Not all weeds are created equal. Many common backyard weeds offer significant benefits. Here are 17 weeds and how to use them.
Edible weeds are all around us, and they are often medicinal too. Here are 12 easy to forage for, wild-growing, strong, and nutritious weeds!
Mullein is one of the most recognizable, medicinal and useful plants. Foraging for mullein is easy and fun!
Eating edible weeds is an easy way to increase your garden's productivity. While everyone loves to bring in the harvest, weeding is most people's least favorite part of gardening. What if weeding could be harvesting?
Within the reach of your back steps, you can likely find medicinal herbs that stop bleeding, heal wounds, treat coughs and more.
Not all weeds are created equal. Many common backyard weeds offer significant benefits. Here are 17 weeds and how to use them.
This pine salve is made with infused pine oil that will moisturize and heal winter skin ailments and has aromatherapy benefits, too!
Common weeds that are good to eat include purslane, lambsquarter, dandelion, wild amaranth., and plantain. They are edible and delicious.
Herbal tinctures are easy to make and can provide so many natural benefits. Herbal tinctures are basically a concentrated herbal extract made with alcohol. Alcohol, such as vodka, is added to a fresh or dried herb to extract the active ingredients of the herb. Herbal tinctures have been used for centuries for their healing properties and there are so many you can make and use, all with their own properties.
Self-heal is a common herb, a highly nutritious edible plant, and a medicinal powerhouse that is also known as heal-all or woundwort.
Common mallow is a nutritional powerhouse that can be eaten in many different ways, plus it has a long history of medicinal use.
Edible weeds are a great way to increase the foods you grow- and consume- without any additional work on your part. Here's a list of 15 edible weeds to try!
Learn how to identify, forage, and harvest creeping charlie (also called ground ivy.) Plus, how to make a ground ivy tincture!
Do you know about the many wonderful benefits of yarrow? Yarrow is a fantastic medicinal plant that's easy to grow and use in your herbal remedy arsenal. You may even have some yarrow posing as
Botanical Name: Eupatorium perfoliatum. The genus name, Eupatorium, is derived from the ancient king Mithridates Eupator, who was the first to use a similar plant for medicinal purposes. Perfoliatum is a reference to the manner in which the stem appears to perforate the base of adjoining leaves. Other Common Names: Wood boneset, thoroughwort, sweating plant, thorough-stem, teasel, agueweed, thorough-wax, feverwort, wild Isaac, crosswort, vegetable antimony, Indian sage, tearal, wild sage. Habitat: Boneset is mainly found in the temperate regions of North America, ranging from Florida to Canada. It is found as far west as Texas and is a common weed
Herbal pain relief uses natural remedies like turmeric, ginger, and arnica to alleviate discomfort.
Make the most of common yard weeds by using white clover for food and medicine with these easy tips and recipes.
Fleabane, belonging to the genus Erigeron, encompasses a diverse group of flowering plants within the Asteraceae family. Erigeron species are commonly known
Nasturtiums are a herbaceous annual flowering plant best known for their peppery taste, stronger than watercress, and perfect for salads, but most have no idea about nasturtium medicinal uses. Nasturtiums are annual flowers grown both
This pine salve is made with infused pine oil that will moisturize and heal winter skin ailments and has aromatherapy benefits, too!
Botanical Name of Ashwagandha: Withania somnifera. The ashwagandha root is often referred to as the 'Indian ginseng' because it is used in a similar way in Ayurvedic (Indian) medicine as Panax ginseng is used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The herb has been used for more than 2500 years to restore overall health and increase longevity. The Indian or Hindu common name ashwagandha (Sanskrit), translates roughly to 'the smell and strength of a horse,' referring to the plant's alleged ability to enhance sexual vigor. Ashwagandha Seedpods (Withania somnifera) - Attribution: Vinayaraj V. R What is Ashwagandha Used For? Some of
Chickweed may be a common backyard weed, but it's a little herbal powerhouse! Learn all about chickweed in this helpful article.
Willow bark has been used for centuries as a natural pain reliever. It contains salicin, which was later synthesized and is the active ingredient in aspirin. It's reputed to relieve pain without the stomach upset
We wanted to learn more about mugwort benefits & uses of this humble weed, so we dug into the research on proven medicinal uses of mugwort.
Simple, affordable, and effective. Reefertilizer® helps make growing good weed easier than ever!
Botanical Name: Epimedium grandiflorum, Epimedium sagittatum. Other Common Names BarrenwortBishop's hatFairy wingsXian ling piChien-hsiehYin-yang-huaArrow-leaf barrenwort Habitat It is native to China and grows best in high altitudes. Plant Description Horny goat weed is a rhizomatous perennial herb. The plant has light yellow, violet, red, and white flowers, and oval fruits. Plant Parts Used Flowering parts and seeds. Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium grandiflorum) Therapeutic Benefits and Uses of Horny Goat Weed Horny goat weed has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years to promote male potency and as an herbal aphrodisiac. The legend says that it got its
Bugleweed (Ajuga sp.) is a family of wild edible weeds that grow all over the world, and they make a tasty addition to salads. Though often considered a weed, it's quite beautiful, and grows in
A fungus is an ever-present microbe in and on the human body and most of the time there is no harm in its presence. However, there are times when conditions in the skin or gut change and allow prolific growth of certain fungal species, which can cause irritation and discomfort. Those changes can be hormonal as in the case of pregnancy, or a result of conventional medications such as antibiotics and oral contraceptives. A change in the skin’s pH level as a result of some cosmetics, or an increase in the skin’s moisture, perhaps as a result of sweating, can
Botanical Name: Anethum graveolens. Other Common Names Anethumdillaaniseshubiteneldo (Spanish)shih lo (Chinese)dild (Danish)aneth (French). Habitat Dill is probably endemic to the southwestern parts of Asia, where the plant has been known since ancient times. Plant Description Dill is a plant belonging to the celery family (Apiaceae) that can grow up to 40–60 cm in height. It has slender stems and alternate and finely divided, softly delicate leaves around 10–20 cm long. Leaf divisions are 1–2 mm broad, slightly broader than the similar leaves of fennel, which are a thread like, but harder in texture. The flowers are white to yellow. The
Angelica is a biennial herb that has been used medicinally, as a vegetable and to flavor liqueurs.
There are a lot of common names for the native weed Galium aparine (Rubiaceae). They include cleavers, stickywilly, and catchweed bedstraw. Although I find some humor in the name “stickywil…
Want to learn how to use sweet woodruff as natural medicine? Discover the 9 health uses of sweet woodruff and its amazing health benefits.
Plantain is a low lying herbaceous perennial plant in the Plantaginaceae family with oval spatulate shaped leaves that have linear veins, and grow in a rosette arrangement. It has small, greenish-b…
Wildcrafting medicinal herbs is a very rewarding practice for herbalists. Learn how to identify plants and make your herbal remedies with foraged herbs!
Elderflower tincture is a gentle herbal remedy for colds, flu, and other minor illnesses. It's easy to make at home with just a few simple ingredients! Elderflowers are a beautiful part of the natural landscape,
Spruce tips have a bright, citrus flavor that works well in both savory and sweet dishes. Almost all conifer tips are edible, and the only exception is yew trees. Pine and fir tips have their
Pineapple weed (Matricaria discoidea) is often one of the first plants a budding forager tries as a kid. It can grow just about anywhere but has a gift for growing in the most uninviting locations. That
Health benefits, properties, active Substances, uses and side effects of medicinal herbs for bronchitis treatment and relief
Botanical Name: Cuminum cyminum. Cumin should not be confused with black cumin (Nigella sativa), a similar and closely related species from Pakistan and India with slightly larger and bent seeds. Other Common Names: Cummin, Roman caraway, Egyptian caraway, comino (Spanish), spisskummen (Norwegian), roomankumina (Finnish), Kreuzkümme (German), cumin de prés (French), zi ran qin (Chinese), spiskummin (Swedish), spidskommen (Danish). Habitat: The original habitat of cumin is not known, but it has been theorized that it could have its origins in the Nile valley and from there it spread to other countries in North Africa, Southwest Asia, East Mediterranean and all the
Miner's lettuce is mild, fresh, crunchy, and succulent. It's one of my favorite spring greens, and it's as nutritious as it is delicious.
Botanical Name: Rhamnus purshiana. The common name “cascara sagrada” means “sacred bark” in Spanish. Other Common Names: Purshiana bark, Persian bark, chitticum, chittum bark rhamnus purshiana, cascara, California buckthorn, sacred bark. Habitat: Native to the Pacific Northwest from Canada to California and it is commonly cultivated in Kenya and parts of North America. Cascara sagrada grows mainly in moist, acidic soil. It is most commonly found on the edges of deciduous forests or on the shady side of clearings. Plant Description: This tree grows to approximately 20 feet tall. It is characterized by reddish-brown bark and thin leaves that range
Never heard of borage plant? You're not alone. Here are some terrific reasons to consider welcoming this easy-to-grow plant with lovely edible star-shaped flowers into your garden! Read on to learn about excellent borage uses
It is one of the most popular herbal plants and has been used as a raw plant material for drugs that have become more widely available commercially. In particular, it is used for treating human herpes
Botanical Name: Thuja occidentalis. Other Common Names: Arbor vitae, American arbor-vitae, eastern arborvitae, white cedar, false white cedar, northern white-cedar, yellow cedar, tuja (Swedish), tuya (Spanish), thuya d'occident (French), Lebensbaum (German). The common name arbor vitae is from Latin meaning 'tree of life' and refers to alleged medicinal properties of the plant. Habitat: Thuja occidentalis is native to North America and eastern Canada. Today the tree has become very popular as an ornamental plant. It grows best in moist soil. Plant Description: Thuja is an evergreen conifer belonging to the Cupressaceae or cypress family. The tree can grow up to
The Weedy Connection have posted a great image listing the most common edible weeds in Australia. (See the full size image.)
