Berry, bud or root?
How odd, there is a berry in my tea, and a twig and a leaf and a pod...
As ancient as the earth, decocting herbs in water has been enjoyed in herbal traditons and rituals right across the globe. This ritual has been carried into our homes in the form of a humble cup of tea and is one of the simplest ways to bring herbal medicine into our lives and a well steeped herbal brew can calm an upset tummy, calm an anxious mind or soothe an achey joint.
Often with herbs there is one or two parts of the plant that carries the medical properties we desire. This varies from plant to plant and is often determined from both traditional herbal practices and modern research into active constituents. Take for instance the delightful little dandelion plant that pops up in your garden every Spring. The roots support our liver, the leaves our lymphatics and the flowers... well they just make us smile.
And this is where I think Herbal Medicine gets fun, not all parts of a plant are created equal and one day you may be slowly decocting a nourishing root over the stove and the next quickly steeping a blossom in a cup of hot water.
Below are the Apothecary's favourite herbs, one from each part of the plant.
Leaf: Scullcap
Scuttelleria latiflora
You will rarely leave the Apothecary without some Scullcap in hand, from the Headache linement to a herbal tonic for stress, Scullcap is my current herbal crush. It is a deep acting restorative nervine which helps when our bodies are under stress. Scullcap grounds a stressed body and clears an anxious mind out of the way to allow for a deep restful sleep. With its strong affinity for the feminine, it is a beautiful herb for women to brew before bed.
Seed: Fennel
Foeniculum vulgare
The dainty little Fennel seed with its aromatic volatile oils is the perfect brew to have after dinner when we have had just a little too much to eat. Known as an aromatic digestive, it encourages peristalsis and motility to relieve cramping, bloating and gas. A heabal blend of fennel, licorice and peppermint is the perfect way to finish a meal.
Berry: Schisandra
Schisandra
Imagine the sensation from all five flavours exploding in your mouth at once; this is the unique taste of a herb that we know and love, known as Schisandra. This is the type of herb you reach into the jar and pick a berry out, just for a little nibble. The mysterious little schisandra berry can be a little complexing for a herbalist, as it is a tonifying herb, said to act on the organ where it is needed. It is Schisandra affinity for balancing and tonifying the organs that opens it up for use for a myriad of uses from balancing of menopausal symptoms to promoting vitality and sex drive.
Root: Astragalus
Astragalus membranous
With its roots stemming back centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Astragalus is treasured amongst herbalists. Whilst we often think of Echinacea for a cold or flu, Astragalus is the herb we reach for to prevent the cold from taking hold. It is beautiful at supporting a depleted immune system and fatigued body over the winter month's. The root of Astragalusis benifits from a long, slow decoction and would combine beautifully in a nourishing broth of medicinal mushrooms.
Flower: Chamomile
Chamomilla recutitia
And how could we talk about herbal teas be without inviting the mother of all herbs to join us, the bright and cheerful Chamomile flower. With its little yellow buds and delicate white petals Chamomile has made itself at home in most kitchen cupboards you visit. With its nurturing and grounding properties, it lends itself beautifully to support adult and child alike to calm an upset tummy, quieten a sleepy body and mind to allow sleep and soothe a sore throat.
