Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) ~ LuminEarth’s Guide to Wild Edible & Medicinal Plants

Names: Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare), Common Thistle, Spear Thistle, Fuller’s Thistle Appearance: Thistles are easy to spot because the leaves and stems are prickly and hurt when you touch them. There are no poisonous look-alikes to thistles. None of the true thistles are known to be toxic, but the flavor varies from plant to plant. [...]

‘Green Blessings’ Dinner Salad

by Daniela Sales Reiki Master Teacher and Wellness Consultant The Avokado Studio Last night we were all home late and did not have much time to prepare dinner. It was one of those evenings that tries very hard to lure you into snacking, getting a pizza, or something similar. Just an ounce of patience (although [...]

Goldenrod (Solidago) ~ LuminEarth’s Guide to Wild Edible & Medicinal Plants

Names:  Goldenrod, Aaron’s Rod, Canadian Goldenrod, Early Goldenrod, European Goldenrod, Solidago canadensis, Solidago gigantea, Solidago Glomerata, Solidago longifolia, Solidago serotina, Solidago virgaurea, Woundwort. Visit Our FREE Online Guide to Wild Edible & Medicinal Plants Appearance: There are more than 20 species in our area (Tennessee) and many of the species hybridize, increasing the diversity of [...]

White Dutch Clover (Trifolium repens) ~ LuminEarth’s How to Identify Wild Edible & Medicinal Plants

Names:  White Dutch Clover (Trifolium repens) , White Clover, Ladino Clover, Clover, White Shamrock, Shamrock Appearance:  Clovers have leaves in sets of three with a flower head ranging in color from white, cream to pinkish tinged. Harvesting:  White Dutch Clover is found in lawns, fields, pastures, and disturbed areas. The young leaves are best harvested [...]

Lady’s Thumb (Polygonum persicaria) ~ LuminEarth’s Guide to Wild Edible & Medicinal Plants

Names:   Lady’s Thumb (Polygonum persicaria), Smartweed, Knotweed, Spotted Ladysthumb, Fedshank, Floh-Knöterich, Renouée persicaire, Persicaria, Duraznillo, Arsesmart, La Liao, Water Pepper, Polygonum Hydropiper, Red leg, Knotweed, Tear-thumb, Pennsylvania Smartweed Lady’s Thumb (Polygonum persicaria) Appearance: Lady’s Thumb is an annual plant and a member of the buckwheat family. It has narrow, pointed lance shaped leaves ranging in [...]

Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea) ~ LuminEarth’s Guide to Wild Edible & Medicinal Plants

GROUND IVY (Glechoma hederacea) Other Names: Alehoof, Cat’s Foot, Cat’s Paw,  Creeping Charlie, Gill-Go-By-The Hedge,  Gill-Over-The-Ground, Gillrun, Hay Maids, Hedge Maids, Lian Qian Cao, Lizzy-Run-Up-The-Hedge, Nepeta Hederacea, Robin-Run-In-The-Hedge, Tun-Hoof, Turnhoof.   Appearance: Ground Ivy leaves are heart shaped, opposite, scalloped, and dark green, sometimes tinted purple. The main root is thick and matted it sends out [...]

Wild Backyard Stir-Fry

Who says tasty organic food has to be expensive… or bought from the store?!?   With a few standard staples, a little imagination, and use of what Mother Nature has sprouting in your own back yard, you can have wholesome, healthy meals quickly, easily and inexpensively! Here is a recipe that we just tossed together today, [...]

Milk Thistle May Counter Liver Damage from Chemotherapy

New research on Milk Thistle shows that the herb might help counter liver damage resulting from chemotherapy cancer treatments.

Big Pharma’s Secret: Tamiflu is an Herbal Extract

Many people have sweetgum trees in their backyards!

Broadleaf Plantain (Plantago major) ~ LuminEarth’s Guide To Wild Edible & Medicinal Plants

Plantain (Plantago major) Other Names: Common Plantain, Broadleaf Plantain, Great Plantain, Greater Plantain, Ripple Grass, Plantago Asiatica, Waybread, Waybroad, Snakeweed, Cuckoo’s Bread, Englishman’s Foot, White Man’s Foot, Che Qian Zi (China), Breitwegerich (German), Tanchagem-maior (Portuguese), Llantén común (Spanish), Llantén major (Spanish). Plantain is both medicinal and edible.