Despite being a very poisonous plant, people have used belladonna in many different ways throughout history.

While it has been used as a poison in the past, scientists today extract chemicals from belladonna for use in medicine. These chemicals, when used under a doctor’s supervision, can treat a range of afflictions, from excessive urination at night to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

What is belladonna?

The belladonna plant may also be called deadly nightshade.

Belladonna (Atropa belladonna) is a poisonous plant, native to parts of Asia and Europe. It is sometimes known as deadly nightshade.

Belladonna produces small, black berries that must not be eaten. Eating the berries or leaves can be deadly. Similar to poison ivy, a person whose skin comes into direct contact with the leaves may develop a rash.

In ancient times, people used belladonna for its toxic properties, as an oral poison or on the tips of…

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Ozark Encyclopedia – D – Dogwood

Chicory Root

Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs

You may know the chicory root as a popular coffee substitute. In fact, it was widely used during the Great Depression and World War II when coffee was in short supply or too expensive. Today, it is used around the world and in the US, particularly in New Orleans, as a natural caffeine-free substitute for coffee. However, it’s much more than a rich drink.

Chicory has a long history as a cleansing medicinal herb. In fact, the ancient Egyptians were known to consume large amounts of chicory to purify the liver and blood. Romans were also known to have used the root to help with blood purification. Medieval monks cultivated the plant, and it is widely used in Europe and the Mediterranean where it natively grows.

Called kasni in the Far East, chicory contains tannin phlobaphenes and several forms of sugar. The seeds have carminative and are useful as a…

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Ozark Encyclopedia – D – Dittany

United Plant Savers – The Future of Ginseng and Forest Botanicals

Source: United Plant Savers – The Future of Ginseng and Forest Botanicals

Alchemy of Fermentation Workshop | Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism

Valerie Blankenship, RH, AHG has over 24 years experience in the herbal field as a clinician, formulator, medicine maker and educator. She is

Source: Alchemy of Fermentation Workshop | Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism

Wild Roses

Good Witches Homestead

WILD ROSE

Fills your life with soft romance.
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Water
Love. Psychic Powers. Healing. Love Divination. Luck. Protection.

WILD ROSE MAGICK

Use rosehips in healing mixtures.

Drink rosebud tea to induce prophetic dreams.

Rosebushes grown in your garden will attract faeries.

Add rose water distilled from the petals to your bath water.

Wear a chaplet of roses, or place a single rose in a vase on your altar when performing love spells to enhance the love-magic.

Common Names: Wild Rose, Dog Rose, Briar Rose
Botanical Name: Rosa canina, Rosa spp.
Family: Rosaceae
Plant Type: Shrub
Parts Used: Petals, leaves, and hips
Flowering: June

Native to Europe and Asia, R. canina is also naturalized in North America. It grows wild in hedges, along roadsides, and at the edges of meadows and woodlands.

Description: Wild rose, or Dog Rose is a shrub with arched, downward-curving branches…

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Valerian Root for Insomnia and Anxiety — Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs

Valerian is a plant with mild sedative properties that is sold as a sleeping aid and to treat anxiety. But does it work? In the United States (U.S.), valerian dietary supplements are usually sold as sleeping aids. In Europe, people more often take them for restlessness and anxiety. There are actually over 250 valerian species, […]

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African Plant Extract Offers New Hope for Alzheimer’s

Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs

A plant extract used for centuries in traditional medicine in Nigeria could form the basis of a new drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease, researchers at The University of Nottingham have found.

Their study, published in the journal Pharmaceutical Biology, has shown that the extract taken from the leaves, stem, and roots of Carpolobia lutea, could help to protect chemical messengers in the brain which play a vital role in functions including memory and learning.

The tree extract could pave the way for new drugs to tackle patient symptoms but without the unwanted side-effects associated with some current treatments.

The study was led by Dr. Wayne Carter in the University’s Division of Medical Sciences and Graduate Entry Medicine, based at Royal Derby Hospital. He said: “As a population, we are living longer, and the number of people with dementia is growing at an alarming rate. Our findings suggest that…

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