insomnia, melancholy, & nervous system issues. Using it in teas proves to help insomnia, anemia, headache, jaundice, chest congestion, & catarrh. Also, tea helps with uterine cramping & menstruation.
SWEET FLAG ROOT
Sweet Flag Root also known as Calamus is a perennial plant that grows in marshes, swamps, & banks of rivers or streams. The many known medicinal properties help with carminative, diaphoretic, & acts as a sedative, & stomach digestive aid. Sweet Flag Root has been used to aid with chronic dyspepsia, gastritis, & hyperacidity. One of the best digestive herbal aids out there! When added to baths it can relieve insomnia & tense nerves. Also known for its aphrodisiac properties it makes for a versatile tea!
VALERIAN ROOT
Valerian Root is mainly known for its sedative properties. It is the plant that Valium is derived from. It has the ability to relax the central nervous system without damaging the frontal cortex, like so many pharmaceutical anti-anxiety medications do today. Valerian has been used for a millennium to aid with sleeping due to nervous system. It is made up of over 120 components, making it a complex plant, but has never resulted in negative side effects. Valerian Root helps if you suffer from hyperactivity, insomnia, upset stomach, cognitive slowness, menstrual cramps, heart murmurs, migraines and headaches, anxiety, stress, or depression.
WORMWOOD
Wormwood's name is obviously derived from its medicinal properties of expelling intestinal worms, for which it has been well-known since ancient times. An Egyptian papyrus dated 1,600years before Christ describes this bitter herb. Legend has it that wormwood first sprang up on the impressions marking the serpent's trail as he slithered his way out of Eden. According to old folk beliefs, wormwood was reputed to deprive a man of his courage, but a salve made from it was supposed to be effective in driving away goblins who came at night. Wormwood is a principal ingredient in the dangerous alcoholic drink absinth, which has been made illegal all over the world because it deteriorates the nervous system causing attacks similar to epileptic seizures. Probably used in warfare biological weapons.