Growing Medicinal Herbs

 

Medicinal herbs have one of the most interesting of all the classifications of herbs. In the past, our ancestors highly prized these plants for their ability to cure illness and heal wounds. Often these healing herbs were the only tools that stood between them and death. Before medical knowledge became widespread, every family had at least one amateur herbalist in the family tree.

 

Herbal medicines are certainly the oldest type of "medical care" recognized by the human species.  You can't find one culture throughout history -- you could travel as far back in time as you like -- that didn't use some plant to take care of the ill individuals in its society.

 

Even primitive humans observed and appreciated the many different types of plants and herbs which were available to help heal their families and relatives. It is too bad, we don't have some record of how mankind or perhaps more appropriately womankind came to realize that plants and herbs possessed such healing power.

 

But discover it they did. Paleontologists have uncovered evidence of herbs alongside the bones of a Stone Age-era man in Iraq. The herbs buried with him, by some thoughtful relative, were marshmallow root, hyacinth and yarrow.

 

Today marshmallow root is utilized to ease inflammations –like a painful throat. Hyacinth is employed for a diuretic that encourages tissues to discharge any excess water they might be retaining.  And yarrow can be a cold or fever remedy that was practically ubiquitous in its use before the synthesis of aspirin.ds

 

Some other well known medicinal herbs are Ephedra used for a decongestant. Ephedra is the basis for pseudoephedrine decongestant drugs and should not be used except under the supervision of your doctor.

 

Echinacea is better known as the purple coneflower and is used to boost the immune system and ward off colds. The bark of the white willow tree was used for generations to relieve pain before scientists isolated the pain relieving chemical and synthesized aspirin.

 

As a budding herbalist, you should know that different parts of the herbs are used for different applications. The flowers, stems, roots, fruits and leaves may all be used depending on the symptoms and health issues involved. Different applications of medicinal herbs are:

1.        Infusions
2.       Teas
3.       Poultices
4.      Tinctures
5.       Herbal Plasters

 

No medicinal herb should be used without consulting a certified herbalist and/or your doctor. Not even the culinary herbs which have medicinal uses.

We will look at growing the other kinds of herbs in future books in the Your Herb Garden Series.

Now let’s move on to how to grow your Indoor Culinary Herb Garden.