Bioregional Herbalism: Using Local Plants as Medicine

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Mervin Jennings
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1 Bioregional Herbalism: Using Local Plants as Medicine Introductions Why herbal medicine? What is bioregional herbalism? 5 herbs from seed to medicine cabinet Resources and questions

2 Plants have powerful healing properties It deepens our relationship with plants It can be community-based It's easy to grow and wildcraft medicinal plants It's part of our cultures and histories

3 Bioregional herbalism Herbalism is based on relationship relationship between plant and human, plant and planet, human and planet. Using herbs in the healing process means taking part in an ecological cycle. This offers us the opportunity consciously to be present in the living, vital world of which we are part; to invite wholeness and our world into our lives through awareness of the remedies being used -Wendell Berry

4 Bioregional Herbalism: The practice of sourcing medicines and remedies from one's local region Incorporates the ethics of sustainable use of plants and respect for ecosystems Balance between knowing/using local plants and respecting/protecting them

5 Bioregional Herbalism: Awareness of the social, economic, and environmental impacts of global herb sourcing Recognition of ourselves as embedded in an ecosystem As gardeners, we can focus on knowing the medicinal plants we can cultivate in addition to those that occur naturally

6 Our Bioregion: ecology By watershed: Rock creek, Potomac river, Chesapeake bay, Atlantic ocean By ecosystem: urban landscape, historically wetland and oak/beech/hickory/tulip tree dominant forest By region: coastal plain, close to fall line and piedmont

7 Our Bioregion: human-impacted landscapes As gardeners and city-dwellers the land we have access to has often been greatly influenced by humans Urban, suburban, and rural gardens Farms Disturbed soil Land under development Forest/field edges Yards, alleys, parks, tree boxes

8 Native plants Native is a somewhat arbitrary designation Boneset Marshmallow Blue Vervain Gondenseal Skullcap Black cohosh Red root Passionflower Passionflower

9 Marshmallow Althea officinalis Cultivation: moist soil, full sun Easy to germinate Leave plenty of room for root development Good choice for wet areas in a garden

10 Marshmallow Althea officinalis Harvest and preparation: Harvest leaves and flowers in summer; dry for tea Harvest roots in fall; chop and/or powder Prepare as cold infusion or use powder Photo by Lacey Walker

11 Marshmallow Althea officinalis Uses: Demulcent (soothing, moistening); Nourishes fluids (consitutional dryness) Soothes dry, irritated tissues (lungs, stomach, skin) Urinary tract infections

12 Naturalized weeds Dandelion Burdock Motherwort Plantain Mugwort Yarrow Ground Ivy Chickweed

13 Plantain Plantago rugelii, P. major, P. lanceolata Cultivation: not necessary (common weed) but makes a good ground cover between garden plants if desired Harvest: pick leaves when fresh almost any time of year Use fresh leaves as poultice, tincture fresh or dry, tea/compress of dried leaves, in oils and salves

14 Plantain Plantago rugelii, P. major, P. lanceolata Uses: Topical for wound-healing, insect bites and stings, rashes, etc Internally to soothe and heal digestive system, moisten dry lungs

15 Invasive plants Barberry Mimosa Autumn olive Purple loosestrife Japanese knotweed Japanese honeysuckle Phellodendron Japanese barberry

16 Mimosa Albizia julibrissin Cultivation: not necessary-- it's a weed! Easy to grow from seed if desired, does well in disturbed soil, full sun to part shade. Parts used: bark and flowers Harvesting: pruning branches (spring and fall), flowers (summer)

17 Mimosa Albizia julibrissin Preparation: Dry for tea Tincture bark fresh or dry Tincture flowers fresh

18 Mimosa Albizia julibrissin Uses: Adapted from Traditional Chinese Medicine Lifts the spirits (useful in anxiety and depression) Improves sleep and stresscoping ability

19 Chinese and Ayurvedic herbs Ashwagandha Holy Basil / Tulsi Licorice Reishi Astragalus Codonopsis Baikal skullcap Balloon flower White Peony Baikal Skullcap

20 Ashwagandha Withania somnifera Cultivation: Large, woody annual in this climate Sow indoors before last frost to maximize growing season ; plant out after danger of frost has passed Full sun, well-drained soil At least 2-foot spacing for spreading roots

21 Ashwagandha Withania somnifera Harvest: dig roots after frost or in late fall Slice thinly and dry for storage OR tincture fresh or dry Can be used as powder, decoction (boiled tea), or tincture

22 Ashwagandha Withania somnifera Uses: This plant has been adapted from Ayurveda into Western herbal use Calming adaptogen (helps body adapt to stressors) Species name somnifera means sleep-bearing Warming energetic; useful for people who are cold and tired

23 Common garden and food plants Rosemary Sage Garlic Thyme Hyssop Calendula Fennel Cayenne Ginger Horseradish Artichoke

24 Fennel Foeniculum vulgare Cultivation: Fast-growing perennial Full sun; tolerant of a range of garden conditions High weed potential due to pernicious roots and prolific seed

25 Fennel Foeniculum vulgare Harvest and Preparation: Gather seeds when fully ripe (just as they turn brown) Dry for tea or tincture Chew on seeds for digestive benefit

26 Fennel Foeniculum vulgare Uses: Digestive discomforts (nausea, bloating, gas, belching) Supports assimilation of food/nutrients Supports breast milk production

27 How to keep herbs local Get to know the plants that grow in your area instead of seeking out exotic plants Grow your own! Support local growers when possible

How to keep herbs local Focus on weeds, invasive species, and other abundant plants; avoid harvesting sensitive or threatened species Restore populations of medicinal plants that are

28 How to keep herbs local Focus on weeds, invasive species, and other abundant plants; avoid harvesting sensitive or threatened species Restore populations of medicinal plants that are threatened or endangered in their native habitats (goldenseal, ginseng, false unicorn root) and those that may become threatened by overharvesting (black cohosh, echinacea, baptisia).

29 Rosemary Gladstar Medicinal Herbs: a Beginner's Guide (and other books) Peg Schaffer Chinese Medicinal Herb Farm Matthew Woods The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism (and other books) Thomas Easley and Steven Horne: The Modern Herbal Dispensatory Leslie Braun and Mark Cohen Herbs and Natural Suplements: An Evidence-Based Guide Timothy Scott: Invasive Plant Medicine Melanie and Jeff Carpenter: The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer

30 United Plant Savers Toi Scott: queerherbalism.blogspot.com Michael Moore: Maryland Native Plant Society: www. mdflora.org Botanical Society of Washington: Jim McDonald: Henriette s Herbal: American Herbalist Guild: Kiva Rose:

31 United Plant Savers Toi Scott: queerherbalism.blogspot.com Michael Moore: Maryland Native Plant Society: www. mdflora.org Botanical Society of Washington: Jim McDonald: Henriette s Herbal: American Herbalist Guild: Kiva Rose:

32 Little Red Bird Botanicals Community Apothecary Locally-grown medicinal herbs Herbal wellness appointments Handcrafted herbal products Classes, workshops, and plant walks Open Wednesdays 4-7pm or by appointment th St NW DC in the Josephine Butler Parks Center

33 Herbal CSA May-November 2018 Memberships are available for the 2018 season

34 Upcoming classes: Community Herbalism (April/May) Herbal CSA (Monthly, May-Nov) Plant ID and botany (May 5th) Health-specific topics (see website) Holly Poole-Kavana (202)

Washington State Department of Agriculture Organic Program

Washington State Department of Agriculture Organic Program In accordance with USDA Organic Regulations - Title 7 CFR Part 205, National Organic Program - this Organic Certificate is issued to 1304 Meador