Spring Medicinal Plants and Their Benefits
Spring is a wonderful time of the year to get outside, enjoy nature, and collect spring medicinal plants. Many of these plants are edible and contain many vitamins and nutrients, as well as containing medicinal benefits. The beauty of collecting wild plants, or wild crafting, is that most of them are considered weeds and it is almost impossible to over-harvest.
Just to clarify a weed is defined as any plant in an unwanted space. So as long as you “want” it, it is not considered a weed.
I spent many years as a gardener classifying many medicinal plants as weeds. I didn’t know any better. Many gardeners are convinced of these things by what our society says is important or beautiful. Especially the poor lowly dandelion, which is so useful medicinally. So much so that all parts of the dandelion are used in herbal medicine. Each part has its own unique symptom that is treats.
Historical use:
In European history, as well as North American history, spring edible herbs and plants were used for many medicinal benefits. They were also used for their high content of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. They were also used to stimulate the digestion, purify the blood, cure scurvy and ague, combat rheumatism, and repel kidney stones after a long cold winter of inactivity.
Today more than ever- we still can reap all the benefits these plants have to offer us. Spring greens are so nutritious, and good for our bodies!
Caution: Please make sure you are comfortable in plant identification so you do not mistakenly harvest something endangered or poisonous.
Here is a list of spring medicinal plants and what the benefits are:
Nettles- Packed with vitamins , minerals, and nutrients, liver cleanser, and moistening herb
Dandelion- Roots, spring tonic, digestion, PMS, and is specific to the kidneys
Catnip-Calming sedative, treats hiccups (anti-spasmodic)
Garlic Mustard- Antiseptic used for healing ulcers and treating gangrenous wounds, use like arugula for fresh eating
Burdock-Blood cleanser, bitter tonic, constipation
Wild Violets-leaves and flowers used, moistening, respiratory system
Wild Geranium-Roots used, astringent, high in tannins
Plantain- use fresh for wound healing
Motherwort-PMS (mood), heart conditions
