Tension

Is a plant native to North America and is a member of the mint family. It is widely used in western herbal medicine and is similar to European or greater skullcap (S. galericulata), but should not be confused with Chinese or Asian skullcap (S. baicalensis), which has very different action and uses. The aerial parts [...]

Continue Reading Herb American Scullcap (Scutellaria latiflora)

Ginkgo biloba, also known as the maidenhair tree, is the most ancient and one of the longest surviving plants on earth. Individual trees can last up to 1,000 years and its medicinal use is recorded 5,000 years ago in traditional Chinese medicine. It is the leaf of the tree is used in herbal medicine. Medicinal [...]

Continue Reading Herb Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)

Also known as lime blossom or linden flowers it is relative to the floral parts of the various species of the Tilia family. The most used are Tilia platyphylos (broad-leaved lime) and Tilia cordata (small-leaved lime). The trees are native to northern temperate climates such as Britain, Europe, Asia and North America. It should not [...]

Continue Reading Herb Lime Flowers (Tila Flos)

Peppermint is a natural hybrid of garden spearmint (Mentha spicata) and water mint (Mentha aquatica) and was first cultivated in England in the middle ages. It now grows everywhere in Europe and is also cultivated in the USA. The two most popular varieties are white peppermint (green stems, light green leaves) and black peppermint (deep [...]

Continue Reading Herb Peppermint (Mentha piperita)

This is a blue gum and is a very large evergreen tree that originates from Australia and Tasmania, but is now grown world-wide and mainly used for its essential oil. The leaves contain the oil and this is used in herbal medicine as well as being the main food that koala bears eat. There are [...]

Continue Reading Herb Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globus)

Including sweet or knotted marjoram is a small shrubby plant native to the Mediterranean region, Egypt and North Africa. It is now cultivated throughout the world and is a popular herb garden plant. The aerial parts of the plant are used for cooking and occasionally in herbal medicine. It should not be confused with Spanish [...]

Continue Reading Herb Marjoram (Origanum majorana)

Neroli or orange blossom is the flowers of the plant, bitter orange (Citrus aurantium). Neroli is the name of the essential oil that is mainly used for aromatherapy, rather than in herbal medicine. It was named after the princess of Nerola in Italy, who loved to wear it as a perfume. The flowers were used [...]

Continue Reading Herb Neroli (Citrus aurantium flos)

Feverfew is an attractive member of the chrysanthemum family and was native to parts of southern Europe. Today it is spread all over Europe, the UK and North America. It has masses of white and yellow flowers which resemble daisies, however it is the leaves that are used in herbal medicine. Medicinal Properties of Feverfew [...]

Continue Reading Herb Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)

Is native to the Molucca Islands and New Guinea, but is now also found in Sri Lanka and the West Indies. The large oval seed kernel is used as a culinary spice and in herbal medicine. The husk (known as mace) is also used as a spice. Medicinal Properties of Nutmeg It contains around 10% [...]

Continue Reading Herb Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans)

There are several varieties of vervain, but European vervain is the most commonly used in herbal medicine. It is a native plant to Europe, and other species include blue vervain (V. hastate) and V. macdougalii, they are all similar in action. The medicinal parts of the plant are the flowers and leaves. It is a [...]

Continue Reading Herb Vervain (Verbena officinalis)