Herbs Natures Meds From Your Backyard

Medicinal Herbs
Nature’s Medicine From

Your Backyard
Medicinal Herbs
Why Grow Herbs
Where To Get Them
18 Common Herbs
How To Use Them
z Tinctures
z Oils and Salves
z Teas, baths, and steams
Why Grow Herbs
Easy to Grow
Mostly Drought Tolerant
Less Expensive Than Pharmaceuticals
Aesthetically Pleasing
Where to Get Them
Avoid “Big Box” Stores
Buy “Local” When
Possible
Start Seeds Yourself
z Some Slow to Germinate
z Some Require Stratification
or Scarification
Basil, Holy (A)
Ocimum sanctum
Leaves used
Sacred plant in India
Culinary and medicinal
Lowers blood sugar levels
Reduces fevers
Lowers blood pressure and
cholesterol
Helpful in coughs and colds
Helps hot flashes in menopause
Powdered herb heals cold sores
Calendula (A/R)
Calendula officinalis
Flowers are used

Edible and medicinal
Antifungal, antiseptic, antibacterial and antiviral
As a salve, treats all types of skin conditions
Helpful for the digestive system
Cleansing herb, especially for the liver and
gallbladder
Reduces menstrual pain
Effective douche for yeast infections
Catnip (P)
Nepeta cataria
Leaves are used

Stimulates sweating and reduces fever
Settling to the stomach
Excellent for colds and flu
Antiflatulant, settling indigestion and
colic
Suitable for children
CAUTION: Do not use during pregnancy
Chamomile (A/R)
Chamomilla recutita
Flowers are used

Digestive tonic; indigestion, gas, colic, bloating,
hiatus hernia, ulcer, & Crohn’s disease
Relaxant; relieves irritability and promotes sleep
Eases menstrual pain and morning sickness
As a salve, heals sore skin and eczema
As a steam helps hay fever and asthma
CAUTION: Can be invasive
Clary Sage (P)
Salvia sclarea
Leaves and seeds are used

A tea of the seeds will draw out
splinters and thorns
Digestive tonic; treats gas and
indigestion
Excellent for menstrual pain,
PMS and menopause
CAUTION:Do not use during
pregnancy
Dill (A/R)
Anethum graveolens
Leaves, flowers and seeds are used

Keeps the witches away
Remedy for thre stomach, relieving gas
and calming digestion
Chewing the seeds relieves bad breath.
Makes a useful addition to cough, clod
and flu remedies.
Increase milk production and helps avoid
colic in babies.
Echinacea (P)
Echinacea angustifolia & E. purpurea
Flowers and 4 year old roots are

used
Stimulates the immune system to
combat viral and bacterial
infections.
Effective gargle for sore throats
Flowers in salve aid in healing of
skin conditions
Best used as a tincture
Fennel (P)
Foeniculum vulgare
Seeds are used

Relieves gas and bloating; stimulates
digestion
Seeds help treat kidney stones
Great gargle for sore throats and
expectorant
Increases breastmilk production
Aid in weight loss
Lavender (P)
Lavendula officinalis
Flowers are used

Lavender has a soothing and
calming effect.
Soothes indigestion and colic
A bath of lavender helps relieve
tension and bring a good nights
sleep
Excellent for the skin and insect
bites.
Lemon Balm (P)
Melissa officinalis
Leaves are used

A wonderful herb to lift the spirits
A tonic for depression and anxiety
Relieves cold sores
Helps overactive thyroid
Excellent skin remedy for cuts and bug
bites
Mugwort (P)
Artemisia vulgaris
Leaves and roots are used

Digestive tonic
Improves absorption of nutrients and
increase bile flow
Eliminates worms from the body
Induces the onset of menstruation
Antiseptic
Used in the treatment of Malaria
CAUTION: Do not use during pregnancy
Mullein (B/R)
Verbascum thapsus
Flowers are used

Relieves coughs and congestion
especially bronchitis.
Reduces mucous formation and aids
in the coughing up of phlegm
Combines well with thyme for a cold
remedy
Externally, helps to heal wounds
Infused oil relieves ear infections and
hemorrhoids
Peppermint (P)
Mentha x piperita
Leaves are used

Digestive tonic; reduces colic,
cramps, and gas
Soothes an irritated bowel
Peppermint relieves pain on the skin
Excellent for respiratory infections
CAUTION:Can be invasive
Red Clover (P)
Trifolium pratense
Flowers are used
Used to treat skin
conditions
It is an expectorant
and used for
spasmodic coughs
Helps with
menopausal
complaints
Rosemary (A)
Rosmarinus officinalis
Leaves are used
Stimulates circulation of blood to the
head, helping memory and relieving
headaches
Helps raise low blood pressure
Raises the spirits and treats depression.
Helps heal skin wounds
Applied to the scalp stimu;ates hair
growth
Makes a wonderful bath
Sage (P)
Salvia officinalis
Leaves are used

Excellent gargle for sore throats
Helps relieve cold sores
Digestive tonic and stimulant
Reduces hot flashes in
menopause
Encourages suppressed
menstruation
Externally relieves bites and
stings
Valerian (P)
Valeriana officinalis
2 year old roots are used

Herb that “Valium” was derived from
Has a calming not sedative effect
Useful for insomnia
Effective relaxant for shoulder and neck
tension, muscle spasms, and menstrual
pain.
Relieves high blood pressure
Best as a tincture
Yarrow (P)
Achillea millefolium
Flowers are used

Good for what ails you!
Achilles used Yarrow to heal
wounds
Regulates the menstrual cycle
and reduces heavy bleeding
Helps colds and flu
Lowers high blood pressure and
improves venous circulation
Tinctures
200 g dried herb or 300 g fresh herb
1 liter of 100 proof vodka
1. Place herb in large glass jar and cover herbs with
alcohol. Shake well. Store in a cool, dry place for 10-14
days.
2. After 2 weeks pour mixture through cheesecloth and
squeeze any remaining liquid out of herbs.
3. Pour into dark glass bottles, cap tightly, and store for up
to two years.
Use 1 tsp of tincture diluted in water
Alcohol free tinctures: use glycerine or apple cider vinegar.

Infused Oils
Fresh or Dried Herb
Olive Oil
1. Fill a clear glass jar with desired herb(s).

2. Cover completely to the top with olive oil.
3. Cap lightly and place in a warm, sunny place for
2 days.
4. Add more oil if necessary and cap tightly. {lace
in a cool dry location for two weeks.
5. Pour through cheesecloth and store in a dark
glass bottle.
Salves
Infused Oil
Beeswax
1. Gently heat infused oil.

2. Add about about 1 tb of beeswax to each cup of
oil and heat untill beeswax melts.
3. Pour into glass containers.
4. Let cool and cap tightly.
5. Store in a cool, dark place.
Teas, Baths, and Steams
2 tsp. fresh or 1 tsp. dried herb
Water
1. Boil water
2. Pour over herbs in a cup.
3. Steep for 3-5 minutes.
4. Strain and enjoy.
For baths: Make about 1 quart of tea and pour into
tub with bath water.
For steams: Make about 1 quart of tea in a large
bowl, place a towel over your head and breath in
the vapors until tea cools.

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Medicinal Herbs

Nature’s Medicine From

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Use 1 tsp of tincture diluted in water

Alcohol free tinctures: use glycerine or apple cider vinegar.

1. Fill a clear glass jar with desired herb(s).

1. Gently heat infused oil.

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