Notice how this sweet, little insect has found a seemingly peaceful refuge on the soft, aromatic leaf of a BASIL plant! Perhaps she's an Italian or French ladybug LOL? Yes, this plant is well known by cooks and chefs as a favorite staple in Mediterranean recipes. And no, this post will not be about cooking, so you can put away your chopping tools! Before this herb even gets to the cutting board, it is grown by many as a popular garden plant for a lot of reasons. In my las

Those who have been reading my posts may notice that I'm adding a new card deck to my growing collection! This one is the Soulflower Plant Spirit Oracle deck created by herbalist and plant whisperer Lisa Estabrook. As an artist, she has designed this beautifully illustrated deck herself, and as an "oracle," she shares her personal messages from 44 plants. I recently heard her speak on a podcast, and decided to begin using her deck by choosing to feature this blooming annu

I don't know what took me so long to write a post about the WILLOW tree since it's one of my very favorites! (Not to be confused with my many other favorites... LOL). Willows are known to prefer habitats close to waterways, but despite the dry Arizona climate, there are two huge, thriving Willows who flank the entrance to the my neighboring community. They were strategically planted next to a wash that fills during heavy rain storms, and I make it a practice of sending a g

Have you ever felt like you have "run out of brain cells" or don't have enough to handle the mental overload so many of us are carrying these days? How about those times when you walk into a room and then have no idea what you went there for in the first place? Well, LION'S MANE may be your "magic" mushroom. Visually, you can see why one of the common descriptions of this mushroom includes the term "pop pom," but it's more fitting to associate the healing power of Lion's M

Who doesn't love or at least greatly appreciate ROSES? As I walk my neighborhood daily, I can't help but notice the many different colorful Rose bushes lovingly cultivated by those who live minutes away. Often I catch a whiff of their sweet, captivating scent even before I can see them. The Rose is considered the goddess Aphrodite's sacred flower of love and beauty. It is associated with all things feminine in nature and therefore connected to the the energy of both the Mo

Years ago, we had friends who lived in the bay area of northern California. The lady of the house was Japanese, and she made it a regular practice of drying Persimmons. One year she sent us a huge bag of them. To me, fresh Persimmons had an unfamiliar taste and strange texture, but for some reason I couldn't stop eating these dried snacks. I wonder why... Recently, I met another Californian who brought the Persimmon Tree once again to my attention, and I remembered this o

Every year around April or May I've come to expect a warm weather snow storm...courtesy of the local Cottonwood trees. There's nothing cold, wet or flaky about it, and I guess it's best described using words like silky, airy, o r fluffy. In past years I've complained about what a nuisance it can be to control or clean up. Open the door and these puffy intruders drift in, uninvited! The cats love it, and the fairy like fibers defy attempts to gather them up. However, if

Spring has a way of announcing itself in different ways, depending on where you live and if you're paying attention. In the UK, there's the appearance of Snowdrops while in parts of the US, it's the Crocus that has been known to pop up even if there is still snow covering the ground. In my part of the country (north central Arizona zone 7b) there are Daffodils, and since we recently had an unusually warm spell, I've already seen a few Irises blooming in mid March. But this

As you might guess, this post is not going to be about the delights of chocolate! I freely admit to being among those who consider themselves to be chocoholics, but perhaps there is something more deeply satisfying about the Cacao plant that helps to keep so many of us captivated and happily addicted. Costa Rica herbalist Adriana Ayales explains that various Mesoamerican cultures, the Mayans and the Aztecs in particular, understood the spiritual as well as physically nurturi

I always learn something new when I write these posts! This time, I was amazed to find that the GINKO tree once flourished in the western hemisphere. They do still grow here, but until now I've associated its legends and lore strictly with Asian cultures and countries where it prefers to abundantly thrive these days. Actually, this tree does more than just thrive--it is one of the longest living trees on the planet today. Ginko trees (also called maidenhair trees among ot

The chocolates and flowers of Valentine's Day will be a memory by the time you read this post, but the entire month of February is considered to be "heart month." This is a time to remember the importance of loving and supporting your cardio vascular system. Like many herbalists, when I think of heart health, the plant medicine that come to mind includes the flowers (spring blossoms), leaves and berries (fall harvest) of the HAWTHORN tree ( Crataegus spp) . Most prefer the

Cypress trees are so often associated with serious thoughts that I decided to illustrate this post with the above vibrant painting by one of my favorite artists, Vincent van Gogh entitled "Landscape With Cypress." Despite the artist's own notorious darker side, Van Gogh's animated style presents a brighter, even optimistic view of the natural setting. The tall Cypress trees looming on the far right of the painting share the space with the blues of the sky and mountains and t

Let's begin with how you pronounce the name of this plant whether out loud or in your head by clicking on the link and listening to the first 10 seconds of the following video: ASHWAGANDHA Good! Now if this remarkable herb resonates with you, it will be easier to ask for it at your local health food store. If you're into natural healing, there's a good chance you've heard of it before now, and perhaps have seen it in formulas along with other herbs considered to be ad

I can't say for sure, but I'm guessing that you're liable to come across an ELM Street in quite a few large and small American cities and towns. Internet sources seem to agree that there are over 1000 cities in the USA that contain a street named after this venerable tree, not including those "Elm" Avenues, Circles and Cul de sacs. Tree lovers may be interested in taking a deeper dive into the stories behind the numerous (30 - 40) species of the Elm ( Ulmus) tree. After d

Do you ever stop and wonder about how and why HOLLY became one of the most popular evergreen winter decorations? Whether you celebrate Christmas or just enjoy the foliage of the season, those red berries of the Holly tree can make any mantle or centerpiece pop. But it's not only about festive colors that signal holiday cheer. If you're fortunate enough to find live Holly to decorate with all the better! Plant medicine healers agree that simply having plants in your home o

When I first moved to Arizona from the east coast nearly 40 years ago, I was so downcast over the change in landscape going from the lush green I grew up around to the sparse, dry desert. Then, on my first trip from Phoenix to Flagstaff I recall getting an immediate and huge emotional lift when spotting a group of ASPEN trees showing themselves in all their golden autumn glory along the highway. I've since grown to appreciate the diverse terrain this state has to offer, but

I recently noticed a moderate spike in my blood pressure numbers. If anyone is thinking "stress" well, yes, that's likely a huge part of the problem to continually work on managing. However as a plant medicine junkie, one promising natural remedy that came to mind in dealing with this issue is HIBISCUS. This impressive flower has been shown to support heart health, along with bringing other benefits that you can see in the following short video: I've started drinking orga

earthbound acorn dreams the light seeker's journey Recently, I entered the above poem in a haiku poetry contest. No, I was not among the winners, but at least I can repeat it here as a tribute to the wondrous life cycle of the OAK TREE. I've heard it said that trees serve as channels that reach upward, connecting us to the light of the sun, to the cosmos and ultimately to the heavens. And unless some hungry or acquisitive squirrel finds and needs it first, the

When you think about flowers, sensory qualities like fragile, soft or velvety petals that invite your touch come to mind. On the other hand, those in the thistle family such as the Milk Thistle bloom rather spiky and protective, you might even say...defensive. One look at the photo below says "you can't help but admire my beautiful purple color but hands off" !! This gives us a visual and tactile clue to one of its most popular actions. As a medicinal herb, Milk Thistle is

It's no wonder that the botanical name of this magnificent tree is Sequoiadendron giganteum . Anyone who has been in the presence of one...