Botanical Name: chamomilla, matricaria recutita, Chamomilla recutita. Other Common Names: Mayweed, scented mayweed, pinheads, pineapple weed, German-hundskamille. Habitat: This annual herb is originally from Europe but has become naturalized to most continents. It can be found growing along fences and paths in well-lit areas with well-drained, light soil. Plant Description: The stem of the chamomile […]
Medicinal Herb Profiles
Cayenne Pepper – Health Benefits and Side Effects
Botanical Name: Capsicum annuum Capisicum frutescens. Other Common Names: Capsicum, tabasco, hot pepper, chili, chili pepper, spur pepper. Habitat: The capsicum herb is a tender, variable annual. It has a branched stem and a leaf-shaped much like a lance. It grows a bell-shaped white or green flower, which appears during the spring and summer months. […]
Catnip – Health Benefits and Side Effects
Botanical Name: Nepeta cataria. The scientific family name “Nepeta” comes from Nepeti, a town in the center of Italy where the herb was once cultivated. The species name cataria comes from the Latin word Catari, meaning “cat”. This reflects the special attraction the plant has on cats. Other Common Names: Catmint, catnep, catswort, fieldbalm, Katzenminze […]
Cat’s Claw – Health Benefits and Side Effects
Botanical Name of Cat’s Claw: Uncaria tomentosa. Other Common Names: Cat’s Claw; Uña de Gato; Paraguayo; Garabato; Garbato Casha; Samento; Tambor Huasca; Uña Huasca; Uña de Gailan; Hawk; Healing Vine of Peru; Uña de Gato; Saventar; Peru Ìuña de Gato Rojaî; Loreto Îgarabato Coloradoî; Ucayali Îuña de Gato de Alturaî; Îgarabato Amarilloî; îbejuco de Aguaî; […]
Cascara Sagrada – Health Benefits and Side Effects
Botanical Name: Rhamnus purshiana. The common name “cascara sagrada” means “sacred bark” in Spanish. Other Common Names: Purshiana bark, Persian bark, chitticum, chittum bark rhamnus purshiana, cascara, California buckthorn, sacred bark. Habitat: Native to the Pacific Northwest from Canada to California and it is commonly cultivated in Kenya and parts of North America. Cascara sagrada […]
Carob – Health Benefits and Side Effects
Botanical Name: Ceratonia siliqua. Other Common Names: Locust bean, St. John’s bread. Habitat: The carob tree is native to the Mediterranean region and some parts of Western Asia and the Middle East. Plant Description: The carob is a dome-shaped evergreen tree that is a member of the pea family. It can reach over thirty feet […]
California Poppy – Health Benefits and Side Effects
Botanical Name: Eschscholzia californica. Other Common Names: California poppy, golden poppy, golden cup, Kalifornischer Mohn (German), pavot de Californie (French), amapolla de California (Spanish), guldvalmue (Danish). Habitat: The California poppy is native to California but is found along the entire western coast of the United States as far north as Washington state and as far […]
Calendula – Health Benefits and Side Effects
Botanical Name: Calendula officinalis. Other Common Names: Marigold (though it should be noted that not all garden plants called marigold belong to the calendula family), bull flower, bull’s eyes, butterwort, death-flower, garden marigold, gold bloom, golden flower of Mary, holligold, , marsh marigold, Mary bud, Mary gowles, poet’s marigold, pot marigold, water dragon. Habitat: Calendula […]
Butterbur – Health Benefits and Side Effects
Botanical Name: Petasites hybridus. Other Common Names: Common butterbur, sweet coltsfoot, blatterdock, bogshorns, butter-dock, butterly dock, capdockin, flapperdock, and langwort. Habitat: Butterbur is native to mainland Europe, as far north as Scandinavia. It also grows in Western Asia and has been successfully introduced to Northern America. It typically will grow in shady places or beside […]
Butcher’s Broom – Health Benefits and Side Effects
Botanical Name: Ruscus aculeatus L. The word “rusci-” means butcher’s-broom-like, and the word “aculeatus” means prickly or thorny. The plant belongs to the plant family Ruscaceae (formerly classified under the family Liliaceae). Other Common Names Box holly Jew’s myrtle Kneeholy Knee holly Kneeholm Pettigree Sweet broom. Habitat It is believed that the plant is originally […]