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hibiscus
Botanical name: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
Other common names: Rose of Sharon, Rose Mallow, Roselle
Earliest recorded use: Bible approximately 950 BC in the book Song of Solomon. Also known as Karkade tea is argued to have been the preferred drink of the ancient Pharaohs, mentioned in the Ebers Papyrus for its medicinal properties dated 1550 BC.
From the Malvaceae, the mallows family. Hibiscus is on my top ten, well I try to have a top ten but it’s more a top 20. God created perfection everywhere….it’s difficult to pick! A fantastic herb to include in daily use, especially as tea, it has a great flavor unlike many herbs. It helps one way or another with every system in your body. Only the flowers are used.
Avoid people with low blood pressure, prolonged use of very high doses may cause damage to the liver and kidneys, and lower sperm count.
Hibiscus constituents include but are not limited to anthocyanins, flavonoids, lipids, terpenoids, steroids, polysaccharides, amino acids, quinones, alkaloids, carotenoids, vitamins, and minerals.
Its potential health benefits include but are not limited to anemia, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, anti-hyperlipidemic, diuretic, antimicrobial, antioxidants, and antibacterial.
Mentions in the Bible
Song of Solomon 2:1 1 I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys
Most common ways to use teas, tinctures and oxymel.
Tendencies and energetics drying.
HORSETAIL
Botanical name: Equisetum arvense
Other common names: Snakeweed and Scouring Rush
Earliest recorded uses: In the 1 first century AD the Greek Dioscorides mentions horsetail then called plant hippouris in the encyclopedia De Materia Medica, still used today.
Horsetail is in the Equisetaceae family, it has its own family with 15 species worldwide. They are vascular plants that reproduce by spores. They are practically indestructible, so if they grow on your property learn to embrace them. The young tan male shoots come up first they are considered a delicacy and can be prepared like asparagus. You want to harvest before the fronds drop past the horizon. Older horsetail is too high in silica for human use. It should only be used for 4 weeks on and 4 weeks off because it can leach vitamin B from your system.
Avoid prolonged use due to horsetail's ability to deplete B1 vitamins, some herbalists use a B complex vitamin to make up for the loss, avoid it during pregnancy and nursing.
Horsetail constituents include but are not limited to silicic acid, phenolic acid, saponins, glycosides, alkaloids, caffeic acid ester, carotenes, tannins, vitamins, and minerals.
Its potential health benefits include but are not limited to increasing connective tissue tone and resistance, diuretic, astringent, styptic, and vulnerary.
Most common ways to use teas, food, tincture and infused oils.
Tendencies or energetics cooling and drying.
Lavender
Botanical name: Lavandula angustifolia
Other common names: Named after where they are from with over 400 spices most commonly used and grown is English and French
Earliest recorded uses: Bible approximately 950 BC in the book Song of Solomon. Ancient Romans used for healing, antiseptic and as an insect deterrent. The first written text is from Greek physician Dioscorides in his work De Materia Medica around 77 AD using internally and externally.
Lavender is part of the Lamiaceae family or the mint family, one of the largest with over 7,000 species. The uses of lavender are endless. Although it is known to be calming it also improves mental alertness and may increase mental accuracy all at the same time. A highly used essential oil, but is easily made into an infused or macerated oil at home because of so many natural oils in plant. Lavender and Spikenard are thought to be the same in the Bible by some, some think it is two different herbs. Some say only one was used at a time, some say both lavender and spikenard were used together. Eventually, lavender was removed leaving just spikenard or nard in the Bible. You will see the same Biblical information on both herbs....until I learn differently.
Avoid during pregnancy due to emmenagogue effects unless used under a qualified health care professional.
Lavender constituents include but are not limited to camphor, linalyl acetate, linalool, dominate, lavandulyl acetate, terpine-4-ol, limonene, tannins, vitamins, and minerals.
Its potential medical benefits include but are not limited to anti-inflammatory, spasmolytic, carminative, antidepressant, hypnotic, diuretic, anxiolytic, antimicrobial, stomachic, and aromatherapy.
Mention in the Bible-
John12:3 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
Song of Solomon 4:13-14 13 Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates with choice fruits, with henna and nard, 14 nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with every kind of incense tree, with myrrh and aloes and all the finest spices.
Mark 14:3 3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
Most common ways to use are essential oil, infused oil, tea, tincture, diffused, and cooking.
Tendencies or energetics cooling and drying.
lemon balm
Botanical name: Melissa officinalis
Other common names: English Balm, Sweet Balm, Melissa Balm
Earliest recorded uses: Theophrastus a Greek scholar mentioned it his work, Historia Plantarum around 300 BC. He called it “honey-leaf”.
Lemon balm is part of the Lamiaceae or mint family, one of the largest with over 7,000 species. Lemon balm has been cultivated for thousands of years to feed bees. Lemon balm is a must have in your apothecary, very safe multi-use herb for everyone.
Avoid with hypothyroidism and pregnancy unless under a qualified healthcare professional.
Lemon balms constituents include but are not limited to citral, carvacrol, citronella, geraniol, geranyl acetate, flavonoids, monoterpene glycosides, aldehydes, vitamins, and minerals.
Its potential health benefits include but are not limited to vasodilating hypotensive, sedative, nervine, mild antidepressant, carminative, diaphoretic, antiviral, antioxidant, and antithyroid.
Most common ways to use are tea, tincture, oxymel and cooking.
Tendencies or energetics warming.