Medicinal Herbs

With new interest in natural healing, these herbs have once again found their way into our medicine cabinets.

It is important to grow any herbs organically, using no chemical fertilizers or pesticides, as they will be used for ingestion or topical application.

Here are some of the easiest medicinal herbs to grow at home. Most herbs prefer six hours in a sunny location in well drained soil. Always use caution with any medicinal herbs.

Top 10 Medicinal Herbs for the Home Garden

Garlic

Garlic is used for treating colds, flu and bronchitis. It helps maintain healthy cholesterol, lowers blood pressure and raises liver enzyme levels that eliminate carcinogens.

Garlic is a hardy perennial bulb. The clumps should be divided and replanted every three to four years.

Aloe Vera
The juice of a broken leaf is used to soothe burns and ease the pain of insect bites and stings.

Aloe vera prefers a sandy soil. Aloe is a tender perennial and should be kept as a houseplant as it does not tolerate temperatures below 40 degrees.

Chamomile
Use the flowers of the chamomile plant to make a tea that aids with digestive issues, upset stomach and as a sleep aid.

The fruity scented flowers are also a nice addition to an herbal bath for sunburn or windburn.

This hardy perennial grows to eight inches in sun or twelve inches in partial shade.

Sage

Tea made from the leaves is used for indigestion and to alleviate cold symptoms. (Note: sage contains estrogen and should be used with care.)

Sage is an evergreen shrub that can grow to over two feet tall, and prefers a dry, alkaline soil.

Spearmint

Oil from the leaves is used for relief from colds, or added to warm bath water to clear congestion.

Mints prefer partial shade and moist, alkaline soil. Spearmint is a hardy perennial that can grow to over two feet tall.

It can be invasive and should be contained or grown in pots. (also see peppermint)

Peppermint

Tea from the leaves is used to soothe an upset stomach, aid digestion, and help fight influenza.

Mints prefer partial shade and moist, alkaline soil. It can be invasive and should be contained or grown in pots.

Roses

Use rose hips for a tea to boost immunity and help in treating common cold symptoms. Rose flowers can be blended into oils to soothe tension, aid circulation, and cleanse the blood.

Roses prefer a loamy soil. Roses are hardy shrubs that can grow to over four feet tall.

Rosemary

Infuse leaves in water to make an antiseptic mouthwash and gargle. Rosemary is a tender perennial that can reach up to six feet in height.

Dandelion

Dried root of dandelion is used for kidney and liver complaints. Dandelion is a perennial that reaches about eight inches.

Calendula

Make an infusion with the flowers to aid digestion and promote bile production. Use as a healing mouthwash for gums, especially after dental work. Calendula is an annual that grows to about sixteen inches.

These are just a few of the many medicinal herbs available for home garden use. These herbs are easy to grow in an average home garden.

With a little planning and care, you can have a medicinal herb garden at your fingertips.

More Herbs