Medicinal Flowering Plants

It's remarkable how thousands of years ago, humans collected plants and discovered their medicinal properties. Although we do not have to defer to the same wild crafting process, it is exciting to be one with nature and understand where medicine comes from. Flowering, medicinal plants may be growing in your garden or in a nearby woodland. Before using an herbal remedy, consult a botanist or physician to be sure it is safe to ingest or apply.

Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia), also known as Black Sampson or narrow-leaf coneflower, is a perennial herb that you can plant right in your garden. Its lance-shaped leaves form a basal rosette. Longer stems extend from the basal leaves to form flowers with multiple lavender petals and a yellow-green, cone-shaped center. Traditionally, Native Americans chewed on the plant's roots and leaves to cure a variety of ailments including snake bites, mumps, throat aches, toothaches and stomach problems. Today, echinacea usually comes in the form of tea composed of ground up root and leaves to cure colds and flus. Echinacea also helps to boost the immune system. High doses of the plant make the medicinal benefits ineffective.

Most people know that aloes are medicinal, but not everyone knows they flower. Medicinal aloe (Aloe vera) is a common houseplant whose fleshy leaves can grow up to 18 inches long. In ideal conditions, stalks rise from the leave rosettes in winter and spring, and atop these stalks are the plant's flowers. The flowers look like rubbery lupines composed of yellow tubules. Cut a piece off a well-established Aloe vera leaf and squeeze the healing gel onto cuts and burns. Cape aloe (Aloe ferox) is a larger aloe plant. Mature plants should bloom red tubular flowers every spring. Normally cape aloe gel is processed to form lotions and crystals to act as laxatives and anti-inflammatory agents. Aloes can grow in outside gardens in zones 9 to 11 or as house plants in cooler regions.

Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) are easily identifiable by their long-toothed leaves and bright yellow flowers. Although they are commonly viewed as lawn pests, they are actually edible and medicinal. Their leaves can be added to a salad and their roots can be converted into a tea. Presently, the roots are used to treat digestive problems, to induce appetite and to detox the liver and kidneys. Dandelion leaves may be used as a diuretic.

St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a perennial shrub that may grow up to three feet tall. Its deeply veined, oval-shaped leaves are arranged alternately on the plant's stem. St. John's wort sports gorgeous flowers that are bright yellow, star-shaped and have five petals. This medicinal plant is used to treat depression, anxiety, insomnia and external wounds. Floridata classifies it as a noxious weed, however, so it's better to rely on already processed St. John's wort products in health food stores, rather than harvesting the plant yourself.