Tansy (Tacacerum Vulgara)

The Botanical Name for Tandy is Tanacetum Vulgara and unfortunately the only folk name i could find was Buttons. 

Habitat & Description:  Zone 4-9, Tansy is a flowering herbaceous plant with finely divided compound leaves and yellow, button-like flowers. It has a stout, somewhat reddish, erect stem, usually smooth, 50–150 cm (20–59 in) tall, and branching near the top.

Parts Used:  whole plant, oils (warning: Tansy oil is highly toxic and can cause death from as little as 10 drops if consumed internally. Never use it in cooking or for internal consumption!)

Culinary Uses: leaves are used, Cakes, custards and puddings

Tansy Pudding
Ingredients
  5 ounces of grated bread
  1 pint of milk
  5 eggs
  a little nutmeg
   juice of tansy and spinach, to your taste
  1/4 pound of butter
  some sugar
  a little brandy
Directions
Put it in a saucepan, and keep it stirring on a gentle fire till thick.
Then put it in a dish and bake it; when baked, turn it out, and dust sugar on it.
Source:  The Lady's Own Cookery Book (1844).


Medicinal Uses: enema for round & thread worms in children, topical crèmes for scabies, lice and fleas.

Magickal Uses: Tansy’s have correspondence with health and longevity. Tansy’s planetary ruler is Venus, its magickal gender is female, elemental rule is water.

It is not recommended to eat too many tansys at once because it could be unsafe if eaten in large quantities and it is also unsafe for pregnant women to ingest as it could end up being aborted.

Tansy has a strong aromatic warming herb.

Ants do not like Tansy.

Tansy expels intestinal parasites.

TANSY OIL IS HIGHLY TOXIC BOTH INTERNALLY AND EXTENALLY.  

Workcited:

https://classes.witchschool.com/classes/BSCH102/L1/p04.asp

Dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale)

Botanical Name for dandelion is Taraxacum Officinale and some folk names I was able to find are Goats beard, Wild chicory, Pisseabed, Dent de lion

Habitat & Description: Perennial that likes moist to dry, neutral- alkaline soil in full sun. It can be deadheaded to prevent seed production.

Parts Used:  the Whole plant plant is used in a variety of different ways.

Culinary Uses: Salads, greens, teas, substitute for coffee. The young leaves of the Dandelion are popular and They have a bitter chicory-like taste, as also has the root.

Directions for dandelion root tea/decoctionAdd 2 cups of water, to 2 tsp of herb. Simmer for 15 minutes covered. Shut off the heat. Allow the mixture to settle in the pan. Stain and pour into a cup. If you make extra, store the remainder in the fridge and consume it within 24 hours.

Medicinal Uses:  Used as tinctures, extracts & capsules. Stimulates bile production and helps with digestive disorders.

Magickal Properties include correspondences with Divination, wishes, calling spirits, psychic powers. Dandelion’s Planetary Ruler is Jupiter, Magickal Gender is Male, Elemental Rule is Air

Other Information:

• It is hard to eradicate from yard as it is invasive. 
• Plants cut in early summer and dried for use. 
• Leaves picked late in spring before they flower. 
• To use roots of dandelion you would harvest them at the end of second year before they seed.
• Dandelion reduces swelling and inflammation.
• It may help with gallstones.
• Women’s health has benefited from the use of dandelion for menstrual problems.

WorkCited:

https://classes.witchschool.com/classes/BSCH102/L1/p01.asp

https://www.homeopathycenter.org/remedy/taraxacum

https://joybileefarm.com/harvesting-dandelion-root-tea/

Photo by Ela Haney from Pexels

Garlic (Allium Sativumis)

The common name for Allium sativumis the amazing plant we all know as Garlic, some Folk Names i found during my reseach were  Ajo, Poor man’s treacle, stinkweed. 

Habitat & Description: Perennial with a globe bulb of 5-15 bulblets in a papery white to mauve, skin, flat leaves up to 24 inches long. Green/white flowers in summer, zone 4-9

Parts Used: bulbs, leaves, flowers

Culinary Uses: garlic enhances flavors in meats, seafood and vegetables.

Medicinal Uses: Garlic is one of the most amazing medicinal plants available to us.  Externally it is antimicrobial as an antiseptic. Garlic oil is also a great remedy for ear infection. Simply put a few drops of infused oil directly into the ear and be sure to treat both ears.   

It can be used for microbial infection internally too. It’s antibacterial and antiviral for colds and flu and boosts the immune  system. Garlic helps reduce blood pressure, blood cholesterol levels and blood sugar. ( All good things right!)

Some magickal correspondences are protection, anti-theft, exorcism. Planetary Ruler is Mars, magickal gender is Male, and its Elemental Rule is Fire. 




WorkCited:

https://classes.witchschool.com/classes/BSCH101/default.asp

https://www.udemy.com/herbalism-medicine-making/learn/lecture/10849008#questions

Cinnamon (Cinnamonum Zeylanicum)

The common name for  Cinnamonum Zeylanicum is Cinnamon some Folk Names are Sweet wood & Ceylon cinnamon. This tree’s bark has such amazing medicinalproperties that I am so excited to tell you a lut them is this post!

Cinnamon is an Evergreen tree with light brown papery bark and has leathery leaves, small yellow to white flowers in clusters followed by purple berries. Zone 10, well drained sandy soil in sun

Parts used on the cinnamon tree are the bark and leaves. They are dried and turned into seasons for cooking.

Medicinal Uses: Cinnamon is considered a super food like help with diarrhea & nausea, colds. Cinnamon is also a really good tool for lowering your blood sugar levels.

Magickal Uses for cinnamon are spirituality, healing, stimulate psychic awareness. The Planetary Ruler is the Sun, its magical gender is Male and the Elemental Rule is Fire.

WorkCited:

https://classes.witchschool.com/classes/BSCH101/default.asp

https://www.verywellhealth.com/cinnamon-essential-oil-what-you-need-to-know-88776

Lavendar (Lavandula Angustufolia)

The botanical name for Lavender is Lavandula Angustifolia some folk names are Spike, Elf leaf, Nard and Nardus. Lavender is a bushy, strong-scented perennial plant from the Mediterranean.

Fast Fact: Lavender is grown in northern Africa and the Mediterranean mountains, often for extraction of its essential oils.

Lavender is a small perennial shrub with downy liner leaves. The leaves are gray when plant is young. Blue – Violet blooms, Lavender is best planted in the spring as the soil is warming up. If planted in the fall, use bigger plants to ensure survival over the winter.

Lavender preferes Zone 5  in a well draining in sunny location and Plant lavender 2 to 3 feet apart. Plants typically reach between 1 and 3 feet in height.

The leaves and flowers oil are the most commonly used parts. They are used to mainly for aromatherapy to help reduce stress, ease anxiety, it can be uplifting for those that suffering from depression,

Lavender is really popular crystallized and added to salads, flavorings, tea.

Medicinally lavender is amazing and will forever have a home in my first aid box.  There are many benefits to using lavender. it is great for treating anxiety, fungal infections, hair loss,wounds wound care and  has demonstrated any great qualities for treating skin complaints.

I like to use the the essential oil 10 drops carrier oil to 2 drops lavender essential oil to use neat on scraps, scratches, bruises, and burns.

Some magickal correspondence for lavender are love, protection, purification and the planetary ruler is Mercury, the magickal gender is male, and the elemental rule is Air.

Work Sited:

https://classes.witchschool.com/classes/BSCH101/L6/p02.asp

https://www.almanac.com/plant/lavender

Making Medicinal Balms and Salves

Making salves and balms is one of my favorite things about getting to work with medicinal plants. Herbal salves are a great way for your skin ( the largest organ on you body) to get the oppertunity to obsorb all of those good medicinal properties from you herbal infused oil with the benefits of the wax to help to make a barrier over the area helping to keep the extra moisture in and extras out.

Once you've created your herbal oil, you're just a few simple steps away from your finished salve! See our basic salve recipe below, and follow along with herbal educator and author Maria Noël Groves for a comprehensive video how-to demonstration! Makes 5 ounces.

Ingredients 1 oz. beeswax (use carnauba wax for a vegan salve) 4 oz. herbal infused oil(s) of your choice (choose one or a combination) 10-20 drops essential oil of choice (optional)

Directions Wrap beeswax bar in an old towel. On a sturdy surface, use a hammer to break bar up into small chunks.

Place beeswax in a double boiler and gently warm over low heat until the beeswax melts. Add herbal oils and stir over low heat until well-mixed. Remove from heat and add the essential oil(s). Quickly pour warm mixture into prepared tins, glass jars, or lip balm tubes and allow to cool completely.

Store in a cool location for 1 to 3 years.

Pro tip: The consistency of salves can easily be adjusted depending on your preferences. Use less beeswax for a softer salve and more beeswax if you’d like a firmer salve. You can test the consistency by placing a spoon in the freezer before making your salve. When the beeswax melts, pour a little salve onto one of the cold spoons and place it back into the freezer for 1 to 2 minutes. This will simulate what the final consistency will be like. Once cooled, you can make adjustments by adding more oil (for a softer salve) or more beeswax (for a firmer salve).

WorkCited:

https://www.udemy.com/herbalism-medicine-making/learn/lecture/5935830#overview

https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/diy-herbal-salves

https://www.healthline.com/health/diy-herbal-salves

https://www.frontiercoop.com/community/how-to/how-to-make-herbal-salves

Making Infused Oils

Making herbal infused Oils is fun and easy to do. Infused oil is made when you start with a good quality base oil and then infuse the herbs into the oil and place is over gentle heat to extract the medicinal properties of the herbs. Infused oils are not to be confused with essential oils which are steamed distilled.

here is a list off all of the supplies that you will need:

3.5 oz herbs
Oil jar
cheese cloth

Place herbs in a clean, dry quart jar. Leave at least 1 to 3 inches of open space above your herbs to cover with oil.

Fill remaining space in jar with oil of choice, making sure to cover herbs by at least 1 inch or more. If the herbs emerge above the surface of the oil at any point while infusing, pour more oil on top to ensure the herbs remain covered.

Make sure to cap the jar tightly and shake well. (you dont want to go to shake your container and get oil and herbs everywhere, trust me...) This step is super inportant because you want to herbs to be completely covered in oil for a good infusion process.

Place jar in a sunny, warm windowsill and shake once or more per day. I personally like to use a crock pot when infusing oils. I find that keeping the crock pot on low uncovered is a great way to complete this process and you can do it in a couple of hours instead of a couple of weeks.

After 2 to 3 weeks, strain the herbs out of the oil using cheesecloth or a mesh strainer. Make sure to squeeze out as much of the precious oil as possible!

Pour into clean, dry, glass bottles. Dont forget to label your jars with the date, type of oil, and herbs used.

Store in a cool, dark place. The oil may keep for up to a year. Vitamin E oil at a concentration of up to 1% may also be added to prolong shelf life for oils to be used topically.

WorkCited:

https://www.udemy.com/herbalism-medicine-making/learn/lecture/5935702#overview

https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/making-herbal-oils

https://www.hgtv.com/design/make-and-celebrate/handmade/healing-herbs-learn-to-make-infused-oils-and-balms

Making Herbal Teas

Herbal Teas are one of the easiest ways to use herbal medicine and is as simple as making a single cup of tea. This method of in ingesting herbs is most effective for long term, gradual healing and it excels as a form of preventative medicine.

Teas can also be used for more sudden situations such as nausea or fever, something that is happening Immediately. Sipping on a cup of tea is soothing, so doing so while sick is going to be a comforting measure in itself.

Making tea is a great way to extract vitamins, minerals and all different types of medicinal properties from plants.

There are many different ways to make tea. You can brew a single cup by using a one time use tea bags, or if you use loose leaf tea you can use strainer or and just spoon tea into your boiling hot water or you can use a reusable tea infuser ball.

If using tea to treat a chronic condition make a pot of the tea to keep in the fridge that you can reheat or drink cold as needed or on a schedule.

Dried herbs tend to work a little better because the cells have already been broken down. using fresh you will need to use much more of the plant for the same desired effect.

Different Types of Teas:

Cold infusion teas: seep tea in cold water until you have the desired strength of tea, using cold infusion for your tea is going to keep those good mucilage compounds in your tea since they only extract in cold water, so if you have a sore throat or are sick a cold infusion is suggested.

Warm Infusion teas: seep herbs in warm water until you have the desired strength of tea, using warm infusion tea is recommended and is going to be very soothing and comforting to a person(s) who is sick and or just not feeling the best but be sure to not use to hot of water because it can make your tea bitter.

Solar Infusion tea: also know as sun tea, rather then boiling or heating the water you place the herbs into a pan of water and cover it tightly and let is sit out for a couple of hours or until you have reached your desired flavor.

Decoction: A decoction is when you simmer your teanwhile covered about 15-2o minutes. This tea making process is more for tough plant matter like roots, barks, and nuts of how much more difficult is is the extract this type of plant material or the medicinal properties from these types of plant material.

Studies have shown that some teas may help with some cancers, heart disease, and diabetes; encourage weight loss; lower cholesterol; and bring about mental alertness. When making your tea it is super important to bring the water to a boil, take it off of the heat, add your tea, seeping for 10-15 minutes while covered, then enjoy!

Pro Tea Drinker Tip:

When making warm infusion tea, if you add your tea to the water while its still boiling you will burn off all the good medicinal properties and covering your tea allows all of these good medicinal oils to stay in your tea instead of evaporating out during the seeping process.

Infused Honey

What you will need to make this infused honey:

medicinal herbs of choice

organic raw honey

jar with tight fitting lid

cheese cloth

strainer

Fill the jar half way full with herbs and honey. completely cover the the herbs with honey and make sure the use a chop stick or something to stir it with, you want to make sure that you mix all of the herbs well and make sure they’re covered in the honey removing all air from the mixture.

Most air removal will happen naturally during the infusion process.

Some like to leave their honey in the window and allow it to infuse for a couple of weeks but i prefer the crock pot method.

I like to let mine set in a water bath in my slow cooker on low, uncovered, for 2-3 hours, making sure to check the temperature of the honey regularly to make sure you don’t cook out any of the medicinal properties.

When using honey; it’s really important not to heat the honey above 110 degrees f. because it kills all of the good bacteria in the honey and if the temperature fluctuates; it allows the opportunity for bad bacteria to grow.

Once the honey is good and infused, use your cheese cloth and strainer to strain the lavender out of the honey, this process does take a while but is worth the wait

Once finished straining, put a tight fitting lid on the jar and make sure to label or date your infused honey. As long as the infusion process went well; the honey infusion should last 6 months to a year if stored properly in a dark cool place. 

WARNING: Honey is not to be consumed by infants under 12-13 months of life!

WorkCited:

Infused Syrups

Mother Earth gives us all the things we need to feel better as long as we know what we are looking for and medicinal plants have so many ways to help us feel better and cure what ails us but they are not always the best to taste or sometimes it’s just easier to ingest the herbs you need by adding them to your favorite tea. Infusing Herbs with syrups is a great way to help get the medicinal benefits of herbs in a way that is extra tasty and is usually a hit with the kids. All you are going to need is: 1 oz Herbs 2 cups water 1 cup honey (or other syrup) 1 canning jar Cheese Cloth Candy Thermometer We are going to start by making a very strong decoction. Start by putting 2 cups water in to simmer with 1 oz herbs. Simmer until half of the water has evaporated. when the decoction is finished simmering, let cool until warm (under 110 degree f) then add to 1 cup of honey. When using honey; it’s really important not to heat the honey above 110 degrees f. because it cooks off all of the good bacteria in the honey and if the temperature fluctuates; it allows the opportunity for bad bacteria to grow. Once the honey is good and combined, add a tight lid and make sure to label or date your infused syrup. As long as the infusion process went well; the honey infusion should last 6 months to a year if stored properly. WARNING: Honey is not to be consumed by infants under 12-13 months of life!

WorkCited: https://www.udemy.com/herbalism-medicine-making/learn/lecture/10788812#overview Photo by Mareefe from Pexels

Terms

Below is a reference list of terms and definitions used in Basic Botany

Whole plant: Above Ground

Root: below ground

Rhizomes: roots

Annual: plant with one life cycle

Perennial: plant that has more than one life span

Biannual: plant that flower then seeds and dies

Bulb: storage organ for underground

Deciduous: tree or shrub that loosed leaves annually at the end of season

Dormant: alive but inactive

Evergreen: foliage stays on year round and sheds leaves at intervals thru the year.

Hardy: Tolerant year round climate in your area

Taproot: a thick main root system

Umbel: flat topped or rounded flower cluster from flower central point.

Whorl: three or more leaved flower from stem at the same level

Below is a reference list of terms and definitions used in creating things with Medicinal Herbs.

Base oil: Also called a carrier oil, this is an oil such as olive, grapeseed, almond, apricot or jojoba oil that is used to extract herbs for medicinal purposes.

Compress: Cloth soaked in an herbal preparation and applied topically.

Constituents: A plant chemical, also called a compound, that creates a medicinal effect on the body.

Decoction: tea made by simmering herbs such as roots, barks and nuts in water to extract medicinal properties.

Essential oil: A concentrated distilled oil of aromatic plants made using special equipment and training.

Herbal oil: Also called an infused oil, this is a medicinal oil preparation made by gently heating plants in a base oil.

Infusion: Hot infusion: Herbs such as leaves, flowers and fruit steeped in hot water to extract medicinal properties.

Cold infusion: Herbs steeped in cold water to extract medicinal properties.

Solar infusion: Also called sun tea, this is herbs and water placed in the sun for gentle heat to extract medicinal properties.

Menstruum: Liquid used to extract medicinal properties from plants such as alcohol, glycerine, vinegar or oil.

Poultice: Soothing poultice: Mashed herb applied topically to calm inflamed conditions.

Drawing poultice: Mashed herb applied topically to draw impurities and materials out of the skin.

Heating poultice: Mashed herb applied topically to bring circulation to the surface of the skin or for relaxing muscles.

Salve: A semi-solid herbal preparation of oil and wax to be used topically.

Tincture: Alcohol tincture: Solution made by extracting medicinal properties with alcohol.

Glycerite: Solution made by extracting medicinal properties with glycerine.

Aceta: Solution made by extracting medicinal properties with vinegar.

Wildcraft: Harvest plants from the wild.

My Growing Post...

Over the next couple of weeks im going to be starting to post information that I have come across about different Medicinal Plants and Herbs.

I will say now that a lot of this work is going to feel incomplete for a while because I am taking online courses looking to further my knowledge on the uses of Medicinal herbs and teas and am doing this as a online way to not just start a herbalist journal but to also have the opportunity to share my learning with you. 

I am really excited to be able to travel on this learning adventure with together.

Lily of the Valley

The Botanical Name for Lily of the Valley is Convallaria majalis. Some folk bames are convallaria, Jacobs ladder, ladder to heaven, lily constancy, male lily, May lily, Our lady’s tears

Habitat & Description: Creeping perennial with branched rhizomes and pairs of long leaves, arching white bell shaped flowers, Zone 4-8 moist rich soil in shade or part shade

Parts Used: leaves, flowers (in flower arrangements)

Culinary Uses: NONE!!! POISONOUS DO NOT EAT

Medicinal Uses: congestive heart failure, and other heart complications (used in pharmaceuticals)

Magickally Lily of the Valley corresponds with mental powers, happiness, memory.  Planetary Ruler is Mercury, Gender is Male, Elemental Rule is air

WorkCited:

https://classes.witchschool.com/classes/BSCH101/default.asp