After a decade of teaching Gardening for Medicine and running a small scale specialty nursery, I have pooled some of my learning into 32 pages of plant bios, my favs of course, focused on cultivation and harvest. There are charts in the back exploring who I've found likes to grow together. And then sprinkled throughout are general gardening tidbits. I am asking $8 for these, $10 with shipping.
Marshmallow Basics
Marshmallow - Althaea officinalis
Marshmallow is a perennial with fleshy, upright stems that reach a height of 3-4 feet. The short-stemmed leaves are round, with irregularly toothed margins and three to five lobes. A soft and velvety down covers the leaves and stem. The flowers have five reddish-white petals. The pale yellow roots are tapered, long, and thick, with a tough yet flexible exterior. The whole plant, especially the root, is filled with mild mucilage.
Seed-Starting: The seeds are best planted in March and should emerge in two weeks. A little scarification, I generally rub the seeds between two pieces of sandpaper, is helpful too.
Site: As the name Marsh-Mallow suggests the plant likes to grow in wet soils. Maybe plant it where it gets morning sun but not the hot afternoon sun. I also give the plant supplemental watering during the summer drought, say a deep watering once a week. Our clay soils help keep it moist too.
Harvest: The leaves can be handpicked as needed. Harvest the roots in early spring or late fall while the plant is mostly underground. The roots can be quite large so use a long spade to dig the plant. After extracting the whole thing and washing thoroughly the plant can be divided so that half of the plant is used for medicine and the other returned to grow. It is a very productive plant! In fact a 2-year plant should make ½ gallon of medicine with plenty to replant. Just be sure what you replant contains a bud on the crown and some feeder roots.
Medicine: Both the root and leaves contain a gummy substance called mucilage. When mixed with water, it forms a gel that is used to coat the throat or stomach to reduce irritation. Try it anytime that any part of the digestive tract feels hot, inflamed, or even ulcerated. The root is also very soothing to the urinary tract during a urinary tract infection. In fact, it is a must if you are going to be giving a urinary astringent. Can also be used to soothe a dry percussive cough. For teas they are best served as a cold infusion.
Getting to Know Echinacea
Echinacea - Echinacea purpurea
Echinacea has daisy-like flowers with large pink to purple petal-like ray flowers surrounding a high brownish-orange cone that resembles the scales of a hedgehog (echinos is Greek for hedgehog). The flower heads can reach 4 to 5 inches in diameter. Stems are about 2 to 3 ft high, rough and bristly throughout. The leaves are also bristly and dark green. The roots are tapering, cylindrical, slightly spiral, and fibrous with as aromatic smell.
Seed-starting: The seeds are light-dependent so they need to be pushed into the soil but not buried. Germination can take 2 to 3 weeks. After they emerge, they sort of just sit there for a few weeks, before vigorous growth ensues.
Site: Echinacea is a relatively easy-to-grow perennial. The plant likes poor to moderately rich, free draining soil. If you are planting in clay soil, mix in plenty of sharp sand and compost to help lighten it up. They’d also like a full day of sun. Once established these are drought tolerant plants.
Harvest: Harvest flowers, seed heads, or roots. The roots tend to be the most potent form and more stable as tincture. The bad news is they are always underwhelming. Plus it’s said to wait until your plants are 3 years old to harvest the roots. Roots are harvested in the fall when the tops have gone to seed. I prefer to harvest aerial parts in seed. Basically once the purple ray flowers start to fall off and the “hedgehog” looking seed head starts to brown.
Medicine: Echinacea is known primarily as an immune stimulant to be taken at the earliest stages of colds. For this take the herb in smaller, but frequent doses, say one squirt of tincture every hour or two at the first signs of sore throat, loss of energy, body ache, or however colds manifest for you. There is a lot of debate right now about Echinacea being effective. One review I read of 14 clinical trials found that Echinacea reduced the odds of getting a cold by 60% and reduced the duration of the cold by 4 days. Mostly the plant helps the body produce white blood cells to help the body get rid of invaders.
California Poppy Basics
California Poppy - Eschscholzia californica
An annual plant with bright orange, occasionally yellow, flowers with four petals. The flowers are held above lacey, lime green foliage. The whole plant has this very succulent look and feel to it. If you pull up the plant, you’ll find an orange iridescent, carrot-like taproot. The plant starts to flower in May and will often do so again in the fall.
Seed-Starting: Scatter a few seeds here, a few there, in places you are not sure what to plant. In our area I ideally plant seeds in January. Though one year I did some in May and they did fine, just didn’t flower till fall. The small seeds will usually settle in on their own, but if you go the extra step simply press the seeds into the surface of the soil, do not bury them, the seeds need light to grow. They don’t like transplanting so just direct seed.
Site: Hot, dry soils are ideal but this is a pretty adaptable plant. Just scatter here and there and let them be your weeds! A good lawn flower!
Harvest: I prefer to harvest the whole plant, root and all, right as the seed pods are starting to swell. But if you have only a few plants, the tops in flower will work too.
Medicine: California Poppy helps relieve pain and encourages sleep. So perhaps you have some major teeth pain but you can’t get to the dentist till the next day. You tweaked your back and you can’t get to sleep. I’d try some California Poppy. Many folks have found it to be helpful during fits of anxiety. It can help quell that nervous energy and hopefully allow the person to see that things are not quite so bad. I have found it a blessing mixed with other herbs for bouts of insomnia. And while much of what is said above might have you thinking it’s potent stuff, the plant is safe enough to be taken by children, and for many of the same uses. Just note it is quite bitter!
About Skullcap
Skullcap - Scutellaria lateriflora
Skullcap has that basic mint look– opposite leaves on a square stem, but it’s one of the family members without much of a scent. The small pink-purple flowers arise from the juncture of where the stem of the leaf connects with the main stem (the axil). And if you look closely at the tiny flowers you will see how the plant gets its name, the flower really does look like a skull wearing a cap!
Seed-Starting: Skullcap is easy to grow from seed, just be sure that the seed doesn’t dry out. They can be erratic to sprout and will do much better with cold stratification. So plant them in February when the weather can lend a hand. Or start your flats as you normally would but then let them sit in the fridge for a few weeks before moving outside.
Site: Skullcap likes to grow on the banks of streams or appear in the margins of receding lakes. In other words, they like wet places with fertile soil. So for most of the year they do fine, but when we reach the dry season, they’d do best with twice a week deep watering – so that ¼ inch below the surface of the soil feels wet. It can also help to plant them in a place where they don’t get the hot desiccating afternoon sun to maintain moisture. Just be sure that they are getting at least six hours of direct light. This year I am experimenting with growing them in rain gardens!
Harvest: It is the aerial parts of skullcap that we are after. Simply cut the stem of the plant directly above a pair of opposite leaves, as close to the leaves as possible without cutting into the juncture. And remember angled cuts are better at allowing moisture and pathogens to run off the plant instead of into the plant. Also be sure to leave at least four pairs of stem leaves so that the plant can continue to photosynthesis and store up reserves for next season
Medicine: “A sure treatment for almost any nervous system disorder, from insomnia to fear to nervous headaches” says Michael Moore. I would also add for over sensitivity – a bug bites that keeps one up at night, if things seem too bright, or too intense. Skullcap is the nerve tonic in my book. While it generally works for all those instances when one needs to bring it down a notch, it is also awesome at bringing the body back to homeostasis when it has been running on high alert for too long. Picture capitalist America. And if you need a good night’s sleep try out some dried skullcap in tea. In this form it tends to be much more sedative.
Tulsi Basics
Tulsi, Kapoor - Ocimum tenuiflorum
Tulsi is another member of the mint family. The one we are speaking of today is the variety known as Kapoor. This species is a true annual that is grown very much like basil. And much like Basil you must continually cut away the flowers to encourage the plant to produce more leaves.
Seed-Starting: I like to start see in the greenhouse in Early April so they are sized up by mid-May ;when it is safe to put them outside. Well, that is if the night temperatures are staying above 50 degrees. Though you could totally start them outside in May, as they are quick growers. The seeds are usually up in a week when started in a warm environment.
Site: Likes growing in rich soil with ample moisture and a full day of sun. It will require extra watering when we move into our summer drought. Planting with a 10 to 12 inch spacing allows the plants to grow together to make a “hedge” to keep out weeds and keep in pollinators!
Harvest: Whenever you notice the plant flowering harvest the top 1/3 of the plant. You can, and probably should do this once or even twice a week! This is probably the hardest part of growing the plant.
Medicine: Tulsi has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine. Once the herb was recognized by Europeans it was known as Sacred or Holy Basil. Tulsi is mainly known as an Adaptogen, helping the body adapt to stress. Probably heard of stress before, right? Adaptogens do this not by helping the body function and respond better during stressful times. It slows the torrent of hormones the body releases when we sense stress. During the busy farm season, a cup of Tulsi does wonders. And being an aromatic mint, it stimulates the digestive system, helping when you have stuck gas, bloating or nausea.
Basics of Meadowsweet
Meadowsweet - Filipendula ulmaria
Meadowsweet has small, creamy white flowers on long stalks from 3 to 5 feet in height. The flowers often start blooming at the end of June and may send up new flowers through the end of August. The leaves are green on top and whitish on the underneath side. Overall the leaves have a divided fern-like appearance. The whole plant is quite fragrant, with the leaves and flowers each having their own aromatic signature.
Seed-Starting: Seeds can take up to a month to germinate. Then after it does so it seems to just sit there for a month as a tiny plant. Be patient and be sure to keep the seed bed wet. The plant does not germinate in dry soils and since the seed germinates on top of the soil (light dependent) it requires extra vigilance, especially with later seedings. It is much easier for root divisions. I can easily divide a mature plant into twenty starts.
Site: prefers moist soils and partial shade. I would suggest planting it where it gets morning light, but not the desiccating hot afternoon sun. Then during our dry season be sure to water it regularly. This year I am trying some in a rain garden.
Harvest: Harvest the flowering stem in full bloom. The plant will occasionally produce another round of flowers a bit further down so i usually just harvest the top third of a flowering stalk. There are usually multiple flowering stems on each plant so I leave a few flowering stems per plant. I also like taking a few of the basal leaves too, to round out a jar of tincture. I don’t find much taste in the stems so I don’t put them in the medicine
Medicine: In my mind this is THE stomach tonic. The herb soothes and protects the mucous membranes of the digestive tract. It can reduce excess acidity and nausea. Try it for gastritis, where the stomach feels hot and inflamed. It is the only herb I have had success easing heartburn. Also Meadowsweet has a high content of salicylates, the key ingredient in Aspirin which makes it effective as an anti-inflammatory, pain reliever, and fever reducer as well. And Meadowsweet doesn’t tend to cause stomach problems in folks who are aspirin sensitive, not with true aspirin allergies. Yet another example of a plant with a complex chemistry able to do many things and balance itself out.
Getting to Know Mullein
Mullein - Verbascum Thapsus
Densely fuzzy leaves that lay close to the ground, like dandelion, get me thinking mullein. The whole plant is grayish in color though, and with much larger leaves. Also note that the leaves are just as fuzzy on the tops as the bottom, this will help ID it from some toxic look alikes, like Foxglove. Oh by the way do get to know Digitalis, I have seen these show up in gardens uninvited. The first year it will just grow those basal leaves. The second year Mullein produces a tall (up to 6 feet) flowering stalk with numerous yellow flowers coming directly off a single stem. After flowering and producing seed, the plant will die.
Seed-Starting: Sprinkle some seeds on exposed ground and wait.
Site: It might seem funny to even bother growing such a widespread plant. But mullein often grows along roadsides and other waste places where it might be hard to ascertain whether the area is toxic. Besides, the plant takes well from seeds. Just remember it is a weed. So it often tends to not grow as well in amended soil, say the kind we might grow our vegetables in. The plant also likes dry situations, so a good candidate for the hot, dry corner of the garden where everything else burns.
Harvest: I like to gather the large basal leaf in the fall of the 1st year or late spring of the second, before the flowers emerge. The leaves can be cut away from the stem, as close to the stem as possible without cutting into the stem. The fuzzy nature of the leaves seems to harbor dirt so it is often a plant worth a rinse. Also note that the plant harbors a lot of water and must be dried thoroughly to prevent it from rotting. The flowers can also be used. They are plucked individually from the plant.
Medicine: The classic lung tonic. Taken long term it can help the newly ceased smoker, or the lung infection that won’t resolve itself. The thing with tonics is they must be taken long term to do that important work, but the effect will be long term too. Mullein can be used for acute situations of the lungs. It is most helpful for its soothing and antispasmodic effects. So ideally it would be used for percussive coughing that leaves the lungs feeling hot and inflamed, with no mucous to show. I like to use it in ALL lung formulas.
Tips for Growing and Cultivating Spilanthes
Spilanthes - Acmella oleracea
Spilanthes is a sprawling annual with yellow flowers that look like eyeballs! Pretty easy to grow if you can keep the slugs off them while they’re getting established. (One trick is to grow them in hanging baskets! Then instead of sprawling they spill over the edges and look quite nice). The whole plant makes the mouth feel numb and increases salivation. This leads to another common name for the plant, toothache plant.
Seed-Starting: I like to start them indoors in early April, and they generally germinate in a week or two. Pretty easy to germinate if you can keep them moist.
Site: This plant is tropical in origin so doesn’t seem want to be out of doors until about mid-May, or whenever night temperatures are above 50 degrees. They are strong growers, but again watch out for the slugs. I have seen signs of them crawling over flats of other plants for a taste. Once up and going I don’t worry about them as much.
Harvest: The flowers are said to be the strongest but the leaves get the mouth all tingly too, so I generally work with the whole plant. Simply cut away stems with flowers that are still yellow with a brownish pupil. Once they start to turn to seed, or elongate into brownish cones, these can be set aside for saving seeds for next year. You should be able to get a few harvests a year.
Medicine: As far as medicine it is useful to numb the mouth. So could be used if you had an abscessed tooth and a few days before you could visit the dentist. It is also useful for general gun health, being an oral antiseptic and reducing inflammation. This year we are making a mouthwash featuring this plant alongside Thyme, Mint and Calendula. It can also be used in the urinary tract for similar pursuits, reducing inflammation and limiting bacteria.
Getting to know Valerian
Valerian - Valeriana officinalis
Valerian is a perennial herb growing up to about five feet in height. The leaves have wavy margins and are carried in pairs along the stem. The fragrant flowers are pale pink and born in large flattened heads in June of its second year. The seeds contain small fluff at the top which often mats when in seed. And a nose placed to the ground will often be enough to gather the perfumed body odor smell.
Seed-Starting: Valerian can be grown from seed, just be sure to plant the seed right on the top of the soil – they need light to germinate. Seeds are best planted in early spring or late summer and should emerge in two weeks. The seed is short lived so it should all be planted within one year.
Site: Plants themselves should be planted about two feet apart, in an area that gets at least six hours of direct light. I would amend the soil around the plant by adding compost when planting. The plants also will appreciate supplemental watering during our dry summer months.
Harvest: : Dig the roots of the plant in the spring or fall. Most sources say to harvest the plant in the second year. It is possible to divide the plant by root cuttings too, so that you can use most of the root for medicine and put a start back in the earth. It is easy to lift as the roots are like spaghetti going every which way. The biggest challenge here is cleaning the roots! They break off so easy and the volatile oils are right on the surface of the plant! I tincture dirt with my root knowing that I can strain the medicine through cloth afterwards.
Medicine: Is a great sleep herb for many people. It helps quell a spinning mind that won’t listen to the body and turn off. It can help soothe the nerves during anxious states. In addition, the herb is an effective remedy for sleeplessness or insomnia induced by fretfulness or excessive stimulation. Valerian also loosens up excessively spasmodic muscles and is beneficial for shoulder and neck stress, asthma, muscle contractions, colic and PMS.
Growing Ashwagandha in the Northwest
Ashwagandha - Withania somnifera
If this Indian perennial was growing in its homeland it would grow into a small shrub about three feet in height. But here in the NW we can only grow it for one season. The plant has wooly grayish leaves and small green flowers reminiscent of its kin in the Solanaceae family. The small reddish-orange fruits are surrounded by a papery bract like a tomatillo. Most years in our area the season is long enough for the plant to bear fruits, but not always.
Seed-starting: If you start your tomatoes from seed you may as well grow some Ashwaganda. Start seeds in the late March indoors or in a heated greenhouse. You will need artificial lighting if you want to start your plants indoors. Also as houses have much less humidity be sure to keep an eye on the moisture in the pots, you don’t want them to dry out completely. When the plants grow to about two inches tall, I usually move them from their starter trays and into 4 inch starter pots. When you move them outdoors do so gradually, a couple hours of morning light the first day, a few more the next, while still bringing them inside at night. When you do start to leave them outside put them in a cold frame or something similar for the plants till them acclimatize. Generally in our area sensitive plants can be kept outside by the middle of May. Just be sure the night temperature doesn’t go below 50 degrees.
Site: The hottest, driest piece of earth you have! Plant them about one foot apart. A good one for that dry spot in the corner where not much else will grow. Just make sure to loosen heavy clay soils first!
Harvest: The roots in early November here in the NW. They can take a light frost but do keep an eye on them, an extended early cold period could destroy your roots. Easy to dig, I find I can get under them quite easily with a digging fork.
Medicine: Ashwaganda is a classic adaptogen. But while most adaptogens, like ginseng, are warming and stimulating, Ashwaganda is a more relaxing adaptogen. So Ashwaganda has been used for nervous exhaustion, anxiety, fatigue, and stress induced insomnia. Basically whenever a stressing agent is creating excess in the body, it helps the body adapt. It is also used for taxed adrenals and endocrine function.