Trifolium pratense
Common perennial legume with rounded pink-purple flower heads.
Ganoderma lucidum
Woody bracket fungus with a glossy reddish-brown cap, grown on hardwood logs.
Rosa canina
The round fruit left behind on a rose bush after the flower fades, typically bright red to orange, and one…
Crocus sativus
A small flowering crocus with purple petals and three deep-red stigmas per flower, which are hand-harvested and dried to become…
Smilax ornata
"Sarsaparilla" refers to several related Smilax species; this entry documents Smilax ornata, the most common commercially available species — a…
Serenoa repens
A low, shrubby fan palm with fan-shaped, spiny-stemmed fronds and dark blue-black berries, native to the coastal southeastern United States.
Schisandra chinensis
Woody vine with clusters of red berries, prized in Traditional Chinese herbal practice for its complex flavor.
Prunella vulgaris
Low-growing mint-family perennial with small purple, hooded flowers in tight cylindrical clusters, common in lawns and meadows.
Sesamum indicum
An annual flowering plant grown for its small, oil-rich seeds, one of the oldest cultivated oilseed crops in human history.
Asparagus racemosus
A climbing, woody perennial in the asparagus family, traditionally valued in Ayurveda for its root, particularly in women's traditional wellness…
Lentinula edodes
A rich, savory culinary and traditional mushroom with a distinctive umbrella-shaped brown cap, traditionally cultivated on hardwood logs.
Scutellaria lateriflora
Slender wetland perennial with small blue-purple, helmet-shaped flowers.
Ulmus rubra
Deciduous tree; the inner bark is the traditionally used part.
Hypericum perforatum
Perennial with small yellow star-shaped flowers; leaves show tiny translucent oil glands when held to light.
Illicium verum
A star-shaped, dried fruit pod from an evergreen tree, prized for its sweet, licorice-like flavor — genuinely distinct from anise…
Artemisia dracunculus
An aromatic perennial herb prized for its distinctive anise-like flavor, a classic in French cuisine. This entry documents culinary French…
Prunus cerasus
A smaller, more sour relative of the sweet cherry, with bright red fruit traditionally dried, juiced, or made into concentrate…
Trametes versicolor
Thin, fan-shaped bracket fungus with concentric bands of color, growing in overlapping clusters on dead hardwood.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Low, trailing evergreen shrub with small leathery leaves and red berries, native to cold northern climates.
Valeriana officinalis
Tall perennial with clusters of small pink-white flowers; root has a distinctive strong odor.
Vanilla planifolia
A climbing orchid vine whose fermented and cured seed pods (vanilla "beans") produce one of the world's most recognizable and…
Verbena officinalis
Slender perennial with small, sparse lilac flowers on tall wiry stems, historically considered a sacred herb in several cultures.
Eutrema japonicum
A genuinely rare, difficult-to-cultivate plant native to Japanese mountain streams, whose grated rhizome produces the true wasabi condiment. Worth knowing…
Salix alba
Large deciduous tree with narrow silvery-green leaves, native along riverbanks and wet areas.
Prunus serotina
Large deciduous tree with dark, fissured bark and clusters of small white spring flowers; the inner bark is the traditionally…
Dioscorea villosa
Twining perennial vine with heart-shaped leaves and a tuberous root.
Betonica officinalis
Low mint-family perennial with a rosette of scalloped leaves and spikes of small pink-purple flowers.
Achillea millefolium
Perennial with feathery leaves and flat-topped clusters of small white flowers.
Rumex crispus
Perennial weed with distinctive curly-edged leaves and a deep taproot.
Ilex paraguariensis
An evergreen holly species native to South America, whose dried, roasted leaves are traditionally steeped to make a caffeine-containing infusion,…
