
All Stories ( Plant 101 )
Herbal Basics: Bitters 101
Bitter herbs are some of the most beloved by herbalists and fundamental to gut health. When you taste the challenging flavor of bitterness, you strengthen your digestive response and enhance...
Valerian 101
Valerian has a pretty regal ring to it, right? For thousands of years, emperors, saints, and everyday people were given this title as a nod to power. The word valerian...
Herbal Basics: Adaptogens 101
We can all agree that sometimes our natural rhythm falls out of step. We live in a world where it is easy to take on too much, flaring up stress,...
Herbal Basics: Tonics 101
Tonic herbalism is all about taking the simple initiative every day to care for your well-being. While many of us think about our health only when something goes awry, traditional...
Schisandra 101
Schisandr-wha?! Schisandra berry hails from wild, lush, and mountainous regions throughout China, and this vining plant is steadily climbing in popularity. While it may seem unusual to folks here in...
Eucalyptus 101
The sweet, pine-like aroma of blue gum eucalyptus trees has become a defining smell of the California coastline. It reminds us of a carefree drive along Sonoma County country roads,...
Reishi 101
Revered for centuries by emperors and poets, healers and sages, reishi is much more than a medicinal mushroom – it is a fungi of divine proportions. Native to tropical and...
Peppermint 101
Although it’s well known and quite commonly grown, we think peppermint is a bit of a rare bird – one whose song shines in a solo, but also harmonizes beautifully...
Red Clover 101
Like a picked-up penny, red clover is one of those tokens of good fortune that isn’t exactly rare, but still has the power to charm. Found in temperate climates everywhere...
Passionflower 101
Passionflower has charmed, soothed and nourished indigenous populations across the American continent for eons, yet it is only in the past few hundred years that this enchanting herb has become...
Moringa 101
Moringa is one of the herbal industry’s latest darlings, appearing in everything from supplement powders and capsules, to oils and tinctures. While this ancient herb may be attracting a new...
Dandelion 101
Dandelion is undeniably the unsung hero of the plant world. Often overlooked or dismissed as a weed, the sunny dandelion manages to rise above stereotypes to be one of the...
Fennel 101
Throughout the ages, humans have enjoyed fennel as a food, a spice, a flavoring, a medicinal herb, and even as a protective charm. More than many other plants, it offers...
Cleavers 101
Looking at the dainty leaves and the inconspicuous flowers of cleavers, you’d be hard-pressed to guess just how scrappy these pretty little herbal powerhouses really are. Due to their ability...
Chamomile 101
Like a humble daisy, the tiny chamomile flower doesn’t claim much spotlight, but its impact on herbal medicine and folklore is undeniable and enduring. For many people, a simple chamomile...
Hawthorn 101
During the month of February, when all marketing seems to center on triumphs of the heart, it’s important to remember that not every heart is celebrating Valentine’s Day; many hearts...
Skullcap 101
With a ghoulish name like skullcap, an herb could easily get a bad reputation. Fortunately, this plant’s popularity as an herbal medicine has grown over the last few centuries. In...
Lavender 101
Lavender’s sweet, floral and slightly herbaceous aroma is unmistakable. If you don’t already have this beautiful perennial shrub planted in your garden, chances are you still have the herb hidden...
Licorice 101
Have you ever noticed that some people love licorice candy, while others can’t stand it? Some may say this is due to the natural sweetness of licorice root, while others...
Hibiscus 101
When you brew a cup of our Hibiscus Tea, you’ll witness its rich red herbal goodness infusing into your cup almost instantly. This deep red hue is a unique characteristic...