Wild Edibles and Medicinals from A - Z

I will be adding to this list as time goes on.  Through reseach these are very common on roadsides and are many times concidered to be pesty weeds in yards through out the South East United States.  The Cherokee used many of these herbs for healing along with the Old Timers back in the days before modern medicine.  Enjoy!

Agrimony

 Agrimonia eupatoria

MEDICINAL:
An infusion of the leaves is used to treat jaundice and other liver ailments. Agrimony is also used in treating ulcers, diarrhea, and skin problems. It is often recommended as a diuretic. Externally, a poultice or soak is used to treat athlete's foot, sores, slow-healing wounds, to stop bleeding, and insect bites. Gargle with an infusion of agrimony to relieve sore throats, inflamed gums, and laryngitis.









GROWING:
Agrimony is grown throughout much of the United States and southern Canada. It is a perennial that reaches 2 to 3 feet tall. Agrimony tolerates dry spells well, and prefers full sun and average soils.

Aloe
Aloe vera (formerly A. barbadensis)

Source
If any herb claims to be America's number one folk remedy, it is aloe. Aloe is a succulent perennial of the lily family native to Africa and commercially grown in southern Texas and Mexico. The leaf contains a gooey gel; the outer leaf tissue produces a bitter yellow juice, known as drug aloe, once a widely used laxative. Aloe gel should not be confused with drug aloe.

Traditional Use
Aloe gel has been used to treat inflammation for more than 2,500 years. The fresh gel is widely used as a folk medicine for minor burns and sunburn, as well as minor cuts and scrapes. Aloe gel is also used in beverages commonly sold as "aloe juice". Aloe gel, mixed with water, citric acid, fruit juices, and preservatives is also marketed as "aloe juice", touted as a digestive aid or folk remedy for arthritis, stomach ulcers, diabetes, and other conditions.

Preparations
Aloe gel can be obtained from the living plant. It is an ingredient in many sunscreens, skin creams, lotions, and other cosmetics. Some products boast of aloe content but contain too little to do any good. Aloe juice comes in various concentrations; highly concentrated products degrade readily. Read the product label for information on addition of carriers such as gums, sugars, or starches.

Symptoms
First-degree burns
Cuts and abrasions

Actions
Promotes wound health

Amaranth
Amaranthus spp.

MEDICINAL:
Amaranth is used to battle stomach flu, diarrhea, and gastroenteritis. It was used by Native Americans to stop excessive menstruation and for contraception. Applied externally, it can reduce tissue swelling from sprains and tick bites. Not to be used by pregnant or lactating women.

GROWING:
Amaranth is an annual, whose varieties grow from 1 to 5 feet tall. It is not picky as to soil type, and will tolerate heat and drought well. They do not transplant well, so sow the seed where you want them to grow.

Anise Wild Carrot
Pimpinellaa anisum

MEDICINAL:
Anise is another good herb for treating colic, gas, and indigestion. It can also be used in combination herbal remedies for coughing, as it aids in loosening phlegm. It is the mildest of the herbs used for these purposes. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy to sooth coughs and headaches.

 

 

Apple
Pyrus spp.

 

MEDICINAL:
Apples are used to treat constipation. The pectin in fresh apples can help to lower cholesterol levels, an aid in treating or preventing heart disease. Eat raw apples regularly to help detoxify for treating gout and rheumatism. Crushed apple leaves can be rubbed on a fresh wound to prevent infection.

Barberry
Berberis vulgaris

MEDICINAL:
Barberry is used in treating high blood pressure, ulcers, cholera, to stimulate the gall bladder and liver, diarrhea, and painful periods. It is not to be used during pregnancy.

Fruits
Fruit tea used as an appetite stimulant, diuretic, expectorant, laxative, and itch-relief.

Root
Root tea used as an astringent and antiseptic as well as to treat jaundice, hepatitis, fever, and diarrhea. Root tincture used for arthritis and rheumatism.

Leaves
Leaf tea used for coughs.

Basil
Ocimum basilicum

MEDICINAL:
Basil is used to treat stomach cramps, vomiting, fevers, colds, flu, headaches, whooping cough, and menstrual pains. It is also used to reduce stomach acid, making it an important part of any treatment for ulcers, and a valuable addition to any recipe using tomatoes for those with sensitive stomachs. Externally, it can be used for insect bites to draw out the poisons, by using mashed fresh leaves as a poultice. It has been used in remedies to eliminate worms from the intestines, and the oil from basil leaves, diluted with a carrier oil, is applied directly to the skin to treat acne, arthritis, gout, and to treat skin abrasions. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy to aid mental clarity and to calm the nerves. Pregnant women should not use basil or the essential oil of basil.

Barley Grass
Hordeum vulgare

Barley grass is one of the green grasses - the only vegetation on the earth that can supply sole nutritional support from birth to old age. Barley has served as a food staple in most cultures. The use of barley for food and medicinal purposes dates to antiquity. Agronomists place this ancient cereal grass as being cultivated as early as 7000 BC. Roman gladiators ate barley for strength and stamina. In the West, it was first known for the barley grain it produces.

Astounding amounts of vitamins and minerals are found in green barley leaves. The leaves have an ability to absorb nutrients from the soil. When barley leaves are 12-14 inches high, they contain many vitamins, minerals, and proteins necessary for the human diet, plus chlorophyll. These are easily assimilated throughout the digestive tract, giving our bodies instant access to vital nutrients. These include potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, phosphorus, manganese, zinc, beta carotene, B1, B2, B6, Vitamin C, folic acid, and pantothenic acid. Indeed, green barley juice contains 11 times the calcium in cows' milk, nearly 5 times the iron in spinach, 7 times the vitamin C in oranges, and 80 mg of vitamin B12 per hundred grams.

Barley also contains a -gluten, a fiber also found in oat bran and reported to reduce cholesterol levels. The root contains the alkaloid hordenine which stimulates peripheral blood circulation and has been used as a bronchodilator for bronchitis. Barley bran, like wheat bran may be effective in protecting against the risk of cancer.

Part Used: Grain, left when barley hull is removed.

Common Use: Barley is widely cultivated grain used as a food and in the brewing process. It is an additive for human and animal cereal foods. It also makes a flavorful flour for use in baking breads and muffins.

Bayberry
Myrica cerifera

MEDICINAL:
Bayberry, taken in small doses, increases the vitality of your total body systems, improving circulation. It can also be used as a poultice over varicose veins to strengthen the blood vessels. A douche made of the tea is used for vaginal infections. Tea made of Bayberry is a good gargle for sore throat and tonsillitis.

 

Bergamot / Bee Balm 
Monarda citriodora

MEDICINAL:
Also known as Oswego tea and Bee Balm. It is used to treat nausea and vomiting, and cold and flu relief.

 

Bearberry / uva-ursi
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

 

Source  Bearberry, or uva-ursi, is the leaf of a member of the heath family. This trailing, lowgrowing evergreen shrub is found in cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, including North America, Europe, and Asia. Most of the leaf in commerce is wild-harvested.

Traditional Use
Traditionally, the astringent leaves have been used for diarrhea and dysentery and for bladder infections and other afflictions of the urinary tract. It has also been a folk medicine in the treatment of bronchitis. Bearberry was long used as a urinary antiseptic by physicians; it was official in the U. S. Pharmacopoeia from 1820 to 1926.

Current Status
Bearberry is an excellent example of an herb whose safe and effective use is far more complicated than simply preparing an herb tea. While often described as a "diuretic", bearberry does not strongly promote urination but rather serves as a urinary antiseptic. It contains arbutin and methylarbutin which are transformed into hydroquinone in the intestine. After this compound has been absorbed by the intestine, it binds to other compounds in the urine (if the urine is alkaline), forming two additional chemicals which kill or inhibit bacteria in the urinary tract. In Germany, bearberry is approved as a urinary antiseptic.

Preparations
Bearberry is formulated in capsules, tablets, tea, and tinctures. The dried herb is generally used. In Europe, coated tablets, which dissolve in the intestinal tract instead of the stomach, are available, minimizing potential side effects (see below). The leaves should contain at least 6 percent arbutin for reliable effects.

Cautions
Bearberry is high in tannins, which can produce stomachache, nausea, and vomiting. If you have a weak stomach, avoid bearberry. It is generally not recommended for children. Use should not be continued for more than a week except under the direction of a physician, as overuse may cause liver damage. It should not be used for suspected kidney disorders, as kidney disease cannot be self-diagnosed. Avoid during pregnancy.

Symptoms
Urinary tract infections, mild
Bilberry

Beech
Fagus grandifolia

MEDICINAL:
The flower is used as one of the Bach flower remedies, used to treat intolerance. Beech leaves were used by Native American tribes as an infusion to treat frostbite, as well as burned and scalded skin. The infusion was also used to treat diaper rash, poison ivy, poison oak, and the inflammation that accompanies them.

GROWING:
American Beech tree grows to more than 100 feet. It prefers soils rich in humus and moisture, and grows throughout the Midwest and East.

Birch Bark/Leaf

Properties and Uses: The antibacterial leaves give a diuretic tea used to treat gout and rheumatism, to dissolve kidney and bladder stones, and to lower cholesterol. the leaves also provide green and yellow dyes.

Blackberry
Rubus villosus

 

MEDICINAL:
A syrup made from the root of the Blackberry is used to treat diarrhea and upset stomach (good for treating children). An infusion of the leaves is good for treating diarrhea and sore throat, as are the dried, powdered berries.

 

 

 Black cohosh
Cimicifuga racemosa

American Baneberry, Black snakeroot, Bugbane, Bugwort, Cimicifuga, Rattleroot, Rattleweed, Squawroot

Source
Black cohosh, the root of a member of the buttercup family, is found in rich woods of the eastern deciduous forest from southern Ontario south to Georgia, west to Arkansas, and north to Wisconsin. Most of the root is wild-harvested, while some is grown commercially in Europe.

Traditional Use
Among Native Americans and early settlers in North America, black cohosh root was an important folk medicine for menstrual irregularities and as an aid in childbirth. Adopted in medical practice in the early nineteenth century, it had a great reputation as an anti- inflammatory for arthritis and rheumatism; for normalizing suppressed or painful menses; and for relieving pain after childbirth. It was also used for nervous disorders. The root was an official drug in the U. S. Pharmacopoeia from 1820 to 1926.

Current Status
Black cohosh is approved for use in Germany for the treatment of premenstrual symptoms, painful or difficult menstruation, and for menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes. A number of studies have confirmed its mild sedative and anti- inflammatory activity. An isoflavone in the root binds to estrogen receptors, producing estrogenlike activity. As ovarian function declines during menopause, estrogen production also declines and luteinizing hormone (LH) increases. These changes are associated with hot flashes. In one study an alcohol extract of black cohosh lowered LH in both animals and women, reducing hot flashes. Three as yet unidentified compounds are believed to work in concert to produce the benefits (Duker).

Herbal Recipes

Black Cohosh Decoction: Add 2 tsp. dried rootstock to 1 pint of water, boil and let cool. Give 2 to 3 tbsp. up to six times a day.

Black Cohosh Tincture: Soak 2 to 3 oz. powdered rootstock in 8 to 12 oz. Vodka for 3 weeks shaking the jar 1 or 2 times a day. Strain, give 5 drops 3 to 4 times a day.

Symptoms
Menopausal difficulties
Menstrual difficulties
PMS

Actions
Anti-inflammatory

 

Boneset
Eupatorium perfoliatum

MEDICINAL:
Boneset is used for treating severe fevers, as well as flu, colds, and catarrh conditions. One to two tablespoons of the tincture in hot water is used for sweat therapy to break fevers. The infusion is also drunk once or twice per day to aid in healing broken bones.

GROWING:
Boneset prefers damp to moist rich soils. It is a North American native perennial that reaches 2 to 4 feet high, and grows in partial sun.

Borage
Borago officinalis

MEDICINAL:
Borage is used for treating bronchitis, coughs, rashes, depression, and to increase mother's milk. It is a rich source of potassium. The infusion is used as an eyewash. It was used by the Hopi to treat throat cancer.

GROWING:
Borage was once widely planted in gardens throughout Europe. It was brought to the United States, and now grows wild in much of the eastern half of the nation. It is an annual that grows in most soils, tolerates dry spells, and prefers full sun, reaching to 2 feet in height. Plant it near strawberries, as it helps them deter pests and attracts beneficial bees for pollination.

Catnip
Nepeta cataria

MEDICINAL:
Catnip is effective alone or combined in herbal remedies for colds, flu, fevers, upset stomach, childhood illnesses, and insomnia. This herb is particularly good for children with upset stomachs, made into a very mild infusion. The same mild infusion will help colicky babies.

GROWING:
Catnip will grow in most soils, and tends to enjoy a bit of the dry spells once it is established. It grows throughout North America, and is a perennial reaching to 3 feet high. Cats do indeed love this plant, so if you want it undamaged in your garden, or want to harvest it for yourself, you may need to protect it by covering with a small-meshed wire cage.

 

Cayenne
Capsicum annuum, C. frutescens

Source
Cayenne is the pungent dried fruit of a highly variable species in the nightshade family that also gives us paprika, bell peppers, and jalapenos. [C. frutescens also produces hot peppers that are used medicinally.] Cayenne originates in the tropical Americas and is grown worldwide.

Traditional Use
The ancient Maya used cayenne to treat mouth sores and inflamed gums. Herbal use as a stimulant began with Samuel Thomson (1769-1843), who used it to "produce a strong heat in the body" and "restore digestive powers". In the 1970s John Christopher promoted cayenne as a circulatory stimulant, claiming that "it feeds the necessary elements into the cell structure of the arteries, veins and capillaries so that these regain the elasticity of youth again, and the blood pressure adjusts itself to normal."

Current Status
The popular belief that cayenne stimulates digestion and circulation has no scientific proof; in Germany, therefore, cayenne products are not permitted to carry claims about stimulating digestion or circulation. It does, however, contain carotenoids and vitamins C and E; these antioxidants protect against free radicals, oxygen compounds that can damage cell membranes and disturb metabolic pathways. Consumption of carotenoids is associated with a reduced risk of cancer and enhances the activity of various immune system cells. The carotenoids in red peppers have been shown clinically to improve lifespan in primates.

Capsaicin, the source of cayenne's bite, is used in minute amounts in topical pharmaceutical products to treat pain at the site of an apparently healed infection, rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, and shingles. (The whole herb itself is not used in this way.)

Preparations
Cayenne is available fresh or as whole dried fruit, dried powdered fruit, and in capsules, tablets, and tinctures. Both over-the-counter and prescription ointments and creams containing capsaicin are prescribed by physicians. The concentration of capsaicin in topical preparations is typically 0.025 to 0.075 percent. Topical products should be used under a physician's direction.

Actions
Antioxidant
Nutritive

Chamomile
Matricaria recutita (formerly M chamomilla, Chamomilla recutita)

Current Status
Today's uses of chamomile differ little from those of ancient times. Chamomile is an official drug (recognized by government authority) in the pharmacopoeias of twenty-six countries. Anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, carminative, antispasmodic, and mild sedative activity as well as promotion of wound healing have been attributed to alpha-bisabolol, which comprises 13 percent of the essential oil. Another constituent, chamazulene, which comprises 5 percent of the essential oil, has been credited with relieving spasms, inflammation, pain, and allergy (but see "Cautions" on the next page). In Europe, chamomile is used externally in compresses, rinses, or gargles; to treat inflammations and irritations of the skin and mucous membranes, including the mouth, gums, and respiratory tract; and for hemorrhoids. Chamomile tea or tincture relieves spasms and inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract as well as peptic ulcers. A mild tea makes a gentle sleep aid, particularly for children. Modern indications are backed not only by intensive recent research (except for sleep aid claims), but also by many centuries of common use.

Preparations
Dried flowers, herbal teas, capsules, salves, creams, tinctures, bath products, and other preparations are available in the American market.

Symptoms
Indigestion
Insomnia
Nausea

Actions
Anti-inflammatory
Promotes wound healing

Chickweed
Stellaria media

 

MEDICINAL:
Chickweed is an excellent source of many B vitamins and various minerals. It is used to treat bronchitis, pleurisy, coughs, colds, and as a blood builder. Externally it is good for skin diseases, due to its astringent properties, and the tea added to the bath is good for soothing skin irritations and rashes. A poultice of the leaves treats cuts, wounds, and bruises. Because it is such a valuable vitamin and mineral source, chickweed is used in foods and teas for the ill to help build the body.

GROWING:
This annual spreading plant is usually hated as an obnoxious weed by the typical gardener. It is found throughout temperate areas of North America and of Europe, the plant's native homeland. It prefers full sun, average to poor soils, and infrequent watering.