I love learning about the medicinal plants growing right in my area of central Florida. Knowing that I love herbalism, one of my dear neighbors clued me in on a local class offering a Medicinal Plant Walk at Mead Botanical Gardens. I was absolutely thrilled and signed up right away!
I showed up looking pretty nerdy, with my camera and notebook, but I wasn’t the only one. Several other plant nerds came, each with different backgrounds and goals. One guy wanted to add medicinal plants to his prepper knowledge base (not a bad idea), a younger woman came because she was just dipping her toe into the world of herbs and wanted to know more, an older woman and her 14 year old daughter came because they both loved plants. The daughter was an avid gardener. I was pretty impressed to see such a young person with an interest in wild herbs and growing medicinal plants. Apparently young people don’t JUST play video games all the time?! I am joking, but honestly, it was a nice crowd of locals.
So, we all got acquainted and were off to the races! I’ll give you a few of the high points of the class, including some photos of the species we learned about.
Elderberry Tree – Sambucas Nigra
I was thrilled to see a wild elderberry tree. Our guide shared that these grow all along the interstates of our state, but that you wouldn’t want to harvest anything within a 100 yards or more from a busy road because of all the pollution from vehicles. Elderberry is one of the better known wild medicinal plants, being used traditionally in elderberry syrups, cough drops and jams during cold and flu season. I have heard that elderberry can potentially protect you from getting a cold in the first place. It makes a delightfully tasty syrup that even kids love! Rosemary Gladstar has great recipes for Elderberry Syrups in her timeless books, see here.
Ragweed – Ambrosia artemisiifolia
Pictured here is Ambrosia artemisiifolia, also called ragweed. Some people are highly allergic to it, but others use it medicinally with great benefit. A testament to how different we all truly are! Ragweed is astringent, a febrifuge (fever reducer), antiseptic, and emollient. The leaves can be crushed and used topically for insect bites and rashes.
Passionflower – Passiflora incarnata
This is a passionflower vine. Unfortunately, it was not in bloom at the time, because the flowers are incredibly exotic and lovely. Medicinally, passionflower is sedative, anti-anxiety, pain reducing, helpful for symptoms of menopause, and is even used for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Do not use passionflower if you are currently taking certain prescription drugs (like antihistamines, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, blood thinners, anti-inflammatories and narcotics) as there are known interactions. Taking this into consideration, there are many useful herbal preparations that promote good sleep that contain passionflower, like this herbal blend. The passionflower vine is host to the Gulf Fritillary Butterfly, an important pollinator.
Shepherd’s Needles/Beggarticks – Bidens Alba or Bidens Pilosa
This medicinal weed boasts the title of #1 pollinator plant in the state of Florida! It is impressive in so many ways, as you will soon find out. Most of us have pulled the barbed seeds off our shoes and socks at some point in our childhoods. It is known to be antibiotic, anticancer, antimalarial, immunomodulating, vulnerary (healing or treating wounds), antileukemic, anesthetic, anti-inflammatory, and has a history of use in treating snake bites (Source). For the most part, the leaves are used, although the whole plant is safe. This medicinal plant is also used in Lyme protocols, for blood clotting issues, jaundice, high blood pressure, enlarged prostate (according to Herbalist Michael Moore, from page 71 of his book Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West), high blood sugar, diabetes, fever, colon cancer, and for MRSA and staph infections. It is commonly used in lung formulations.
“Bidens is a natural antibiotic that will successfully treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. It outperforms penicillin, tetracycline, methicillin, and other antibiotics for both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. (Source)”.
Bidens is definitely is great option for the home apothecary, you can find a ready made tincture here.
Joybilee Farm
Gotu Kola – Centella Asiatica
Gotu Kola is both food and medicine in the east, but is most known in the west for its potent effects on cognition, memory, and focus. It is also nervine, a secondary adaptogen, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory (probably one of the main reasons it is so great for the brain), vulnerary (promotes healing of wounds), diueretic, antioxidant, alterative (an herb the gradually rebalances body function and increases overall health), and as an aid to meditation. I have always purchased this herb online, so it was so exciting to see it growing there next to a pond during the plant walk. Typical medicinal preparations include tea, tincture, green smoothies, infused oils, compress, poultice, garnish, broth, infused ghee, I personally throw a small amount of the powdered herb in my son’s smoothie every day before he goes to school. He doesn’t notice a difference in the taste.
I’m a health coach, and would love to meet you. You may schedule a free 15 minute Meet & Greet with me to discuss your top three health and wellness goals.
Join my Fullscript Dispensary for discounts on high quality medicinal herbs, vitamins, minerals, natural sunscreens, bug sprays and bath products and much more!
