The History, Mythology, and Offerings of Hawthorn | Herbal Academy | Come hear of the myths, benefits, and offerings of hawthorn, and get two easy hawthorn recipes to use throughout the fall season as well. 
  ON October 28,2019

The History, Mythology, and Offerings of Hawthorn

With the arrival of fall, I am excited for the hawthorn trees to begin ripening their fruits to crimson, soon ready for harvesting. Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) is a member of the Rosaceae family. This botanical family also contains red raspberry (Rubus ideaus) and wild rose (Rosa woodsii), each of which, like hawthorn, protect themselves by…

Read More

Adding Devil’s Club to your Materia Medica | Herbal Academy | Devil's club is a useful plant to have in one's materia medica. In this post, we'll explore and deepen our knowledge and understanding of this herbal ally.
  ON November 06,2018

Adding Devil’s Club to your Materia Medica

When I first saw devil’s club in the wild woods, I had no idea what it was, but I was immediately entranced by it. The thick, yellowish-white stalk, wrapped in huge spines, was taller than me, and at the top, there sprouted several foot-long, alternate, umbrella-shaped leaves that also had numerous spines along the top…

Read More

Yarrow: The Plant That Made Achilles Invincible | Herbal Academy | Learn more about the folklore of yarrow and Achilles as well as some practical uses for this herb in this post.
  ON July 07,2012

Yarrow: The Plant That Made Achilles Invincible

Yesterday, we harvested our first yarrow of the season. Yarrow is one of my favorite plants, and its uses are legion. It makes a nice cooking spice, effective bug spray, slows bleeding, brings down temperatures and activates the immune system, soothes sore throats, supports the digestive system, and promotes labor. Not only that, it’s a…

Read More