Traditional Healing Herbs are gentle, nature‑centered ways of easing the symptoms of flus, colds, and digestive upsets, of working with chronic maladies, and of giving first aid for minor accidents such as cuts, bruises, and stings. For thousands of years, people have relied on plants for healing. Gathering summer plants for winter remedies is part of the year’s rhythm. There’s a pleasant satisfaction, too, in preparing herbal remedies for your family, your friends, and yourself. Among the joys of summer can be growing and gathering beneficent garden herbs, drying them in big fragrant bunches for winter teas, and preparing a collection of herbal tinctures, syrups, oils, ointments, and cosmetics. In winter, we can use summer’s bounty to keep ourselves healthy.
Pretty sky blue flowers bloom in spring on 2-4 foot evergreen perennial plants. Grow in full sun, well-drained soil.
Traditional Healing Uses: To remedy digestive problems, nervous headaches, depression, and as a blood cleanser and circulatory tonic. Hot rosemary tea with honey and or inhaling vapor from steaming rosemary have both been used as cold remedies. Externally, rosemary oil has been used for muscular pain and neuralgia, rheumatism, eczema, bruises, wounds, sores, stings, and swelling.
Other Uses: Leaves make delicious seasoning for meat, poultry, fish, tomatoes, mushrooms, potatoes, and vegetables. Leaves or sprigs may be put in sachets to repel moths, in bathwater to stimulate the skin, in vinegar to prevent dandruff, and in a rinse to add luster to dark hair.
Harvest: Gather leaves and sprigs all summer.
Preparation: Pour 1 cup of boiling water on 1-2 teaspoons of dried herb and let steep for 10-15 minutes, 3 times a day.
Caution: Use in moderation; large quantities may irritate the stomach, intestines, and kidneys.
Take a look at all our Traditional Healing Herbs in this amazing flip-book! Or click here for a poster.
