Plants inspire me to be present, to stay grounded, and to give thanks for whatever I am currently experiencing. Last week, on one particularly hot day, I was inspired (by my plant-friends, no doubt) to make myself a refreshing drink of pineapple juice and black birch twig infusion. It is so cooling for the body and tastes incredible!

There is an older pagan holiday that predates this one and which more openly celebrated sexual heat than flowery romance. But it was ultimately turned into the Hallmark holiday that some enjoy and others dread. Some feel left out and lonely or judge themselves as “less-than” for being solo, others feel the pressure to “be romantic” on cue, and buy overpriced gifts, overbred roses, and lots of chocolate to prove their love…

Free Plant Spirit Herbalism Summit: On Connecting with Plant Consciousness and the Healing Wisdom of Nature…

The first summit went so well, Derika did it again. See my interview here…

Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) Join me as I talk about harvesting, preparing and using Coltsfoot flowers

Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum (syn. O. tenuiflorum) - Also known as tulsi or tulasi, this herbaceous plant grows happily as a perennial in zones 10 and up. This delightfully aromatic plant is in the mint (Lamiaceae) family and thus related to sweet basil, spearmint, peppermint, rosemary, sage, savory, marjoram, oregano, hyssop, thyme, and lavender to name a few…

New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) - A perennial plant in the Asteraceae family, and one of the last to bloom in the late summer and early fall. Being the late bloomers that they are, Native Americans named her It-Brings-the-Fall…

Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) - The bright yellow spires of Goldenrod flowers hearkens the coming of fall. These beautiful edible golden blossoms provide a lovely color for natural fabric dyeing…

Stone root (Collinsonia canadensis) - Nicknames: Hard Rock, Horse Weed, Knob Root, Heal All, Rich Weed, Clergyman’s friend. All parts used, root/rhizome internally and externally; roots, leaves and flowers externally only…

Poke (Phytolacca americana): A little goes a long way! - Also called poke, pokeweed, skoke, pocan, coakum, pokeberry, crowberry, bear-grape, pigeonberry, inkberry, American Spinach, cancer root, American nightshade, and jalap…

Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) - Also called Chaste tree berry, chasteberry, vitex, and monk's pepper. In the Lamiaceae or mint family, this beautiful flowering shrub is a well-known herb for supporting a woman’s cycles. It is native to the Mediterranean region and has over 2,000 years of recorded use…

St. J’s Wort (Hypericum androsaemum) - Also called Tutsan, Shrubby St. John's Wort, and sweet-amber. Widely known for its ability to help mild-to-moderate depression, this beautiful ally also offers the gifts of skin protection, pain relief and nerve repair and is a potent antiviral…