Binomial Schisandra chinensis Common name: Five flavour fruit, Schisandra, Magnolia vine, Bei-Wuweizi, Wu Wei Zi [3], gomishi (in Japan), amika (in Korea), ng may gee (in Hong Kong) [13] Family: Magnoliaceae/Schisandraceae Parts used: Berries Native to: China and Eastern Russia Distribution: Northeast Asia, Eastern Russia, Japan, Korea Botanical Description: Deciduous or evergreen woody vine that... Continue Reading →
Binomial: Avena sativa Common names: Oats, groats, oatmeal, joulaf, common oats, wild oats, Common wild oats, sterile oats, cat grass Family: Poaceae Parts used: Young seed, stalk Native to: Believed to have originated in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East [1]. Evidence of domestication since the Bronze Age in Europe [1] Distribution: Found growing... Continue Reading →
Binomial: Hypericum perforatum Common names: (Common St. John’s Wort, perforate St. John’s Wort [4]), (Klamath Weed [7]), (Amber, Cammock, Penny John, Touch-and-heal, Balm of the warrior’s wound, Rosin rose [11]) Family: Hypericaceae Parts used: Flowers, leaves, buds (approximately top 10 cm of the plant) Native to: Europe, Western Asia [4] and Northern Africa [10] Distribution:... Continue Reading →
After coming back from a mini break far from London (the excitement to leave for the first time in 18 months was insane) my first batch of St. John's Wort oil and tincture were ready for bottling. The second batch should be ready in a week or so. Though a small batch of oil, this... Continue Reading →
Binomial: Rosa spp., R. canina, R. Damascus, R. pimpinellifolia, R. rubiginosa Common names: Rose, Damascus rose, Wild rose, Dog rose, Queen of flowers, Rosa, Shatapatri, Witch’s briar Family: Rosaceae Parts used: Flowers, fruit (hips), the youngest leaves Native to: Persia Distribution: Middle East, N. Africa, Mediterranean, Europe, Asia, N. America Botanical description: There are thirteen... Continue Reading →
Binomial: Nepeta cataria Common names: Cat mint, catnep, cat(s)wort Family: Lamiaceae Parts used: Aerial parts Native to: Europe and most of Asia Distribution: Worldwide Botanical description: A hardy perennial; catnip grows 1 ft – 3ft tall. As with others of the mint family, it’s stem is square, growing erect with branched opposing stems. A down... Continue Reading →
Binomial: Matricaria chamomilla/recutita Common names: Chamomile, German Chamomile, wild chamomile, may weed, ground apple, maythen [4], manzanilla (Spanish), whig plant [4] Family: Asteraceae Parts used: Flowers Native to: Southern Europe [7] Distribution: Egypt, Morocco, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, N. America, temperate Asia and North Africa [4] Spread widely in the middle ages. Commonly grown in... Continue Reading →
Herbal She Wrote 