by herbsocietyofamerica | Jan 23, 2023 | Other History & Traditions, Other Research & Education, Other Self Care & Wellness
I have a bumper sticker on my car that reads: “I’d rather be lost in the Sods than found in the city.” A friend introduced me to the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area in West Virginia back when I was in college (and back when few people ever ventured that far outside of...
by herbsocietyofamerica | Jan 16, 2023 | Herbal Remedies, Nutritional and Digestive Support
The fresh or dried rhizome of ginger (Zingiber officinale) has been used “as a condiment and aromatic stimulant from ancient times”. And from as early as the 15th century, ginger was exported from Zanzibar—a possible origin of the Latin, Zingiber—for use by healers,...
by herbsocietyofamerica | Jan 9, 2023 | Other Research & Education, Other Self Care & Wellness
One of the enchanting things about working in the National Herb Garden is the myriad people I meet from around the world. Ne’er a week goes by that I don’t see or get to speak with someone personally from another country. I’m often brazen enough to confront people...
by herbsocietyofamerica | Dec 26, 2022 | Other Research & Education
“The house was bright that night, with candles lit in the windows, and bunches of holly and ivy fixed to the staircase and the doorposts. There were not so many pipers in the Highlands as there had been before Culloden, but one had been found, and a fiddler as well,...
by herbsocietyofamerica | Dec 19, 2022 | Other History & Traditions, Other Research & Education, Other Self Care & Wellness
In the U.S. National Arboretum, a few little thorny trees bearing small astringent fruits are tucked away in a research field. These trees are called blackthorn (Prunus spinosa). The fruits, called sloes, are very bitter, and when eaten raw, will dry out your mouth in...
