Common Name: Shatavari in Ayurveda Tien Men Dong in TCM Botanical Name: Asparagus racemosa – Shatavari Asparagus cochinchinensis – Tien Men Dong Energy & Taste: Cool, moist Traditional Uses: Increases breast milk Reproductive tonic, it is best known for women but works well with men also Supports endocrine system which helps to balance hormones Moisturizes… Continue >>>
Category Archives: Plant Profiles
Plant Profile: Hawthorn Berry
Botanical Name: Crataegus spp. There are many Crataegus species. While there are personal favorites among many in the herb community, there are no definitive therapeutic differences among the various species. Family: Rosaceae Common Names: Hawthorn(e). The small tree flowers in May so some form of this month’s name is often used such as Mayflower or… Continue >>>
Plant Profile: Red Root
Botanical Name: Ceanothus fendleri and Ceanothus. spp. Many species are used and most herbalists use their local species. Ceanothus fendleri is common in the ponderosa forest around Flagstaff and in northern Arizona. This species has a low bush, ground cover growth habit. It grows about 2′ in height and 2′-5′ in diameter. Family: Rhamnaceae Common… Continue >>>
Plant Profile: Pulsatilla
Botanical Name: The botany can be confusing. It is sometimes referred to as Anemone and other times labelled Pulsatilla. In the herb community, I learned it as Pulsatilla. I consider the two names interchangeable. Many species are used therapeutically including Anemone patens, A. tuberosa and A. occidentalis. With some extra TLC, I have been able… Continue >>>
Plant Profile: Globe Mallow
Botanical Background: The Malvaceae family has many plants familiar and useful to herbalists. Marshmallow is Althea officinalis but this is not found in the dry Southwest and is a challenge here even as a cultivated herb. More common in the Southwest is one of the Sphaeralcea species with blooms of various shades of orange. Hibiscus… Continue >>>
Plant Profile: Yerba Santa
Botanical Name: Eriodictyon angustifolium is the narrow leafed species found around Sedona, the Verde Valley and the Superstition Mountains. This is the one I have used the most. E. californicum is a much broader leafed species from northern California. It is more common in the wholesale herb trade. I consider these two species to be… Continue >>>
Plant Profile: Catnip
Botanical Name: Nepeta cataria Family: Laminaceae Common Names: Catnip Primary Characteristics for Field ID: The classic square stem and opposite leaves of the mint family. Part Used for Medicine: The leaves are the primary parts used although flowers and fresh tips can also be included. The stems are large enough that they should be… Continue >>>
Plant Profile: Wild Greens
Why We Should Eat Wild Greens As a group, wild greens are higher in nutrition than domestic produce grown on farms. This is true even for organically grown produce. The generations-long process of domesticating a plant involved selecting for a specific size, color, flavor or ripening date. This happened at the expense of reduced fiber… Continue >>>
Plant Profile: Silk Tassel
Botanical Name: Garrya spp. Family: Garryaceae Common Names: Silk Tassel is the name mostly used in my experience using it in New Mexico and Arizona. Michael Moore lists other common names as Quinine Bush, Bear Brush, Guachichi, Cuauchichic Primary Characteristics for Field ID: They have beautiful and showy white trailing flowers in spring, prompting the… Continue >>>
Plant Profile: American Ginseng
Botanical Name: Panax quinquefolium Family: Araliaceae Common Names: American Ginseng Primary Characteristics for Field ID: Native to the Appalachians, Panax is not found in the wild in the West. Part Used for Medicine: Root Habitat in Which it is Found/ Harvesting Season/ Special Considerations: It is never wildcrafted in the Western US. Buy the best… Continue >>>
Latest Courses
Colorado Herbal Medicine Field Study
This is the itinerary for the optional field study trip offered to students enrolled in the Foundations of Herbal Medicine program for 2019. More details will be shared at the first class meeting in February. Students are responsible for food, lodging (camping or hotel) and transportation. The dates for the 2019 program are July 22-25.… Continue >>>
10 Month “Foundations of Herbal Medicine” Course for 2019
Many people begin using herbs in small steps – something for sleep, a cold or maybe a headache. As one continues on the herbal path of independent study, information is pulled from many sources. After a few years, this person begins to identify as an herbalist and continues to increase both the learning and use… Continue >>>
Educational Resources
Resources for Therapeutic Mushrooms
There are many mushrooms used therapeutically in the herb community with Reishi (Ganoderma spp.) being the the best known. One of the challenges to effectively using these gifts from the fungal world is knowing how to process them. While plants have cellulose, mushrooms have chitin. This substance is extremely hard and makes extraction difficult. The… Continue >>>
Diet Strategies for Reducing Chronic & Systemic Inflammation
Included below are the notes used during the Diet, Nutrition and Inflammation portions of our curriculum. It is a succinct look at how the foods we eat affect our internal inflammatory state. While the actual classes go into more detail, the foods listed here are good places to begin improving one’s health in this area.… Continue >>>
Plant Profile: Usnea
Botany: Usnea spp. (Parmeliaceae) Usnea is a lichen, not a plant. Looking closely at its structure, one sees the internal core to be a white thread which is a fungus while the bluish-green outer surface is algae. The algae of its outer skin enables it to utilize sunlight and carbon dioxide for food production. The… Continue >>>
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