Botanical Name: Lysimachia vulgaris. Other Common Names: Loosestrife, garden loosestrife, yellow willowherb, herb willow, willow-wort, wood pimpernel, lisimaquia amarilla (Spanish), lysimaque vulgaire (French), Gewöhnlicher Gilbweiderich (German), strandlysing (Swedish), ranta-alpi (Finnish), almindelig fredløs (Danish), fredløs (Norwegian). Habitat: Yellow loosestrife is native to Europe and North Asia but was introduced to North America in the 1900s for […]
Medicinal Herb Profiles
Fringe Tree Uses as a Medicinal Herb
Botanical Name: Chionanthus virginicus. The English common name of the plant “fringe tree” stems from the cord-like shape of the flowers. The genus name Chionanthus derives from the Greek words “chion” which means snow and “anthos” which means flowers. Other Common Names: White fringetree, snowdrop tree, old man’s beard, Grancey graybeard, chionanthus, flowering ash, white […]
Soapwort Benefits, Uses and Side Effects
Botanical Name: Saponaria officinalis. Other Common Names: Soapweed, bouncing bet, wild sweet William, Fuller’s herb, lady’s washbowl, leatherwork, hierba jabonera (Spanish), saponaire (French), Echtes Seifenkraut (German), såpnejlika (Swedish), þvottajurt (Icelandic), rohtosuopayrtti (Finnish), sæbeurt (Danish), såpeurt (Norwegian). Habitat: Soapwort is originally native to Southern and Central Europe, Asia Minor and Western Siberia. However, the plant has […]
Cornflower – Medicinal Uses and Side Effects
Botanical Name: Centaurea cyanus. Other Common Names: Bachelor’s button, blueblow, blue cap, blue poppy, bluebonnets, bluebottle, hurtsickle, kornblomst (Danish), Kornblume (German), blåklint (Swedish), Kornblom (Norwegian), kornblóm (Icelandic), azulejo (Spanish), bleuet, casse lunette (French), ruiskaunokki (Finnish). Habitat: Originating in Mediterranean Europe and Western Asia, cornflowers must have entered Great Britain sometime during the Iron Age, where […]
Lesser Periwinkle – Medicinal Uses and Benefits
Botanical Name: Vinca minor. The closely related species greater periwinkle (Vinca major), a much larger plant, is used in a similar manner in herbal medicine and has the same medicinal properties as lesser periwinkle. Other Common Names: Common and dwarf periwinkle, vinca, running-myrtle, blue buttons, devil’s eye, joy on the ground, sorcerer’s violet, pervinca minore […]
Summer Savory – Health Benefits and Herb Uses
Botanical Name: Satureja hortensis. Other Common Names: Garden savory, ajedrea de jardin (Spanish), hsiang po ho (Chinese), Bohnenkraut (German), sarriette des jardins (French), sommersar (Norwegian), sommarkynde (Swedish), sar (Danish), Kesäkynteli (Finnish). Habitat: Summer savory is probably native to the eastern Mediterranean and countries around the Black Sea. It is widely cultivated as a spice and […]
Fumitory – Herbal Uses and Benefits
Botanical Name for Fumitory: Fumaria officinalis. One of the plant’s English common name “earth smoke” is a direct translation of the old Latin name of the plant, “fumes terrae”. It refers to the shape and color the plant’s gray-blue haze foliage which can from afar resemble smoke rising from the ground. Other Common Names: Common […]
Pheasant’s Eye Herb Uses and Toxicity
Botanical Name: Adonis vernalis. The plant genus that pheasant’s eye belongs to is named after Adonis, a young man of great beauty which according to Greek mythology was loved by the goddess Aphrodite. When he was killed by a wild boar it caused Aphrodite great sorrow and according to legend, her tears were transformed into […]
Polypody Root – Medicinal Applications
Botanical Name: Polypodium vulgare. The plant’s genus name Polypodium derives from the Greek words “poly” meaning many, and “padus” meaning foot referring to the richly branched roots (rhizomes). Other Common Names: Common polydody, polypod, polypody root, adder’s fern, brake root, female fern, oak fern, rock brake, rock polypod, sweet fern, golden maidenhair fern, polipodio (Spanish), […]
White Dead Nettle Uses for Medicinal Purposes
Botanical Name: Lamium album. Other Common Names: Blind nettle, stingless nettle, archangel, white nettle, ortiga muerta (Spanish), lamier blanc (French), Weisse Taubnessel (German), valkopeippi (Finnish), døvnælde (Danish), døvnesle (Norwegian), vitplister (Swedish), ljósatvítönn (Icelandic). Habitat: White dead nettle is native to most of Europe and Central and North Asia. It has also been introduced and become […]
