Chrysanthemum flowers are used for skin problems, wounds, varicose veins, ulcers, burns and watery eyes, and as a mild laxative and painkiller. Boiled, the infusion is used for colic, colds, coughs, and complaints of the stomach, digestive system, liver, kidneys and bladder. Family: Asteraceae. Scientific name: Chrysanthemum morifolium. In folk tradition the name is also […]
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Strawberries are among the best-loved fruits: their bright colour and their mix of sweet and sour make them one of the tastiest. But did you know that they can cause allergies in some people? Let us take a closer look. It was recently found that red strawberries cause allergy while white strawberries do not, because […]
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New research suggests that using alternative medicine or homeopathy instead of conventional medicines for children can, in some cases, have fatal side effects. Paediatricians in Australia looked for possible side effects of alternative treatments, including herbal medicines, vitamin supplements and natural pills, between 2001 and 2003. They found 39 reports of side effects, including 4 […]
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Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum) is a medicinal herb grown as a strong seasoning with a taste reminiscent of wormwood. It is a medium-sized herb about a metre tall with long, narrow, branching leaves and a lemony scent. Its small yellow flowers open in July and August. The leaves and flowers are used fresh or dried and […]
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Latin name: Urtica dioica A herb of the nettle family. Its stinging hairs break off in the skin when touched and release a burning juice that hurts the hand. The plant grows almost everywhere, especially near places where animals urinate. It is a perennial herb found in many countries, originally from Asia and Europe. There […]
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Latin name: Origanum majorana, of the mint family (Lamiaceae) A perennial herb 30 to 60 cm tall, growing in moist and semi-dry mountain land. It is native to North Africa and southern Europe and is now grown in most warm and temperate places. It grows on sunny slopes, in meadows and fields and on stony […]
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Latin name: Melissa officinalis, of the mint family (Lamiaceae) A perennial medicinal herb, from leafy plant to small shrub, which may stay green all year depending on where it grows. In the Levant it grows wild in damp ground near water, and in fertile, sunny land. It is also cultivated as a kitchen herb. It […]
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Latin name: Foeniculum vulgare, of the carrot family (Apiaceae) A well-known Mediterranean herb, 1 to 2 m tall and much branched, with thread-like leaves and yellow flowers in umbrella-shaped clusters. The fruits split into two and are greenish-brown or grey. It grows across southern Europe and Asia, on waste ground and dry slopes, and flowers […]
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Latin name: Cnicus benedictus Found in fields, farms and meadows, this herb grows about 40 cm tall. Its long, stalkless leaves are toothed and spiny, covered with cobweb-like hairs, and its pale yellow flowers are almost round. Parts used The leaves (May to July), the flowering shoot tips (June and July) and the whole herb. […]
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Latin name: Centaurium erythraea, of the gentian family (Gentianaceae) A wild herb of sandy ground, woods and light scrub, 20 to 40 cm tall, with an upright, square stem branching at the top, narrow oval leaves growing straight from the stem in opposite pairs, and star-shaped pink flowers from July to September. It has long […]
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Latin name: Rosa canina, of the rose family (Rosaceae) A deciduous shrub, 1 to 3 m tall, common in hedges, at woodland edges and on scrubby slopes. Its arching stems carry strong hooked thorns, its leaves have 3 or 5 toothed oval leaflets, and from June to July it bears single white or pale pink, […]
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Latin name: Cichorium intybus, of the daisy family (Asteraceae) A herb 35 to 100 cm tall, with wild and cultivated varieties, growing by roadsides and on waste ground. It has a thick taproot, a hairy, hollow, sparsely leaved stem, rough, deeply toothed basal leaves in a rosette, and sky-blue flowers from June to July (they […]
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