Five Fabulous Herbs for you to Grow and Use!

Marshmellow is easy to grow from seed. It is an upright perennial herb which reaches 1.2 meters tall. It has large lavender to pink flowers. Medicinally the whole plant, especially the root and leaves, are rich in mucilage. That’s good for soothing internal an external inflammations. This plant has been used for medicines for centuries.

The peeled root boiled and mixed with honey and orange juice, makes an effective cough syrup. Poultices made from the roots is used as a home remedy for bruises, sprains and aching muscles. The plant has a reputation for an ability to prevent infection.

Marshmellow is also used to treat Peptic ulcers, Mucous colitis, and Puritus. Other applications are for cuts and wounds, respiratory system, immune system, scrapes, burns, gastritis. Marshmellow root is used as part of a decoction to treat inflammation of the womb.

To prepare a gel, chop the root very finely, and add enough water to make a gooey gel. Apply the gel directly to superficial wounds or cuts.

To make a decoction, simmer one teaspoon of chopped marshmellow root per cup of water for 15 minutes. Drink up to three cups a day. This will help relieve upset stomachs, and sore throats, coughs colds flu and bronchitus.

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Comfrey is also known as Bruisewort, and Healing Herb. Widely cultivated in Australia, comfrey is a perrenial growing to around 1 meter tall. It has long leaves, sometimes up to 25 centimeters long. Pretty yellow to purplish flowers in summer are popular with nectar eating birds.

It is a very versatile herb, being used for fractures, and for internal problems. A poultice of the leaves is reputed to help heal surface wounds, stains, and broken bones. Comfrey also contains allantoin which is useful in ointments for the treatment of psoriasis and similar skin problems.

Medically it is a demulcent, (soothes) an astringent, (contraction) a pectoral, (lungs and chest) a styptic, (blood clotting) and a vulnerary (healing wounds).

It is useful in treating gastric catarrh, peptic ulcers, and comfrey root is part of an appendicitus remedy.

Comfrey tea is believed to ease bronchial and intestinal disorders. There is some evidence that comfrey may cause cancer if taken internally over long periods of time, and it is illegal to take comfrey internally in Australia.

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Coltsfoot is my favorite plant. Sometimes called the Son-before-father because of its habit of flowering before the leaves are born. The leaf is shaped like a colt’s footprint, but is jagged at the edges. It is a perennial growing to around 50 centimeters tall, with a yellow dandelion-like flower. Some cultivation occurs in Australia, where it is propagated by seed and root division.

This herb has been a main ingredient in cough syrups and asthma teas. It was also used for smoking to relieve asthma. One smoking mixture recommended in 1890 was a mixture of coltsfoot, horehound, marshmellow and aniseed. It is a highly muciliginous plant which accounts for its value in treating colds, as it soothes inflamed membranes.

It is recommended as part of the treatment for chronic catarrh. It is a demulcent (soothes) and expectorant (remove secretions). Flowers and leaves are used. It must be well strained when used in teas, to remove the small hairs from the leaves. Leftover teas can be used as a face wash to minimise threadveins.

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Vervain is a hardy perennial, and grows to 1 metre tall. It has rough toothed leaves, and spikes of attractive pale mauve flowers.

The ancients knew it as a magic plant, which foiled evil spirits, and bought happiness to abandoned lovers.

Medically vervain is an emetic, (causes vomiting) emmenogoguic, (menstrual discharge) expectorant, (remove secretions) nervine, (nerve restorer) tonic, and vermifuge ( worm expeller).

Vervain tea can be recommended for headaches, colds, fevers, menstrual discomforts. Can be used as a gargle for unhealthy gums or bad breath. Useful for nerves and liver problems. Dosage is one wineglass full 3 times a day. A thick vervain poultice is recommend to relieve lumbago. Anise, sometimes known as aniseed or sweet cumin, is easy to grow from seed, and quick to germinate. It is widely cultivated as a flavouring. It is an annual, growing up to 60 centimeters tall, with bright green upper leaves. Small blossoms grow into seed like fruits, which produce the essential oil for which anise is noted.

In earlier times anise was used as breath freshener and aphrodisiac, to stimulate mothers milk, and to combat nausea and giddiness.

Its medical uses today are as a carminative to relieve gas and stomach pains.

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