4 of My Favorite Medicinals: Thyme, Plantain, Prunella (Heal-All, Self-heal), and Turkey Rhubarb

If you are afraid that you cannot identify wild edibles, have you ever considered purchasing seed from a reputable seed company? Of course you can!

When the exceptionally cold weather killed our rosemary plant and strawberries last winter, Bella and I decided to redo our round (6 foot) galvanized water tank bed with wild edibles.

We did keep the thyme. It is super hardy and survived the 0 degree temperature. It is really rare for us to get temps that low here in Mississippi. Almost unheard of. The thyme in this photo was started from seed 3 years ago.

And did you know? Many of the plants we consider to be wild edibles today are not really wild at all! They were essentials brought over by the first European settlers. As time moved on, they naturalized here in the United States. Today, most people get their food at the grocery store, and do not recognize these plants that were a staple in the diet of our ancestors.

Back in the early 60’s, I remember my grandmother talking about all of the old people eating something she called Dock. Turns out, this is a common “weed” still found in yards and fields today. It is Curly Dock. So much of it grows wild in my area that I did not bother to transplant it. But it is a good source of food and has many medicinal qualities.

Another “weed” that my grandmother cooked was “poke salad.” She could not wait for the plants to shoot up in the spring. She loved it! Nanny cautioned me to always boil it in three changes of water–she said it would make you VERY SICK if you didn’t. I have read where many people skip this step. I always follow my grandmother’s advice on any “wild” food that I prepare regardless of what I read or what others do. I am afraid not to!

But back to Bella’s galvanized stock tank bed. Here are the four plants that we decided to grow:

1. THYME

Although we think of thyme as a culinary herb, it also has many medicinal and health benefits. The flowers and leaves (dried or fresh) have been use since Roman times.

According to Medicinal News Today, thyme may have antibacterial, insecticidal, and anti-fungal properties.

Several recent studies suggest that thyme may help protect against many types of cancer including colon cancer and breast cancer.

• ACNE: Thyme is known for its antibacterial properties. To fight acne, make a tincture by soaking thyme in alcohol for several weeks. Apply like any medication to help control acne.
• HEART HEALTH / may help lower blood pressure
• DRY COUGH / make a tea
• INSECT REPELLENT / place few sprigs between stored linens to prevent insect damage
• DIGESTIVE AID
• IMMUNITY BOOSTER / helps ward off colds and flu by boosting the immune system
• PAIN AND INFLAMMATION / anti-inflammatory

Thyme Herbal Tea

Place 2 tsp of dried herb and flower in 1 C. boiling water and steep for 10 minutes. If you do not like the taste of thyme, add a sprig of mint or several buds of cloves. Drink 2-3 cups per day.

If you would like to try thyme tea and don’t won’t to wait to grow your own thyme, here is a link to an organic thyme tea. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  This means, if you click on a link on my blog and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.  THANK YOU for helping me start a college fund for Bella!  ORGANIC THYME HERBAL TEA

Culinary uses for Thyme:

Thyme is used to season soups and sauces. It can be used as a flavorful addition to rice, potatoes, vegetables, and breads. You can spice up something as simple as boiled, buttered potatoes and serve a dish that people will rave over! And just by sprinkling on a dash of dried or fresh thyme.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  This means, if you click on a link on my blog and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.  THANK YOU for helping me start a college fund for Bella!  Here is a quick link to THYME SEED.

Adding other Wild Edibles / Medicinals

2. PLANTAIN

The first plant we added is Plantain, a native to North America. It grows in most areas of the United States, Canada, and around the world. Some say there are as many as 200 species. None are poisonous. All are edible.

There is also a European variety that is very common and has naturalized here. Legend has it that the Native American Indians called this plant “White Man’s Foot” because everywhere there were white settlers, the plant popped up.

There are two varieties of Plantain that grow wild in our area, narrow leaf plantain (English plantain) and broad leaf plantain. We chose to transplant the broadleaf. It grows wild all over our yard, but I wanted some handy in a raised bed.

Bella and I dug some up and transplanted it. We chose small plants and kept them watered. They never even knew that they were moved, so it transplants very well!

If you are not sure that you can identify the wild plant, I would recommend ordering seeds. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  This means, if you click on a link on my blog and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.  THANK YOU for helping me start a college fund for Bella!  PLANTAIN SEED Although we have not transplanted it yet, the NARROW LEAF PLANTAIN also has many medicinal properties.

Both broad leaf and narrow leaf plantain are hardy perennial plants, and once established, will return every year. They grow in zones 3-12. Here in our zone 7, plantain is almost evergreen.

How to Eat Plantain

1. Tender young leaves can be eaten raw in salads. As the plants get older during late spring and summer, you will need to remove the stringy midribs and veins and steam the leaves until tender.
2. The leaves can be added to dishes such as lasagna or used in casseroles.
3. Young tender seed heads can be used in stir fry dishes or steamed and buttered like asparagus.
4. The leaves can be salted and baked until crisp and make excellent, healthy chips.
5. The seeds can be sprinkled on bread before baking or added to the batter of quick breads such as banana bread. The best time to gather plantain seed is in late summer after they have already dried on the plant. Store in an airtight container.
6. You can also make a tea from plantain. Use the leaves and the seed heads. They can be dried or used green for tea.

Common Medicinal uses for Plantain

• BURNS AND INSECT BITES–apply the whole leaf to affected area / make salves / use plantain tea
• BRONCHITIS–steep 1/2 t. dried leaves in 1 C. hot water / drink 2-3 cups a day
• SOOTHES COUGH / steep 1/2 t. dried leaves in 1 C. hot water
• SKIN DISORDERS / POISON IVY– draws out poisons and reduces inflammation / apply whole leaf
• URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS / anti-inflammatory, tissue-healing / use tea
• May reduce blood sugar and blood pressure
• Anti-inflamatory properties

How to prepare for Medicinal purposes

• POULTICES / crush leaves and make a moist mass to apply to cuts, burns, insect bites
• TEAS / (use dried or green leaves) 1/2 to 1 t. to 1 C. boiling water–steep
• DEHYDRATE / add to oils and salves / make tinctures

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  This means, if you click on a link on my blog and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.  THANK YOU for helping me start a college fund for Bella!  Here is a quick link to a popular PLANTAIN TEA that is organic.

Precautions

From everything I have read, plantain is safe for almost everyone. There are no known precautions. As with any new food, if you notice a reaction, discontinue use and see a doctor. Take extreme care when using any herb or supplement with children. Pregnant or nursing mothers should avoid all herbs and supplements unless advised by a physician.

3. PRUNELLA (Self heal / Heal All)

I guess my all time favorite wild edible / medicinal plant is prunella. I have loved the pretty purple flowers since I was a child–even though back then I had no idea that the plant was edible, much less that it had medicinal qualities. Bees love these flowers too, so they bring in an abundance of pollinators.

How to eat Prunella

The entire plant is edible–flowers, leaves, and stems. They can be eaten raw or cooked. The leaves and stems are best picked in early spring before they bloom. That is when they are most tender. They can be added to salads and taste a lot like romaine lettuce.

Later in the year, the leaves can be added to soups and stews or added to lasagna rather than spinach.

I am not positive that I can identify this plant when it is not in bloom, so that is the main reason that I transplanted it into our raised bed. Here in Mississippi, we get a wave of purple blooms in May or early June, and then the rare bloom later. Also, in a raised bed, I can keep it well watered. When watered, it will produce flowers from May to August, and I like to dry the flowers for tea.

Here in the south, we are big sweet tea drinkers (iced tea). My husband says that he prefers prunella tea to the plain black tea traditionally used to make iced tea. And you don’t have to worry about any insecticides or chemicals found in store bought tea.

Health Benefits of Prunella (Self-heal, Heal-All)

Many Native American tribes used prunella for a variety of ailments ranging from treatments for fever, sore throats, coughs, colds, diarrhea, as an eye wash, and numerous other health problems.

According to the College of Pharmacy at the University of Iowa, East Asian countries used it in the treatment of urinary diseases and hypertension. A study performed there at the University of Iowa shows that prunella does have some antiviral properties. This article stated that an herbalist paper published in 1597 advised to mix prunella with oil and vinegar and dab on forehead for headaches.

How much medicinal knowledge have we lost over the centuries? To pill pushers that do more harm than good. My Opinion! Scientists are currently studying prunella’s antibiotic and antioxidant properties, as well as its potential to lower high blood pressure and treat tumors.

Other Health Benefits of Prunella

• anti-inflammatory
• anti-cancer properties
• regulating blood sugar (diabetes)
• High in antioxidants

PRUNELLA TEA RECIPE

Place 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried self-heal leaves or flowers into a cup of hot water. Steep the tea for an hour. Drink 2-3 cups per day.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  This means, if you click on a link on my blog and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.  THANK YOU for helping me start a college fund for Bella!  I am providing links for PRUNELLA SEED and for PRUNELLA TEA (Self-Heal).

PRECAUTIONS

From everything I have read, prunella is safe for almost everyone. There are no known precautions. As with any new food, if you notice a reaction, discontinue use and see a doctor. Take extreme care when using any herb or supplement with children. Pregnant or nursing mothers should avoid all herbs and supplements unless advised by a physician.

4. Turkey Rhubarb

Turkey Rhubarb or Turkish Rhubarb is one of the main ingredients in Rene Caisse’s Essiac Tea Recipe used to fight cancer. If you have not read about her, it would be well worth your time!

Turkey Rhubarb has been used for over 2000 years in Chinese medicine. (Traditional and alternative)

For most effectiveness, the plants needs to be at least 6 years old, and the roots should be harvested in September and October.

The other main ingredient in her Essiac Tea recipe is Sheep Sorrel. I ordered seed for this plant from two different companies, but was not successful in germination the Sheep Sorrel. However, every single seed for the Turkey Rhubarb germinated!

These Turkey Rhubarb plants are so beautiful, I would grow it just as an ornamental! But Bella and I decided to dedicate two of our raised beds to medicinal plants this year. Turkey Rhubarb is medicinal, but not considered a wild edible. And hey, rhubarb pie is the BEST!

A word of ADVICE! I ordered 10 of these seeds. They were quite expensive–like almost a dollar a seed. Every single seed germinated, and the little plants were absolutely beautiful. I started transplanting them out one at a time. Each time I transplanted, the seedling died.

I let them get a little bigger. They still died! The last one I transplanted was 6 inches tall and perfectly healthy. Within two days, it died as well. I cried. LOL.

I would advise you if planting these seeds, to plant them in the spot where you intend to grow them and NOT try to transplant them. I have heard of plants that will just not transplant. This must be one of them.

How to Eat Turkey Rhubarb

The stems of Turkey Rhubarb can be prepared like any other rhubarb in the spring, but the LEAVES ARE TOXIC! All rhubarb leaves are TOXIC!

The root and underground stem (rhizome) of the Turkey Rhubarb is the part used for medicinal purposes.

Health Benefits of Turkey Rhubarb

According to WebMD, people use Turkey Rhubarb for the following conditions:

• diarrhea
• stomach pain
• indigestion
• symptoms of menoause
• menstrual cramps
• obesity
• swelling of the pancreas

Possibly Effective in Treating Various other Health Problems:

• strong purgative to cleanse the system
• cancer
• high cholestrerol
• hypertension

The National Cancer Institute states that it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects in its definition.

I ordered these seed mainly because I wanted to grow all of the ingredients for the Essiac Tea. I will definitely try again with the Sheep Sorrel next year as I have been unsuccessful in locating it wild here where I live.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  This means, if you click on a link on my blog and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.  THANK YOU for helping me start a college fund for Bella!  I am providing several links here that I thought you might be interested in. Essiac Tea. and Sheep Sorrel Seeds

If you decide that Essiac Tea is something that you would like to try, make sure that you choose a brand that includes the ROOTS of the seep sorrel plant. According to Rene Cassie, the nurse who developed the tea from a recipe shared with her by a Native American Medicine Man, the root is the main part with the medicinal value. No root, no medicine. I have only had personal experience with the Blue Moon brand, and it is what I would recommend. Other brands may work as well, but be sure they include a high percentage of root before you order.

PRECAUTIONS

I looked up the possible side effects of Turkey Rhubarb on WebMD. The root is stated to be possibly safe in medicinal amounts when taken for up to 2 years.

According to this article, Turkey Rhubarb does not cause most people problems when taken in medicinal amounts. Some possible side effects listed were stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, cramps and vomiting.

As with all medicinal herbs and supplements, pregnant and nursing women should not consume without close supervision by a physician. And as always, take extreme care with children.

Starting Plants from Seeds

I start most of my seeds inside. I tried the grow lights that clip onto the table top, but I did not like them. For one thing, they were too small. And the adjustable stems were so long that it was hard to get the light close enough to the emerging seedlings. It is very important to position your grow light as close to your seedling as possible without actually touching it. This will help prevent leggy, spindly seedlings.

I use a full spectrum GROW LIGHT BULB that you can screw into an ordinary table lamp. I am going to provide a link to the one I use and a link to a TABLE LAMP that is similar.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  This means, if you click on a link on my blog and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.  THANK YOU for helping me start a college fund for Bella!  There is a link that I would like to share to a 7 PIECE GARDEN TOOL SET that I absolutely love. I thought you might like it too.

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