Herbs and Christmas come together when I think about the gifts the wise men brought to Jesus according to the biblical accounts of Christ’s birth. Two were herbal, and one isn’t an herb, but does have medicinal properties. Frankincense is a resin that is very aromatic, taken from a tree with the botanical name Boswellia [...]
I remember being so excited when we were on a trip to Hawaii when we came upon a Noni tree with fruit in the wild. Thinking back, I don’t know if my actions were legal, but I picked one of the fruits, with the intention of taking it home and showing it to friends who [...]
This herb is found in the tropical rain forests of South America. If you look at the picture to the right, you’ll see where “Una de Gato” gets its common name, “Cat’s Claw”. The variety of Una de Gato we are looking at is Uncaria tomentosa, it’s medicinal properties more focused on stimulating the immune [...]
I have enjoyed this pretty plant in my garden, as well as come across it in the wild during “herb walks”. It is not hard to grow, and spreads if it is happy in it’s location. Though native of the Western United States, it can generally be found throughout the country. There is a legend [...]
This is a plant that we saw growing in the wild and in gardens over a year ago when we took a driving trip out west to my husband’s family in Colorado. The plants are abundant in the west and southwestern US and in Mexico. This particular variety of yucca is Yucca baccata, or “Banana [...]
