Harpagophytum procumbens
Sprawling perennial with distinctive hooked, claw-like seed pods, native to the arid regions of southern Africa.
Anethum graveolens
A feathery-leaved annual in the carrot family, valued both for its fresh fronds (dill weed) and its aromatic seed, widely…
Echinacea purpurea
Native prairie perennial with large purple-pink daisy-like flowers.
Sambucus nigra
Deciduous shrub with clusters of white flowers followed by dark purple berries.
The creamy-white, fragrant flower clusters of the same plant whose berries are already in this library as Elderberry — harvested…
Inula helenium
Tall, stately perennial with large leaves and big yellow daisy-like flowers, grown for its thick aromatic root.
Eleutherococcus senticosus
Spiny deciduous shrub; root is the medicinal part, distinct from true Panax ginseng.
Euphrasia officinalis
A small, semi-parasitic annual wildflower with tiny white flowers streaked with purple and a yellow throat, growing low in grasslands…
Foeniculum vulgare
Tall aromatic perennial with feathery leaves and yellow flower umbels; seeds are the medicinal part.
Trigonella foenum-graecum
An annual legume with clover-like leaves and small, angular yellow-brown seeds, one of the oldest cultivated spice and medicinal plants.
Tanacetum parthenium
Bushy perennial with small daisy-like flowers and yellow-green, feathery, strongly-scented leaves.
Linum usitatissimum
A slender annual with delicate blue flowers, grown for both its fiber (linen) and its small, oil-rich brown or golden…
Allium sativum
Bulbous perennial grown as an annual for its pungent cloves.
Gentiana lutea
A tall alpine perennial with smooth oval leaves and clusters of bright yellow star-shaped flowers, prized for its thick, intensely…
Zingiber officinale
Tropical perennial grown for its aromatic underground rhizome.
Ginkgo biloba
Ancient deciduous tree with distinctive fan-shaped leaves.
Panax ginseng
A slow-growing woodland perennial with a distinctive forked, humanlike taproot, palmate leaves, and small red berries, cultivated primarily for its…
Hydrastis canadensis
Low woodland perennial with a single large lobed leaf and small greenish flower, prized for its bright yellow root.
Centella asiatica
A small, ground-hugging perennial with fan-shaped leaves, native to wetlands and low-lying areas throughout tropical Asia. Not related to the…
Camellia sinensis
An evergreen shrub whose young leaves and leaf buds are harvested and minimally processed (unlike black tea, which is fully…
Crataegus laevigata
Small thorny tree or shrub with white spring flowers and red berries in fall.
Hibiscus sabdariffa
Tropical/subtropical shrub grown for its tart red calyces.
Ocimum tenuiflorum
Aromatic annual/perennial basil relative, sacred in Ayurvedic tradition.
Marrubium vulgare
Woolly-leaved perennial with a distinctive musky scent and small white flowers in tight whorls.
Aesculus hippocastanum
A large ornamental shade tree with palmate leaves, upright clusters of white flowers in spring, and glossy brown seeds encased…
Armoracia rusticana
A hardy perennial root vegetable in the mustard family, valued for its intensely pungent root, which releases sharp, sinus-clearing compounds…
Equisetum arvense
An ancient, non-flowering perennial fern relative with hollow, jointed, bamboo-like stems that are notably rich in silica, giving them a…
Hyssopus officinalis
A semi-woody perennial in the mint family with narrow, aromatic leaves and spikes of small blue-purple flowers, historically significant in…
Impatiens capensis
A tender annual wildflower with translucent, watery stems and distinctive orange, spotted, trumpet-shaped flowers that dangle like jewels, followed by…
Pueraria montana var. lobata
A fast-growing, vigorous climbing vine with a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine, notorious in North America as…
Lavandula angustifolia
Woody perennial shrub with narrow gray-green leaves and purple flower spikes.
Melissa officinalis
Bushy mint-family perennial with lemon-scented leaves.
Aloysia citrodora
Deciduous shrub with narrow, intensely lemon-scented leaves.
Glycyrrhiza glabra
Perennial legume with a long sweet root, the source of natural licorice flavor.
Hericium erinaceus
Distinctive white, shaggy mushroom with long cascading spines rather than gills, resembling a waterfall or a lion's mane.
Lepidium meyenii
A low-growing biennial in the cabbage/broccoli family, cultivated for its turnip-like root, which ranges from cream to reddish-purple depending on…
Origanum majorana
A tender perennial herb closely related to oregano, with a milder, sweeter, more delicate flavor than its more pungent cousin.
Althaea officinalis
Tall perennial with soft velvety leaves and pale pink flowers; root is mucilage-rich.
Filipendula ulmaria
Tall perennial with feathery leaves and dense, fragrant creamy-white flower clusters with an almond-like scent.
Silybum marianum
Tall thistle with distinctive white-veined leaves and purple flower heads; seeds are the medicinal part.
