Wyld Crafting: the herbs

The last post was all about Wyld Crafting with Romina of ROMI Apothecary. I wanted to break down the different herbs we saw during our community garden walk and what we used to make our beauty oil.

Dame’s Rocket:

Other names: Sweet Rocket, Damask violet, Queen’s gilliflower, vesper flower, mother-of-the-evening

Origin: Mediterranean region

Scent: likened to a mixture of cloves and violets

Uses: leaves are rich in Vitamin C and used to prevent scurvy. Used to loosen a cough or induce sweating.

Creeping Charlie:

Origin: Europe
Taste: minty or bitter

Uses: ringing in the ears, kidney disorders, indigestion, coughs, and tuberculosis. Either the dried leaves or the fresh juice might be snuffed up the nose to relieve headaches.

Nettle:

Origin: North America, North Africa, Europe, Asia

Taste: like a green with a peppery zing

Nutrients:

• Vitamins: Vitamins A, C and K, as well as several B vitamins
• Minerals: Calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium
• Fats: Linoleic acid, linolenic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid and oleic acid
• Amino acids: All of the essential amino acids
• Polyphenols: Kaempferol, quercetin, caffeic acid, coumarins and other flavonoids
• Pigments: Beta-carotene, lutein, luteoxanthin and other carotenoids

Uses: to gently flush the body, treat painful muscles and joints, eczema, arthritis, gout, and anemia.

Lavender:

Origin: Mediterranean, Middle East and India

Taste: pungent aroma and flavor

Uses: mental health issues, anxiety, insomnia, depression, headaches, hair loss, nausea, acne, toothaches, skin irritations

Red Rose:

Origin: 5,000 years ago in China

Taste: floral

Uses: A wonderful nervine, great for uplifting the mood and alleviating depression, rose also has antispasmodic, aphrodisiac and sedative qualities, as well as being anti-inflammatory. Rose helps regulate menstruation as well as stimulate the digestion

Eastern Red Cedar:

Origin: Northern and Eastern America

Taste: woody

Uses: cough, bronchitis, joint pain (rheumatism), water retention, and flatulence. They also take it to improve appetite and digestion, and as a treatment for fungal infections