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 […]
Poisonous Plants
Ragwort – Traditional Uses and Toxicity
Botanical Name: Senecio jacobaea. Other Common Names: Common ragwort, mare’s fart, tansy ragwort, ragweed, stinking willie, stinking nanny, dog standard, staggerwort, stammerwort, cankerwort, cushag, hierba de santiago (Spanish), herbe-de-saint-jacques, cinéraire (French), Jacobs-Greiskraut (German), eng-brandbæger (Danish), landøyda (Norwegian), stånds (Swedish). Habitat: Ragwort is Native to Europe, North Africa, Caucasus and Western Asia. The plant has been […]
Sun Spurge Uses, Benefits and Side Effects
Botanical Name: Euphorbia helioscopia. The genus Euphorbia (spurge) contains over 1600 species making it one of the most species-rich plant genus in the world. The common characteristic of all these species is that they contain poisonous, milky latex-like sap that tastes strong and bitter. Since it is the sap that has been used medicinally, these […]
Cyclamen Uses as Herbal Medicine
Botanical Name: Cyclamen hederifolium, C. purpurascens. The plant genus Cyclamen contains 19 plant species commonly found in Europe, Mediterranean, Asia and in East Africa. Persian cyclamen (C. persicum) is a popular house plant that many people are acquainted with. It often blooms at Christmas time and comes in a variety of cultivars. It is mainly […]
Columbine – Historical Uses as a Medicinal Herb
Botanical Name: Aquilegia vulgaris. The Latin name for the Genus Aquilegia is thought to have derived from the Latin word “aquila”, meaning eagle, probably because the curved nectar spurs resemble an eagle’s beak or an eagle’s claw. The name may also come from the Latin words “aquam legere” (to collect water) that refers to the […]
Herb Paris – Benefits and Applications in Herbal Medicine
Botanical Name of Herb Paris: Paris quadrifolia. In Chinese herbal medicine, the species Paris Polyphylla and Paris quadrifolia are used in similar fashion. Other Common Names: One berry, true love, Einbeere (German), parisette à quatre feuilles (French), uva de raposa (Spanish), ferlaufasmári (Icelandic), firblad, (Danish), sudenmarja (Finnish), ormbär (Swedish), zhow sho (Chinese) – refers to […]