Growing herbs for medicinal purposes can be a very rewarding outdoor activity. By growing their own medicinal herbs, people can feel more connected to the medicine they take while participating in an age-old hobby - gardening.
"People are growing herbs now more for pleasure, kind of like growing vegetables," says Chris Hafner, LAc, an associate clinic faculty member at Northwestern Health Sciences University in Bloomington, Minn. "People find pleasure in picking an herb from the earth and using it to make a tea for themselves or for their children as a medicine."
Some medicinal herbs that can be easily grown and maintained in the Midwest are echinacea, yarrow, and catnip, according to Hafner.
Echinacea, which is also known as purple coneflower or black sampson, is an immune system booster, says Hafner. It can be used to relieve toothaches, fevers, and to cleanse the blood. People also use the herb at the first stages of a cold or flu to ward off symptoms and to shorten the illness's duration. Echinacea seeds, as well as other medicinal herb seeds, can be purchased at most plant stores, nurseries and occasionally at farmer's markets.
Echinacea seeds should be planted in a sunny, relatively moist area. The plants can grow up to five feet tall, and produce a dense patch of purple or white flowers all summer long. To use echinacea, dig up the roots in the late fall a few years after it is first planted. Hang upside down or place on a drying rack to completely dry. Most herbs require 90- to 100- degree temperatures to properly dry. After it's dried, the root can be eaten.
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Yarrow, which is also known as milfoil or soldier's woundwort, is a popular herb used to treat fevers, colds, and flu. It can also be used to sooth skin irritations, rashes, and minor cuts and burns. Yarrow should be planted in dry, sandy soil in sunny locations. It grows up to three feet tall and produces small white flowers.
Yarrow must be harvested in full bloom. To use externally, mash up fresh yarrow leaves and apply to a wound or sprinkle the dried flowers, stems, and leaves over skin irritations. Also, tea can be made from the dried plant.
Catnip, a member of the mint family, has a calming effect on people - unlike its effect on cats. It can be used for stomach upsets and is often combined with chamomile to treat fevers and the initial stages of colds and flu. It is also used to treat restlessness and ease emotional tension. The catnip plant has green-grey leaves and grows up to 3 feet high. Tea can be made from the dried leaves and flower tops. For best results, do not boil the tea leaves, but add them to a cup of already boiled water.
For more advanced gardeners, Hafner recommends growing chamomile and peppermint.
Chamomile, which has a calming effect, is used to sooth fevers, digestive upsets, and to treat teething and stomach pains in children. A low-growing plant that produces small white flowers, chamomile must be planted in a sunny area. To use, add chamomile blossoms to a warm bath or use the dried plant to make tea.
Peppermint, which also has calming properties, aids in cooling the body. It relieves fevers, skin irritations, and indigestion, and it can stimulate circulation in the body, according to Hafner. Peppermint requires moist soil and part-sun to shady areas to grow. It can grow up to four feet tall and has small purple flowers and bright green leaves. The leaves can be dried to make tea or used externally as a wash.
Growing your own medicinal herbs can be a rewarding way to connect with natural medicines. Once a garden of herbs is established, only a small amount of maintenance is required, adds Hafner. For more natural health care tips, visit http://www.nw
health.edu/healthyU.
