ELDERberry embodies wisdom. From an Ayurvedic perspective, its role is to dry and cool.. so it also serves as a mild expectorant. But perhaps elderberry’s better known attribute is its antiviral properties. My understanding is that it disables an enzyme in the flu virus, so basically it stops viral replication. It’s contains certain compounds that…
This morning we did a steam distillation of coyaye harvested from our front yard. Also called snakeweed / escoba de la vibora / Gutierrezia. Surprisingly this distillation is yielding a decent amount of essential oil, so we’re thinking of using it to create an arthritis relief salve. This special and abundant plant has a wide…
Today we saw a plethora of dormilón / cutleaf coneflower / Rudbekia laciniata. It’s pretty common so you’re bound to come across it in the mountains. It’s traditionally used as a remedy for delayed menstruation, birthing contractions, and pelvic inflammatory issues. But also has high value for immune support during cold and flu season. If…
Admittedly, I used to have a strong preference for common names because 1) they’re rooted in place/geography, culture, and language; and 2) let’s face it – they’re way easier to pronounce and remember! But over the past several years as I’ve deepened my practice as a community herbalist, I’ve really grown to develop an appreciation…
Here’s a good example of when poison is also medicine! I came across a huge stand of Red Baneberry (unripened) yesterday, which is also called Red Cohosh (Actaea rubra). Everything above ground is very poisonous, but the roots are known for assisting with lower back problems, PMS, menopause… so in an energetic/spiritual sense, it moves…
Pedicularis, also called Betony, is considered a pretty top notch plant medicine. New Mexico has at least 7 Pedicularis species. Pictured is Pedicularis racemosa. After identifying a few Pedicularis species several years ago, I started digging in to the medicinal properties of this beauty. According to Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West (Michael Moore) it’s…
I was admiring Sacred Datura blossoms while I was comforting my dog against the blasts of fireworks last night. Datura is well known for being poisonous. But it’s actually a really good pain killer in some cases when used topically as a salve or oil. It’s also known for its traditional use as an entheogen…
To me, fireweed is a pretty recognizable mountain wildflower, but most people hiking through the mountains probably have no idea how good it is. According to the late great herbalist Michael Moore, both clinical and animal studies have shown Fireweed to be a superior herb for reducing inflammation (both internally and externally). The flower is…
Today I created a new Facebook Group: Edible & Medicinal Plants of New Mexico. I know there were already several NM plant groups on Facebook, but those groups are focused on either gardening or identification. Both of which are great, but there wasn’t a group specific to discussing edible/medicinal/spiritual values or characteristics of New Mexico’s…