A funny thing happened on the way to the forest... (Sorry, old movie title, tweaked)

Imagine you are walking along a not so well traveled path through a wooded meadow. Near the forest in the partial shade grows a plant called Urtica dioica. You think nothing of it (unless you are experienced with this plant) and might come a bit too close, brushing your hand or bare leg up against its softly toothed mint-like leaves.

Suddenly, your hand or leg is on fire! You have just brushed up against stinging nettles. The tiny hollow spines which cover the leaves and stems contain formic acid, a chemical similar to that in bee stings. The tips of these tiny hypodermics break easily, leaving the unsuspecting visitor in a fair amount of discomfort!!

An inexperienced traveler might just suffer or retreat, hoping to end the hike or look for a stream to cool the burn of the reddening welts. But I am going to help you to look around for a "cure". 

You see, nature was wise in how plants distribute and grow. And depending on your location you will find an antidote for the problem. In the case of Nettles, you might find within just a few steps, Plantain or Bracken Fern. Plantain, most notably, is an astringent herb and when crushed, releases its chemical constituents to draw out and neutralize the formic acid. The same is pretty much true of Bracken fern.

Mother Nature supplies

I love this. So much. Mother Nature in her wisdom distributes her wealth right in our own backyards. Healing and nourishing herbs grow all around us. Unless you poison them, you will find dandelion, plantain, chickweed, cleavers, burdock volunteering all over the place. Next time you are tempted to pull the chickweed, think about saving it! 

And please, please, please don't poison. You may need it sooner than you think.

As a matter of fact, there are many herbalists of the old school philosophy who will make landscape blends. In other words, they will gather some of several plants which are growing in a plot of land and make a combination which serves uniquely for that area. In my own backyard, I could gather, even in mid February, chickweed in abundance. And I saw plantain growing in the packed gravel of my driveway. To say nothing of the dandelions. Well, that is an instant drawing salve!!

I hope you will never see them the same way again!

The point of all this

We don't need to go far - the Amazonian jungles, Asia or even across the country - to find what we need. 

I was so encouraged to find out that Oregon Grape root is an excellent source for berberine and can serve very nearly as well as the now endangered Goldenseal. AND Oregon Grape grows easily in landscapes and is found growing in ditches and semi-shaded areas near where I live.

Another example of an at risk plant, Arnica Montana. Arnica's fame is unquestioned and is used worldwide as a healer of soft tissue and bruises. Found in many ointments and homeopathic medicines, Arnica is being over used. Once something hits the public that is can "cure" something, every one and their brother is making a product that contains said ingredient. 

Thankfully, Mother Nature has supplied herbs which accomplish the same thing. In Arnica's case, its cousin, Arnica Chamissonis. What is even more exciting for me is that while a. montana loves to grow in higher elevations, a. chamissonis grows well in lower elevations! I have a bed all prepared for planting out my a. chamissonis plantlings. 

Next time you go for a walk, well, anywhere, look around. If you have a smart phone, do an image search and within minutes I bet you'll find out you just located an herbal treasure chest. 

Red clover volunteering on the easement. On the ground near the mailbox, horsetail. Next to the water spigot, chickweed. In the orchard, wild rose and comfrey. Behind the old chicken house, nettles. 

Nature provides. You just need to know just how abundant is her provision