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Botanical name: Glycyrrhiza glabra Other name: radix glycyrrhizae Chinese licorice (or liquorice) root refers to the rhizome, or underground stem, of the plant Glycyrrhiza glabra. Indigenous to Asia, Turkey, and Greece, this plant’s dried roots bear a resemblance to small twigs, featuring a woody brown exterior and a pale yellowish interior. Medicinal Uses:

Botanical name: Stellaria media Linn Other name: starweed, satin flower, or mouse-ear The roots of common chickweed are shallow and characterized by a fibrous structure. This plant thrives in various soils but exhibits optimal growth in neutral pH soils with high nitrogen content. Conversely, it tends to struggle in low pH or acidic soils. Sticky…

Botanical name: Capsicum annuum Other name: chili pepper, chile pepper, hot pepper, and red chillies. Cayenne pepper, a variant of Capsicum annuum, is believed to have its roots in Cayenne, French Guiana. This spice is crafted by drying and grinding the fruits, ranging from orange to deep-red, and gains its distinctive piquant flavor from the…

Botanical name: Frangula purshiana Other name: cascara, cascara buckthorn, cascara sagrada, bearberry Cascara sagrada, translating to “sacred bark” in Spanish, has a historical legacy as a laxative employed by Native Americans for centuries. Embraced by Western medical practices in the 19th century, cascara sagrada continues to be a component in over-the-counter laxative formulations, frequently blended…

Botanical name: Elettaria cardamomum Other name: green cardamom or true cardamom Cardamom, derived from the seed pods of the cardamom plant, a close kin to ginger and turmeric, originates from South India. The triangular pods consist of spindle-shaped clusters of seeds encased in a thin outer shell, offering the option to savor them either whole…

Botanical name: Calendula officinalis Other name: Calendula, Calendula (Pot Marigold), Common Marigold, Garden Marigold, Gold bloom, Holligold, Marigold, Mary Bud, Pot Marigold, Ruddles Calendula is an annual plant that flourishes in nearly all types of soil, commonly spotted in Europe, Western Asia, and the United States. It shares familial ties with daisies, chrysanthemums, and ragweed.…

Botanical name: Ruscus aculeatus Other name: knee holly or piaranthus The Butcher’s broom root is commonly used by steeping it as tea or extracting its essence. Belonging to the lily (Liliaceae) family, it is also known as box holly. The usual method of preparing the dried root involves making tea or an extract. For a…

Botanical name: Bupleuri Radix Other name: chai hu The utilization of Bupleurum root dates back to ancient times, appreciated for its role in promoting liver functions and serving as a tonic for the spleen and stomach. In Chinese herbalism, there exist more formulations centered around Bupleurum than any other herb. A common practice involves incorporating…

Botanical name: Borago officinalis Other name: starflower Borage, also recognized as starflower, is an annual herb belonging to the Boraginaceae family of flowering plants. Indigenous to the Mediterranean region, this herb, despite containing minor quantities of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, boasts edible parts, and its seeds are a source of oil. Medicinal Uses:

Botanical name: Juglans nigra Other name: eastern black walnut and American walnut The root system of the walnut tree is expansive, with a deep and wide-spreading structure that includes a distinct taproot, particularly during its early years. An example of this is evident in a 9-year-old walnut tree extracted from an Indiana plantation, where the…