There are literally thousands of useful plants out there. In an attempt to narrow them down to a few manageable herbs, I've written a series of diaries focusing on a few readily accessible, easy to identify, and easy to use herbs. I'm not expecting you to become a skilled herbalist just from reading a few diaries. I hope just to give you a hedge, a slight edge when it comes to taking care of yourself and your loved ones.
If you missed 10 Important Wet-Loving Herbs and 15 Important Sun Loving Herbs, you can go back and read them.
This diary is about 10 herbs and plants that tolerate shade well. It would have been 15, but we already covered 5 of them in the previous diaries.
Those 5 herbs are:
angelica - wet
lemon balm - sun
mint - wet
thyme - sun
wild yam - wet
Yes, lemon balm and thyme are listed as sun loving herbs, but they also tolerate shade. Not deep shade, but dappled shade under a tree, or a place where they receive 2 hours of direct sunlight and are shaded the rest of the time, so that qualifies them as shade loving. Or at least tolerant.
The 10 new herbs to add to your repertoire are:
26. Bloodroot. Saquinaria is often grown as an ornamental, and it is a pretty plant, with large white blossoms and broad green leaves. The root creates a red dye that is especially durable on reeds for basket weaving, and for cotton and wool fibers. It is toxic in large doses, but has been approved by the FDA for inclusion in toothpastes and mouthwashes as an anti-bacterial and anti-plaque agent. A tincture is used to remove skin moles and warts but caution must be used - it can burn the skin and cause permanent scaring if misapplied, or too strong a dose is used. It is used commercially in the product Dermatend. In spite of hte need for extreme caution in using it, I include bloodroot because it is an effective wart removal and for its uses as a dentifrice - it's one of the few herbs that helps remove and destroy plaque. Just use it with caution and use the least amount necessary.
27. Black Cohosh. There are three kinds of cohosh: Black, Blue, and White. Blue and White Cohosh have their uses but because of the dangers of using them inappropriately, I have not included information on therm here. They are much more dangerous than bloodroot. However, Black Cohosh is a useful plant for women in particular. The root can be used to control hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms, PMS, and painful menstruation. Topically, it's used for acne. Because of its effects on estrogen, it is contraindicated for people with ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, endometriosis, and uterine fibroids. Because Black Cohosh might increase the risk of forming blood clots, people with Protein S Deficiency should avoid Black Cohosh.
28. Chives. You're familiar with chives used culinarily on your baked potato and maybe snipped into a clear soup, but there's much more you could do with your chives. Chives are high in Vitamin C, 3 ounces of fresh chives will meet your daily needs for it (and if you put chives in your omelet, on your baked potato and salad and soup, then you can quickly get that three ounces!). Drinking a clear broth with a good load of snipped chives in it will help clear your sinuses and help prevent colds. Chewing on a stem of fresh chives can sweeten your breath (who knew?) and help with flatulence issues. Chives also stimulate digesting fats and recent research indicates it may help reduce blood cholesterol if eaten regularly - probably at least an ounce a day. And then there are the artistic uses of chives - it can be used to tie small bundles together (pencils, for instance) for giving as gifts as well as tying bundles of food together (carrot or parsnip sticks, for example, or bundles of cabbage rolls or for tying together leaves for steaming food), and as an interesting texture paint brush.
29. Downy Rattlesnake Plantain. This is a pretty, pretty plant. It grows wild over the entire eastern half of the US, and is a favored terrarium plant. Since it is considered endangered, secure plants from a reputable nursery and grow your own rather than wild crafting. Help re-establish wild growth of this plantain if you can. A tea of the leaves can help ease toothache. Wilted leaves can be used as a poultice for burns and skin sores. Juice expressed from the leaves was used to treat sore eyes, much like we use Visine.
30. Ginger. Also known as Wild Ginger and Indian Ginger. a decoction of the rhizome can bring on delayed menstruation and even out mildly irregular heartbeats, and poured into the ear can relieve earaches. The powdered rhizome was added to toothpowders and pastes for gingivitis. Candied rhizomes helped ease nausea. Syrups made from the rhizome were used for stomach cramps and flatulence. Dried and grated, it's a decent substitute for tropical gingerroot in flavoring foods (fresh, it's bitter and earthy tasting).
31. Goldenseal. You use the root. Goldenseal is a topical antimicrobial. As a (very bitter tasting) gargle, it relieves canker sores of the mouth. Goldenseal is taken powdered (as a capsule) for colds that are more chills than fever, and works best when the mucus is green or yellow. It stimulates the immune system but shouldn't be taken for more than 2 weeks out of every 12. A tisane helps with conjunctivitis and red eye. Powdered and mixed with equal parts powdered slippery elm bark, it makes a quick healing wound paste - and a good remedy for canine "hot spots". Powdered goldenseal root, mixed with tea tree oil and peppermint, is a good athlete's foot cure.
Do not use Goldenseal if you take Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune) Digoxin (Lanoxin) amitriptyline (Elavil), clozapine (Clozaril), codeine, desipramine (Norpramin), donepezil (Aricept), fentanyl (Duragesic), flecainide (Tambocor), fluoxetine (Prozac), meperidine (Demerol), methadone (Dolophine), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), olanzapine (Zyprexa), ondansetron (Zofran), tramadol (Ultram), trazodone (Desyrel)lovastatin (Mevacor), ketoconazole (Nizoral), itraconazole (Sporanox), fexofenadine (Allegra), triazolam (Halcion),etoposide, paclitaxel, vinblastine, vincristine, vindesine, ketoconazole, itraconazole, amprenavir, indinavir, nelfinavir, saquinavir, cimetidine, ranitidine, diltiazem, verapamil, corticosteroids, erythromycin, cisapride (Propulsid), fexofenadine (Allegra), cyclosporine, loperamide (Imodium), quinidine, or related medications.
32. Parsley. Another culinary herb with many uses. Yes, it's edible and much more than the ubiquitous garnish it's been relegated to. As a poultice, parsley helps heal chapped skin, bruises, and insect bites. Parsley was originally added to so many dishes to help with digestive problems, and you can use it for that as a pleasant part of the meal or eat it separately. Chewing on parsley helps sweeten the breath. Parsley tea helps with urinary tract infections, but cranberry juice is better. Parsley seed oil is used in perfumes and soap making. Warfarin, diuretics, and aspirin interact adversely with parsley.
33. Solomon’s seal Solomon's Seal is good as a fresh root poultice for bruises, skin ulcers, boils, and hemorrhoids. A powdered root tea helps with acne and skin blemishes. Fresh root tinctures or massage oils also help with sprains and pulled ligaments and many people swear it helps ease herniated back discs. A fresh root tea helps with a dry cough, hot flashes, and an irritated digestive tract.
Insulin interacts with Solomon's Seal.
34. Spikenard. Spikenard rhizome oil make a lovely perfume, incense, and cat attractant. Spikenard oil can be added to tea for a soothing sedative or calmative. On the skin, it is anti-fungal and heals many rashes. It can also be used for chronic coughs, colds, and mild asthma. It does not interact with any known medications at this time.
35. Sweet Woodruff. Use only the aboveground parts. As a poultice, woodruff helps heal wounds, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, sprains and strains, and joint swelling. Culinary-wise, it is used to flavor wine, beverages, syrups, and summer soups. Sweet woodruff is a popular perfume fragrance. A tea of the wilted or dried leaves is a mild sedative, but keep the dose low - too much will cause dizziness. In wine, it acts as a calmative and helps with digestive disorders as well as menstrual irregularities.
So now you have 35 herbs and plants to add to your repertoire of knowledge.