Alfalfa DEFINITION Alfalfa is a herb with the botanical name of Medicago sativa. Alfalfa has several other names including Lucerne, Medicage and Purple Medick. DESCRIPTION Alfalfa grows naturally in the Mediterranean region and is cultivated widely and reaches up to 50cm in height. It has a light taste and little… Read Article
Aloe vera DEFINITION Aloe Vera is a herb with the botanical name of Aloe barbadensis. The herb is also known as Aloe gel, Cape, Zanzibar, Socotrine, Curacao and Barbados aloes. DESCRIPTION Aloe Vera is a perennial, succulent plant with stiff, spiny, fleshy leaves that is cultivated to yield two products:… Read Article
Aniseed DEFINITION Aniseed (pimpinella anisum) is a herb also known as anise, anisum vulgare gaertn, anisi, fructus and anisum officinarum moench. DESCRIPTION Aniseed was originally found in Egypt and Asia Minor. The plant is a dainty, white-flowered umbelliferous annual about 50 cm. The seeds from the fruit of aniseed contain… Read Article
Arnica DEFINITION Arnica is a herb with the botanical name of Arnica montana. It is also known as Leopard’s Bane, Wolf’s Bane and Mountain Tobacco, and Mountain Snuff. DESCRIPTION The herb occurs naturally in Europe (except for Great Britain) and is also grown commercially in northern India. The leaves form… Read Article
Basil DEFINITION Basil is a herb with the botanical name Ocymum basilicum. It is also known as Sweet or Garden Basil, although many varieties of this common herb exist. One variety (‘Sacred Basil’) was considered holy to the Hindu religion and was grown around temples. DESCRIPTION Basil grows to 30… Read Article
Black Cohosh DEFINITION Black Cohosh is a herb with the botanical name Cimicifuga racemosa. It is also known as baneberry, black snakeroot, bugbane, squawroot and rattle root. DESCRIPTION Black Cohosh is naturally occurring in North America. It is a perennial that grows to 8 feet and has a plume of… Read Article
Chamomile DEFINITION Chamomile is a herb with the botanical name Matricaria chamomila. It is also known as Wild Chamomile, Hungarian Chamomile or Sweet False Chamomile. DESCRIPTION This herb is one of the best known of the garden herbs and is widely cultivated in Europe. Its value as a medicinal herb… Read Article
Cranberry DEFINITION Cranberry is a type of fruit that comes from the plant species Vaccinium. DESCRIPTION Cranberries grow on small, evergreen shrubs whose flowers vary from pink to purple and bloom between May and August. The berries are harvested and crushed to form a juice. The juice of the Cranberry… Read Article
Echinacea DEFINITION Echinacea is one of the most widely used medicinal plants and three species are commonly used in herbal medicine; Echinacea angustifolia, E. pallida and E. purpurea. Echinacea is also known as Coneflower, Purple Coneflower, Black Sampson, Kansas Snakeroot and Rudbeckia. DESCRIPTION The plant is native to North America… Read Article
Evening Primrose Oil DEFINITION Evening Primrose is a herb with the botanical name Oenothera biennis. It is also known as King’s Cureall. DESCRIPTION Oenothera biennis is native to the temperate regions of North America and generally grows in dry areas. The plant is a perennial herb that has a tall,… Read Article