Hawthorn berry, leaf and flower are all heart tonics, slow and gentle in action, but strengthening the heart function overtime. The herb is a mild vasodilator, increasing the supply of blood to heart muscles, thus reducing the chance of spasms, angina and shortness of breath in the elderly. Studies have shown berry extracts help decrease lactic acid during angina attacks.

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Horsetail reminds one of the days of dinosaurs and swamps, as these prehistoric plants have been around for some 300 million years. In the rainforest of Panama I have seen horsetail (H. myriochaetum) over thirty feet tall. It is found everywhere in the world save for Australia and Antarctica. Field Horsetail is a perennial, while Meadow Horsetail is an annual.

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Western Wild Ginger is found in British Columbia, while the Eastern variety can be found into Manitoba and southeast. The leaves can be crushed, and smell like lemon ginger. The eastern species grows up to a foot tall, with large heart-shaped leaves. The Western has long whip-like ends on the three purple sepals, and is lower to the ground.

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Spreading dogbane is a tiny, inconspicuous shrub with beautiful, pink, fragrant flowers. All parts of the plant release a latex sap if bruised. This milky sap resembling mother’s milk led to an early plant signature for promoting lactation.

The flowers have been collected and used as part of love mixtures. They secrete a sweet liquid that is very attractive to flies.

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Motherwort is an introduced perennial that has sporadically established itself throughout the Canadian prairies. It thrives in well- drained, alkaline and sandy soil, It is a member of the Mint family, with the familiar square stem, opposite leaves, and flowers in the upper leaf axils. The flowers are white to pink, with purple spots. The pink lips of the flower, according to the Doctrine of Signatures, look like a vagina, and hence are useful for menstrual problems.

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Like raspberry, the leaves of strawberry help settle morning sickness and prevent miscarriage. The iron-rich leaves help those with tendency to anemia, without creating constipation. The leaf tea stimulates breast milk production in nursing mothers, and helps regulate the menstrual cycle. The root, however, will reduce breast milk flow.

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Bilberry extracts are used for skin diseases as well as ulcers, eczema, folliculitis, and varicose veins. The anthocyans soothe sensitive areas such as eyelids, and anthocyanidins protect skin problems. 

Comfrey is native to Europe, but naturalized here for several hundred years. It will grow to three feet tall, and quickly fill in with prickly dark green leaves. The flowers have a white to pink/blue appearance that reminds you that comfrey is in the same family as Borage.

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Young pine needles make a very pleasant, and yet, strong tasting tea with mild diuretic and expectorant action. The vitamin C content is five times that of lemons, also contributing benefit.

The compound D-pinitol has been found in water-stressed pine needles, and leaves of legumes. In the body, pinitol is converted to D-chiro-inositol, which influences several metabolic processes including blood sugar control.

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Cleavers is used for skin and urinary problems. Skin conditions that are the result of poor lymphatic drainage respond to both internal and external treatment. Dr. Scudder recommended using cleavers for nodulated growths and deposits on the mucous membranes or skin.

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Calamus root is used, as a cold infusion, for all manner of digestive complaints, including hyperacidity. It stimulates the salivary glands, and yet counteracts acidity and reduces heartburn and gas; combining well with meadowsweet or queen of the meadow.

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