🌿 Night-Blooming Cereus Botanical Name: Selenicereus grandiflorus (historically Cereus grandiflorus) Family: Cactaceae Common Names: Night-Blooming Cereus, Queen of the Night, Lady of the Night, Large-Flowered Cactus, Sweet-Scented Cactus Parts Used: Stem and flowers; traditionally the fresh flowering stem Energetics: Cooling, relaxing, aromatic, slightly bitter Tissue States: Nervous tension, cardiovascular spasm, heat and excitation, circulatory stagnation, muscular constr

🌿 Yerba Santa Botanical Name: Eriodictyon californicum (with related medicinal species including Eriodictyon crassifolium and Eriodictyon trichocalyx) Family: Boraginaceae (formerly Hydrophyllaceae) Common Names: Yerba Santa, Holy Herb, Mountain Balm, Consumptive's Weed, Bear's Weed, Gum Bush Parts Used: Leaves, flowering tops (occasionally) Energetics: Warming, drying, aromatic, slightly bitter Tissue States: Cold damp lungs, stagnant bronchial mucus, chronic respiratory ca

🌿 Angelica Botanical Name: Angelica archangelica (European Angelica)(Related medicinal species include Angelica sinensis (Dong Quai), Angelica atropurpurea (American Angelica), and Angelica dahurica. This monograph focuses primarily on Angelica archangelica.)* Family: Apiaceae Common Names: Angelica, Garden Angelica, Wild Celery, Holy Ghost Root, Norwegian Angelica, Archangel Root, Masterwort (historically, though this name is also used for Peucedanum ostruthium) Parts Used:

🌿 Uva Ursi Botanical Name: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Family: Ericaceae Common Names: Uva Ursi, Bearberry, Bear's Grape, Kinnikinnick, Mountain Box, Sandberry, Arberry Parts Used: Leaves (primarily), occasionally berries (rarely used medicinally) Energetics: Cooling, drying, strongly astringent, slightly bitter Tissue States: Damp heat of the urinary tract, relaxed urinary mucosa, excessive urinary secretions, chronic irritation, catarrhal inflammation, tissue laxity Primary Ac

🌿 Olive Botanical Name: Olea europaea Family: Oleaceae Common Names: Olive, European Olive, Common Olive, Sweet Olive Tree Parts Used: Leaves, fruit (olives), olive oil (cold-pressed extra virgin), occasionally bark Energetics: Cooling, slightly drying (leaf), moistening and nourishing (oil), mildly bitter Tissue States: Heat, inflammation, cardiovascular tension, oxidative stress, metabolic excess, arterial dryness, chronic low-grade infection Primary Actions: Cardiotonic,

🌿 Cinquefoil Botanical Name: Potentilla erecta, Potentilla reptans, Potentilla canadensis, and other Potentilla spp. (The medicinal monograph below primarily reflects Potentilla erecta (Tormentil), the species most widely used in traditional Western herbal medicine.) Family: Rosaceae Common Names: Cinquefoil, Tormentil, Common Cinquefoil, Creeping Cinquefoil, Five-Finger Grass, Five Leaf Grass, Septfoil, Shepherd's Knot Parts Used: Rhizome (primarily in P. erecta), aerial pa

🌿 Self-Heal Botanical Name: Prunella vulgaris Family: Lamiaceae Common Names: Self-Heal, Heal-All, All-Heal, Common Self-Heal, Woundwort, Carpenter's Herb, Hook Heal, Heart of the Earth, Xià Kū Cǎo (夏枯草, in Traditional Chinese Medicine*) Note: In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xià Kū Cǎo refers specifically to the flowering spikes of Prunella vulgaris harvested after flowering. While it is the same species, its traditional preparation and clinical applications emphasize heat-

🌿 Lemongrass Botanical Name: Cymbopogon citratus (West Indian Lemongrass), Cymbopogon flexuosus (East Indian Lemongrass) Family: Poaceae Common Names: Lemongrass, Fever Grass, Citronella Grass, Oil Grass, Barbed Wire Grass, Takrai (Thailand), Sereh (Indonesia & Malaysia) Parts Used: Fresh and dried leaves, lower stalks, essential oil (used with caution) Energetics: Warming, drying, aromatic Tissue States: Cold digestion, damp stagnation, nervous tension, sluggish circulation

🌿 California Poppy Botanical Name: Eschscholzia californica Family: Papaveraceae Common Names: California Poppy, Golden Poppy, Cup of Gold, California Sunlight Parts Used: Aerial parts (flowers, leaves, stems), root (less commonly), fresh flowering tops Energetics: Cooling, slightly drying, mildly bitter Tissue States: Nervous tension, excess sympathetic activation, mild insomnia, irritability, restlessness, pain with nervous excitation, muscular tension Primary Actions: Ner

🌿 Baical Skullcap Botanical Name: Scutellaria baicalensis Family: Lamiaceae Common Names: Baikal Skullcap, Chinese Skullcap, Huang Qin (黄芩), Golden Herb, Baical Skullcap Root Parts Used: Root (primary medicinal part) Energetics: Cold, dry, bitter Tissue States: Damp heat, inflammatory excess, toxic heat, respiratory inflammation, gastrointestinal inflammation, hepatic heat, infectious states, overactive immune response Primary Actions: Anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiv

🌿 Holy Basil Botanical Name: Ocimum tenuiflorum (syn. Ocimum sanctum) Family: Lamiaceae Common Names: Holy Basil, Tulsi, Sacred Basil, Krishna Tulsi, Rama Tulsi, Vana Tulsi, Queen of Herbs, Incomparable One Parts Used: Leaves, flowering tops, seeds, roots (less commonly), essential oil Energetics: Warming, slightly drying, aromatic Tissue States: Cold stagnation, dampness, nervous exhaustion, respiratory congestion, immune weakness, chronic stress, mild depression, sluggish

🌿 Milk Thistle Botanical Name: Silybum marianum Family: Asteraceae Common Names: Milk Thistle, St. Mary's Thistle, Marian Thistle, Holy Thistle, Lady's Thistle Parts Used: Seeds (fruits), occasionally leaves Energetics: Cooling, moistening, mildly bitter Tissue States: Hepatic congestion, toxic accumulation, inflammatory liver conditions, metabolic stagnation, depleted liver function, oxidative stress Primary Actions: Hepatoprotective, hepatorestorative, antioxidant, cholago

🌿 Apple Botanical Name: Malus domestica Family: Rosaceae Common Names: Apple, Domestic Apple, Orchard Apple Parts Used: Fruit, peel, seeds (not medicinally recommended due to cyanogenic glycosides), leaves (occasionally), blossoms, bark (historical use), apple cider vinegar (traditional preparation) Energetics: Cooling to neutral, moistening, mildly sweet, slightly sour Tissue States: Dryness, digestive sluggishness, mild inflammatory states, metabolic imbalance, heat with t

🌿 Dragon's Blood Botanical Name: Daemonorops draco Family: Arecaceae Common Names: Dragon's Blood, Dragon Blood Resin, Jernang, Sanguis Draconis Parts Used: Resin (obtained from the fruit of the palm) Energetics: Slightly warming, drying, astringent Tissue States: Bleeding, tissue damage, stagnation, wounds, ulceration, traumatic injury, chronic inflammation Primary Actions: Hemostatic, vulnerary, astringent, antimicrobial, circulatory stimulant, anti-inflammatory, antioxida

🌿 Plant Profile - Galangal (Alpinia spp.) Botanical Name: Alpinia galanga (Greater Galangal), Alpinia officinarum (Lesser Galangal) Family: Zingiberaceae Common Names: Galangal, Greater Galangal, Lesser Galangal, Thai Ginger, Siamese Ginger, Lengkuas, Gao Liang Jiang Parts Used: Rhizome Energetics: Warming to hot, drying, aromatic Tissue States: Cold dampness, digestive stagnation, poor circulation, cold congestion, sluggish metabolism, cold respiratory conditions Primary Ac

🌿 Blessed Thistle Botanical Name: Cnicus benedictus Family: Asteraceae Common Names: Blessed Thistle, Holy Thistle, St. Benedict's Thistle, Spotted Thistle Parts Used: Aerial parts (leaves, stems, flowering tops) Energetics: Warming, drying, intensely bitter Tissue States: Digestive torpor, cold damp stagnation, poor appetite, sluggish circulation, weakened digestion, convalescence Primary Actions: Bitter tonic, digestive stimulant, galactagogue, diaphoretic, alterative, ant

🌿 Greater Celandine Botanical Name: Chelidonium majus Family: Papaveraceae Common Names: Greater Celandine, Celandine, Swallow Wort, Tetterwort, Wartweed, Devil's Milk Parts Used: Aerial parts, root, fresh latex (traditionally) Energetics: Cooling, drying, bitter, slightly acrid Tissue States: Hepatobiliary congestion, damp heat, biliary stagnation, spasmodic digestive tension, chronic skin eruptions, sluggish elimination Primary Actions: Cholagogue, choleretic, hepatic stim

🌿 Codonopsis Botanical Name: Codonopsis pilosula (primary medicinal species) Family: Campanulaceae Common Names: Codonopsis, Dang Shen, Poor Man’s Ginseng, Bellflower Root Parts Used: Root Energetics: Neutral to slightly warming, moistening, sweet Tissue States: Deficiency, fatigue, dryness from depletion, poor assimilation, weakened immunity, recovery states Primary Actions: Adaptogen, qi tonic, immunomodulator, digestive tonic, nutritive restorative, mild hematinic Codonop

🌿 Rhubarb Botanical Name: Rheum palmatum, Rheum officinale, Rheum tanguticum (medicinal rhubarbs) Family: Polygonaceae Common Names: Rhubarb, Chinese Rhubarb, Turkey Rhubarb, Da Huang Parts Used: Root and rhizome (medicinal); leaf stalks are used as food, while the leaves themselves are toxic and not used medicinally Energetics: Cold, drying, bitter Tissue States: Heat with stagnation, intestinal congestion, damp heat, toxic accumulation, inflammatory excess Primary Actions:

🌿 Goldenseal Botanical Name: Hydrastis canadensis Family: Ranunculaceae Common Names: Goldenseal, Yellow Root, Orange Root, Eye Root Parts Used: Rhizome and root Energetics: Cooling, drying, bitter Tissue States: Damp heat, boggy mucosa, chronic catarrh, atonic tissues, inflamed and infected mucous membranes Primary Actions: Antimicrobial, mucosal tonic, bitter digestive stimulant, anti-inflammatory, astringent, alterative Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) 🌱 Botanical Descr