The herbs listed below all fall into the "hard to kill" category and are thus good subjects for the beginning gardener.

Agrimony, angelica, barberry, basil (sweet), bee balm, borage, burdock, calendula, catnip, chamomile (Roman), chicory, chives, comfrey coriander, dandelion, dill, dock, elecampane, fennel, feverfew, geranium (scented), goldenrod, horseradish, horsetail, lady's bedstraw, lavender (English), lemon balm, lovage, Madagascar periwinkle, marjoram, mint, mugwort, mustard, nasturtium, oregano, parsley (curled), pennyroyal (English), plantain, red clover, rosemary, rue, sage, santolina, savory (winter), soapwort, sorrel, southernwood, sweet woodruff, tansy, vervain (European).

Medicinal Herbs

Here is a brief guide to medicinal herbs

ANGELICA (B): Angelica archangelica. (OG)

All parts of this bold plant are useful. 3-lobed, serrated leaves, light green flowers in huge umbels the second year. Lives 2-3 yrs. Dried leaves a delicate tea substitute. Medicinal: Tonic against infection, to improve energy, and to stimulate circulation. Antibacterial and antifungal. A warming expectorant.

ARNICA CHAMISSONIS First-aid plant of natural medicine. Small, aromatic, orange-yellow daisy-like flowers from June to August. Very similar in appearance and active ingredients to the more well-known Arnica montana, but is easier to grow. More blossoms and somewhat larger, hairy leaves. Medicinal: For external treatment of all types of injuries. Liniments and creams. In homeopathic dilutions as an immune system stimulant. CAUTION: Can be toxic when taken internally.

Arnica Montana is one of the best herbs that we have found. It cures wounds, stops bleeding, heals brown recluse bites, removes warts, etc. It is incredible and invaluable. You can get it in health food stores, but one needs to obtain the seed for a renewable supply.

BLESSED THISTLE (A): Cnicus benedictus. (OG)

Unique and attractive. Big, sprawling, basal-branching plant; red stems contrast with hairy, lime green leaves edged in red; soft, non-irritating spines. Solitary flowers have lemon-yellow centers and bristly bracts.
Medicinal: A general tonic, especially digestive, and to increase breast milk. Middle Ages cure-all.

CALENDULA, "PACIFIC BEAUTY" (A): C. officinalis.

Popular mix. Orange and yellow blossoms with dark centers. For antiseptic tinctures and edible flowers. The sunniest flowering herb with a long blooming period. Blossoms are edible and rich in carotenoid for use as dye.
Medicinal: Antiseptic tinctures, healing skin ointments.

CHAMOMILE, GERMAN (A): Matricaria recutita.
Latin name means "capable of anything." For a relaxing tea with a scent of apple and pineapple. Small daisy-like flowers in July and August from spring planting. Medicinal: For digestion and as a gentle sleep aid. Leaves and flowers are soothing and antiseptic. Upright tall plant, medium maturity.

DANDELION (P): Taraxacum officinale. (WC)
Roots and leaves are culinary and medicinal. "Pu-gong-ying" in China. Spring tonic leaves for salad, cooking. Roots roasted for coffee substitute.
Medicinal: Blood cleanser, blood sugar balancer. Diuretic. Liver stimulant.

The Echinacea tincture SHOULD be made from the root (not leaf) and the dried spent flower heads. This requires two seasons of diligence to prepare to do the extraction. For my own use I make the tincture with 1 part herb to 4 part alcohol. Commercials are generally 1:5. After some personal experience with Colloidal Silver I would not be without it.

Since the development of the spray contrails I have been taking some everyday as a preventative. Apply a coating of olive oil to the skin before using the recommended Garlic/Echinacea poultice. Vinegar-of-Four-Thieves was used in the plague outbreak of the 18th century. It works well also for washing down sickrooms and equipment. The medical profession may not not always be there.
Best wishes, Paula M.
herbalpharm@hotmail.com 

Fever/infection herbs With current list concerns about medical issues, here are a few formulas specifically for treating fevers which signal infection. "Fevers" are a sign that the body has begun a defensive response to an invader.

Quelling the fever with aspirin does not solve the cause of the problem. High fevers in infants and children need careful and diligent attention.

Basic formula: 1 part Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)
1 part Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
1/2 part Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
1/2 part Cayenne (Capsicum spp.)
1/4 part Myrrh (Commiphora molmol)
These can be blended and tinctured for long term storage. The Yarrow should be eliminated from the formula if one is pregnant or planning to become pregnant in the next 3 mos. Add the following herbs to the formula to create a blend to address specific needs as they arise.
Viral Infection: Elderberry (Sambucus nigra)

Bacterial Infection: Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia, E. purpurea)

Respiratory Infection: Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) *this herb has been placed on an endangered species list so it will become increasingly difficult to obtain. Some merchants are selling Goldenseal "herb" instead of Goldenseal ROOT. The medicinal constituents are in the root.*

Anytime there is an indication of infection, regardless of origin, increased dietary intake of raw Garlic helps. If there is gastrointestinal distress, mince the Garlic and serve it in some broth.

Increased fluid intake is also a must!

The use of an alcohol sponge is currently discouraged. This old remedy brings the fever down by the process of evaporation. However, the patient often becomes chilled.

A more effective and safe technique is a Lemon sponge. Place 1 cup of Lemon juice in 1 or 1 1/2 qts. (liters) of tepid water. (I use the "Real Lemon" juice that comes in the green bottle.) Take several rags or washcloths and rinse them in the juice water. Place on the forehead, wrists, abdomen, and ankles. By the time you are finished, the cloth on the forehead has warmed and you start the process over again. Three or four go-rounds at a time will be enough to heat the remaining lemon water. Repeat as necessary. There's always healing in the touch, attention, and love this treatment provides.

I have personal concerns about the recent rise of hemorrhagic fevers. If anyone has any ideas I would appreciate the input.

TIA best wishes, Paula M. herbalpharm@hotmail.com 

Milk Thistle
The whole herb is Silybum marianum, or milk thistle. One constituent, which people who believe in "active ingredients", consider the only important one is the compound silymarin. Milk thistle contains flavones like silybin, silydianin and silychrystin (which together make up silymarin) and essential oils, essential fatty acids, bitter principles (very essential) and mucilage, among other things. Milk thistle extract is probably made from the whole herb and contains a variety of constituents.

Now some of the research may have only used the extracted silymarin, while others may have used a full extract or an extract standardized to silymarin as a marker. It could also contain milk thistle extract beefed up with silymarin. You would probably need to read the research to know which is used. The whole herb extract standardized to 70% silymarin as a marker is used as a pharmaceutical drug in Europe.

I always suggest the whole herb preparation. In the case of milk thistle seeds, I like to grind them over food (but grind finely as the shell can be sharp.)

Silybum prevents depletion of glutathione (essential to cellular respiration) and increases its basal rate by 35% which helps the body process toxins. Milk thistle seems to inhibit free radicals and leukotrienes, and to stimulate liver protein synthesis. It also increases the secretion and flow of bile from the liver and gall bladder.