Embracing the Enchanting Lily of the Valley: A Tribute to one of Nature’s Loveliest Flowers

By Beth Schreibman Gehring

“White coral bells upon a slender stalk,

Lilies of the valley dress my garden walk.

Oh, don’t you wish that you could hear them ring?

That will happen only when the fairies sing.”

– Traditional Folk Song

Surely, many of you cherish this beautiful children’s round, its authorship lost to time; its timeless melody, ethereal in nature, much like the lily of the valley itself. As a child, I sang this with my siblings, and now, I eagerly anticipate singing it with my grandson, Wolfie, for the very first time in my garden. When the lilies bloom, I’ll beckon my husband outside with his guitar, and together, the three of us will serenade these delicate blossoms.

Within the lush tapestry of nature’s bounty, few flowers evoke the same sense of delicate beauty and timeless elegance as the lily of the valley. With its dainty bell-shaped blossoms and intoxicating fragrance, this enchanting flower has captivated hearts and minds for centuries. Join me on a journey as we explore the rich history, cultural significance, and historically medicinal qualities of the lily of the valley.

Originating in Europe and Asia, the lily of the valley holds a special place in French culture, celebrated annually on May 1st during the “La Fête du Muguet” or Lily of the Valley Festival. Picture yourself strolling through the cobbled streets of a quaint French village, where the air is alive with the sweet scent of lily of the valley blossoms. “La Fête du Muguet” is a cherished tradition where these delicate blooms dance in the breeze, carrying whispers of luck and joy to all who encounter them. It’s a time of celebration, of gathering bouquets to share with loved ones, and of honoring the timeless magic of spring’s arrival. This tradition dates back to the Renaissance era when King Charles IX of France began the custom of presenting lily of the valley flowers to the ladies of his court as a special token. Legend has it that one of his knights, a gentleman named Louis de Gerard de Maisonforte, gave it to him as a token to bestow good luck and prosperity for the year ahead. Today, the tradition endures, with streets and markets adorned with fragrant bouquets of these delicate blooms symbolizing hope, happiness, and the arrival of spring.

In Great Britain, the lily of the valley is often associated with May Day festivities, where it symbolizes the arrival of spring and the promise of new beginnings. Traditionally, people would gather bouquets of lily of the valley to adorn their homes or to give as gifts to friends and family, much like in France. Additionally, in some parts of the country, it is believed that carrying a sprig of lily of the valley brings good luck and protection against evil spirits.

The lily of the valley is still celebrated for its beauty and fragrance. Many gardeners cultivate these charming flowers in their yards, relishing in their sweet scent and delicate appearance. Some may even incorporate them into wedding bouquets or floral arrangements, adding a touch of timeless elegance to special occasions. My son used to pick them for me every Mother’s Day, and who could forget the beautiful wedding bouquet carried by Kate Middleton, now the Princess of Wales, that was dripping with hundreds of these beautiful blooms. It was absolutely breathtaking.

Just as important as its cultural significance, the lily of the valley boasts a rich history as a medicinal herb and is found in many historically accurate herb gardens, although rarely used in the present day. Revered for its therapeutic properties, this humble plant had been used for centuries in traditional folk medicine to treat a variety of ailments. Historical records indicate its use in remedies for heart conditions, headaches, and even as a diuretic. However, caution must be exercised, as the lily of the valley contains potent cardiac glycosides, which can be toxic if ingested, and in fact, it is considered one of the most poisonous plants in many parts of the world. The leaves, flowers, and berries of the lily of the valley contain these toxic compounds, which can cause symptoms ranging from nausea and vomiting to irregular heartbeat and even death. 

It’s crucial to exercise extreme caution when introducing lily of the valley to children and to avoid ingesting any part of the plant, even in small quantities. In my experience, teaching children about the plants in your garden early on can be incredibly beneficial. Children are naturally curious and eager to learn about the natural world, and with proper guidance, they can develop a deep respect for plants and their safety. Sadly, many beautiful native plants and flowers are being uprooted from gardens where they should thrive. By instilling plant safety knowledge in your children from an early age, you can ensure they understand how to interact safely with the flora around them, giving you peace of mind when they’re exploring outdoors.

Despite its potential for toxicity, the lily of the valley continues to hold a special place in the hearts of herbalists and gardeners alike. In my own gardens, the lily of the valley holds a cherished place every spring, its presence weaving a tapestry of memories and musings. I recall tender moments spent tending to its delicate blooms, inhaling the intoxicating scent that can only be captured by nature herself. In my own gardens, this delightful flower evokes cherished memories of days spent amidst its fragrant blooms, a sanctuary of tranquility and nostalgia.

Its exquisite beauty and captivating fragrance serve as a poignant reminder of the delicate balance between nature’s gifts and her potential dangers. This May as we marvel at the timeless allure of the lily of the valley, let us also heed the warnings and respect the potent powers of this enchanting flower. Whether adorning a bridal bouquet, gracing a May Day celebration, lending its glorious scent to perfumes, or simply brightening a corner of the garden, the gossamer lily of the valley serves as a reminder of some of the most profound mysteries and wonders of the natural world.

Tending to lilies of the valley is a labor of love that rewards both the gardener and the senses. They thrive in cool, shaded areas with well-drained soil rich in organic matter. When planting, ensure the rhizomes are spaced about 6 to 8 inches apart and buried just below the surface, as they prefer shallow planting depths. Regular watering is essential, especially during dry spells, but be cautious not to overwater as they are susceptible to rot. Mulching around the plants helps retain moisture and suppress weeds while providing insulation during winter. Pruning spent flowers and yellowing foliage encourages new growth and keeps the plant looking tidy. With proper care and attention, lilies of the valley will grace your garden year after year.

As I anticipate the arrival of spring and the blossoming of my beloved lilies, I am filled with a sense of anticipation and gratitude. My father tended to them lovingly in our yard, and as a child, I reveled in the simple joys of gathering bouquets and basking in their delicate scent. I loved to take a book outside with a mug of tea and read, nestled within a patch of those beautiful and fragrant blooms. Now, as I prepare to welcome Wolfie into my gardens, I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to share these precious moments with him, passing down the tradition and the love for nature’s gifts.

As we marvel at the timeless allure of the lily of the valley, let us also heed the warnings and respect the potent powers of this enchanting flower. It invites us to embrace the profound mysteries and wonders of the natural world, one delicate white blossom at a time.

Medicinal Disclaimer: It is the policy of The Herb Society of America, Inc. not to advise or recommend herbs for medicinal or health use. This information is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered as a recommendation or an endorsement of any particular medical or health treatment. Please consult a health care provider before pursuing any herbal treatments.

Photo Credits: 1) Lily of the Valley flowers (Author’s photo); 2) Vintage postcard of Muguet Lily of the Valley Guerlain launch of Millesime perfume (Public Domian); 3) Kate Middleton with her wedding bouquet (dailymail.co.uk); 4) Vintage postcard of Lily of the Valley (Public Domain); 5) Lily of the Valley in vase (Unsplash, Dmitry Bukhantsov).

---

Beth Schreibman Gehring is a lover of all things green, delicious, growing, beautiful, magical, and fragrant. She’s also a lifestyle blogger, storyteller, and occasional wedding and party planner who uses an ever-changing seasonal palette of love, life, and food to help her readers and clients fall madly in love with their lives! Beth lives and works with Jim, her husband of 40 years, and is owned by 17 full sets of vintage dishes, hundreds of books, two cats, one dog, a horse, a swarm of wild honeybees, a garden full of herbs, fruit, vegetables, and old rambling roses, too many bottles of vintage perfume and very soon, a flock of heirloom chickens! She is the author of Stirring the Senses: How to Fall Madly in Love with Your Life and Make Everyday a Day for Candles & Wine (available on Amazon) and is currently working on a new book, Roses for Beauty, Flavor, and Fragrance. Join her in her gardens at https://bethschreibmangehring.substack.com/, or contact her at beth.gehring@stirringthesenses.com.

HSA Webinar: The Dioscorides Garden Project in Athens, Greece

By Maria Christodoulou

As an herbalist exploring the wisdom and whimsy of ancient Greek herbal medicine, I often refer to ancient texts that describe the medicinal uses of plants. One of my favorite ancient herbalists is Pedanius Dioscorides (c. 40-90 CE), a Greek medical botanist and physician considered “the father of pharmacognosy,” which is the study of natural drugs obtained from plants, microbes, and animals. 

Dioscorides’ five-volume encyclopedia, De Materia Medica (originally titled Περὶ ὕλης ἰατρικῆς in ancient Greek) was hand-copied and referenced extensively for an impressive 1,500 years after it was written.  This influential herbal reference, describing approximately 600 plants for more than 1,000 traditional medicines, would help create the basis of European and Western pharmacopeia.

The Dioscorides Garden in Athens, Greece, where I have lived for the past two years, will showcase plants significant to ancient medicine and history as documented by its namesake.  The Garden will be a place of hands-on learning for local schoolchildren, residents, and tourists.  Organized garden days and tours will provide visitors the opportunity to learn more about the plants and have insightful discussions about gardening and herbal history.

The Garden will be a project of the Herbalists Without Borders – Athens, Greece Chapter, for which I am the lead coordinator. Herbalists Without Borders (HWB) is a U.S. non-profit organization with a global network of herbalists, medicinal plant growers, educators, and practitioners dedicated to health, education, and conservation projects.  Funds raised by the Athens chapter have helped support garden projects with children from Ukraine, herbal classes with refugee mothers, and reforestation efforts of areas affected by wildfires.

The Dioscorides Garden in Athens is inspired by the Dioscorides Garden at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C., where staff have expressed enthusiasm for the project and have readily provided a list of plants written about in De Materia Medica and which feature in the garden there.

The Dioscorides Garden in Athens will be located at Zappeion, a public outdoor park in Syntagma, the central neighborhood of the city.  The Garden has three main objectives:

1. Provide an accessible and centrally-located garden space for hands-on learning for all ages
2. Showcase plants significant to ancient and modern Greek herbal culture
3. Create strong ties with the U.S. National Arboretum to increase awareness of the project and encourage international collaboration

In 2022, a small garden was established by a group of children from Ukraine as part of an annual garden event with the HWB chapter.  The garden currently includes rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano, rue, basil, lavender, and mint. The Dioscorides Garden Project will greatly expand the current selection of medicinal plants and, depending on funding, signs will be installed with the name and description of each plant. 

Growing a garden in a Mediterranean climate can be challenging. Plants that thrive in the Mediterranean region are generally adapted to hot, dry summers. But as we are experiencing currently a week-long heat wave of temperatures at 95-105 °F, plants can suffer without relief from the brutal heat. To help support the long-term survival of the garden, additional sprinklers will be added and plants will be thoughtfully planted with the help of a volunteer landscape designer, yet to be identified.

While Dioscorides may not have known the long-lasting impact of his herbal work, the plants he wrote about continue to inspire us to create our own legacies, one medicinal garden at a time.

Join Maria on Thursday, October 26, at 1pm Eastern for the webinar: Exploring Ancient Herbs in Dioscorides’ De Materia Medica. Our webinars are free to The Herb Society of America members and $7.50 for guests. Become a member today, and enjoy all of our webinars for free along with access to the webinar library with over fifty program titles. To register, visit https://www.herbsociety.org/hsa-learn/herb-education/hsa-webinars/

Photo Credits: 1) Byzantium copy of De Materia Medica from the 15^th century (Public Domain); 2) View of entire garden enclosed in garden fence from northeast entry point (courtesy of the author); 3) Children from Ukraine participate in a hands-on garden day as part of HWB events in 2022 and 2023.

References

Cilliers, Louise and Francois Retief. 2001. Reviewed work: Dioscorides De Materia Medica by Tessa A. Osbaldeston, R.P. Wood. Acta Classica, 44, 253-257.

Osbaldeston, Tess and Robert Wood. 2000. De materia medica: Being an herbal with many other medicinal materials: written in Greek in the first century of the common era: a new indexed version in modern English. Johannesburg: IBIDIS.

UNESCO Memory of the World. Vienna Dioscorides [Online Database]. Retrieved from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/memory-of-the-world/register/full-list-of-registered-heritage/registered-heritage-page-9/vienna-dioscurides/

---

Maria Christodoulou is a clinical herbalist teaching and writing about ancient Greek herbal medicine as The Greek Herbalist. She is the author of The Greek Herbalist’s Guide to the National Garden, Athens and The Greek Herbalist’s Guide to the Mountain. She recently presented at the International Herb Symposium and was a 2022 recipient of the Ancient Worlds, Modern Communities Award from the Society of Classical Studies at New York University. Based in Greece, she leads educational herbal medicine tours throughout the country. She is the lead coordinator of the Herbalists Without Borders -Athens, Greece Chapter, an Associate Member of the American Herbalists Guild, and a member of United Plant Savers. For more adventures through antiquity, visit: www.thegreekherbalist.com. 

Milkweed Saves the Monarch Butterfly

By Norma Weinberg

All life forms need resources, and the three most important resources needed by monarchs in their annual cycle are: nectar from flowers for the adults, both in the migratory and reproductive phases; shelter and water while overwintering; and milkweeds—food for their larvae after the breeding phase.

Female monarchs only lay eggs on milkweed plants (Asclepias spp.) as a food source for their larvae, with a few exceptions. While there are over 100 species of milkweeds in North America, many are rare or confined to remote habitats. Still, monarchs utilize about 30 milkweed species as hosts for their larvae. The common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is the predominant species. Estimates are that 90% of the monarchs that overwinter in Mexico each year have fed on this species as a larva. 

NECTAR PLANTS 

Adult butterflies need sources of carbohydrates, amino acids, and some salts to successfully migrate and reproduce. To fulfill these needs, monarchs visit both “bee” flowers and “butterfly” flowers. Butterfly flowers, like pentas, lantanas, butterfly bushes, and butterfly weed, co-evolved with the butterflies. These plants have dilute nectars containing 10-15% dissolved solids, carbohydrates, and amino acids. Bee flowers, such as clovers and other legumes, tend to have richer nectars (20-40% dissolved solids) but little in the way of amino acids. 

SHELTER AND WATER

Overwintering is all about shelter and water. Intact Oyamel fir forests, found at high elevations in the mountains of central Mexico, provide the canopy and the sources of necessary water needed by the monarchs. Here is where these butterflies come to mate.

OYAMEL FORESTS AND MONARCHS

Oyamel fir trees are the dominant, and often only, tree species at the sites where monarchs come to overwinter and mate. Although monarchs cluster on numerous tree species during their migration southward, the clusters are never as dense as those seen in Mexico. Even though specific colony sites may be chosen for the microclimates they provide, the oyamel, due to its structure, seems to afford a high degree of protection. The very structure of the needles and branches allow for the formation of dense clusters, and they provide a protective canopy that insulates the butterflies from both high and low temperatures. Within dense oyamel forests, during the heart of winter, temperatures seldom exceed 65°F during the day or drop below 30°F in early morning. Unfortunately, these dynamics change as the forests are degraded, allowing both higher and lower temperatures. Protection of the structural integrity of these oyamel forests is therefore essential for the protection of the monarch migration. 

MILKWEED OFFERS PROTECTION FROM PREDATORS

Milkweed needs butterflies, moths, bees, ants, and wasps for its own pollination. And monarch larvae need milkweed for food and protection. Milkweeds contain a group of compounds known as cardiac glycosides, or cardenolides. As the larvae feed on milkweeds, they acquire some of these compounds and sequester them, late in the pupal stage, into the cuticle of their developing adult body. Cardiac glycosides are toxins that are effective against many vertebrates, as they induce vomiting. A bird needs to only eat a monarch once to get the message that they are not good food items. 

Most insects that incorporate toxins from noxious plants advertise their own food choice, and thus their inedibility, by being brightly colored; hence, the strongly contrasting black, orange, and white coloration of the adult monarch, and the black, yellow, and white colors of the larvae. This form of advertising is known as aposematic (or warning) coloration. Interesting how interdependent we all are for survival!

MATING BEHAVIOR

Monarch butterflies are notably promiscuous, with lifetime mating frequencies approaching eight partners for each sex. Since it is usually the sperm from the most recent mating that is used to fertilize eggs, females produce offspring that have been fathered by a series of males through their egg laying history. This high degree of multiple mating may be advantageous in that it increases the genetic variability of a female’s offspring in a highly variable (heterogeneous) environment.

EGG-LAYING

Female monarchs appear to find milkweed plants for egg-laying by sight, olfaction, and taste. They visually search for plants but will also crawl through vegetation to reach small and inconspicuous plants in the spring, evidently finding these plants through olfaction. Once a female has found a plant, she “tastes” the plant by “drumming” or touching the plant repeatedly with a special set of taste receptors located on the first pair of legs. Females seem to prefer particular milkweed species, and show a strong bias by laying eggs on young leaves and flower buds. When flying north in the spring from Mexico, females may scatter eggs over a thousand  miles, thus re-establishing the breeding population to the limits of milkweed. The average female is thought to lay around 400 eggs, only a few of which survive. 

 

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

In the United States, 6000 acres are converted to development each day. Additionally, chemically intensive agriculture that utilizes insecticides and herbicides also affects monarchs and their milkweed hosts. Land management practices, such as frequent mowing, that favor grasses rather than flowering plants are also a factor. And, there is climate change, which poses threats to monarchs throughout their annual cycle. Sustaining the monarch migration will require the cooperation of all three countries (U.S.A., Canada, and Mexico) that are home to monarchs for some portion of the year. A recent development along these lines has been the drafting of a “North American Monarch Conservation Plan.” 

 

WHERE DO YOU FIT IN?

As with comedy, harvesting milkweed seed is all about timing. Too soon and the seed will be immature and won’t germinate; too late and it will have either blown away or involve a flossy mess you’ll need to deal with before sowing. Here are some methods of harvesting milkweed seed, separating the truth from the fluff:

Milkweed plants produce distinct seed pods in late summer. Typically these pods are horn shaped, or otherwise long, narrow, and tubular. Pods are filled with seeds and floss, a material attached to the seed that allows it to travel on the wind, similar to dandelion seed. When the seed is ready to disperse, the floss will expand, causing the pod to burst. For those wishing to collect seed, this floss can be problematic, creating a messy barrier to gathering large amounts of viable seed. There are several options for separating the floss, but the best option is to plan your timing so that you are able to easily remove the seed as soon as it is mature, but before the silky floss has expanded. Milkweed seed should be brown and leathery when mature, though the pods themselves may still be green.

You can test an unopened pod for maturity by applying gentle pressure to the seam. If it does not open readily, the seed inside is immature. If the pod opens and the seed is dark brown in color, you may easily remove the central rib of seeds and floss in one mass, and should find it easy to separate. From here, pinch the seed mass towards the top of the cluster, and remove the seed with your other hand (the seeds should fall away easily). Move your thumb and forefinger down the mass of floss as you go, working your way down the seed mass. You should end up with a pile of seeds and a ribbon of milkweed floss that can then be discarded.

For more information visit MonarchWatch.org, and The Green Bridges Initiative sponsored by The Herb Society of America https://www.herbsociety.org/get-involved/greenbridges-initiative.html

Photo Credits: 1) A monarch caterpillar crawls on Asclepias tuberosa flowers (Chris von Kohn); 2) Asclepias speciosa (Matt Lavin); 3) Asclepias exaltata (Chris von Kohn); 4) Asclepias asperula in Red Rock Canyon, Nevada (Stan Shebs); 5) Monarchs resting on a conifer (U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Public Domain); 6) Monarch caterpillar feeds on an Asclepias syriaca leaf (USFWS Midwest Region); 7) Monarchs resting en masse (Rafael Saldaña); 8) Asclepias purpurescens (Chris von Kohn); 9) Asclepias tuberosa seeds (Chrissy Moore)

---

Norma Weinberg is a Master Gardener and Education Chair of the New England Unit of the Herb Society of America (NEUHSA)

HSA Webinar: Saving Our Seeds and Harvesting Joy

By Bevin Cohen

I’ve enjoyed gardening for most of my life. As a young kid I used to grow radishes in a flowerpot on the balcony of my grandmother’s apartment. Radishes are a perfect crop for a kid; they grow fast, they’re colorful and they make a nice little snack. When I got older, I fell in love with the garden of a close family friend. It was a husband and wife team. On one side of the garden, he grew all sorts of tasty fruits and vegetables, and on her side was the most diverse and colorful collection of herbs and flowers I had ever seen. The buzzing of bees would fill the summer air while I munched on fresh green beans, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes.

This fascination with plants has carried over into my adult life and nowadays I spend much of my time outdoors – gardening, foraging or just sitting in the shade enjoying the sights and sounds of Nature’s endless dance. There’s so much joy to be found in the garden, from the vibrant colors of newly opened blooms to the fragrant aroma of fresh herbs. The flavors of homegrown produce are unmatched by anything available at the supermarket. In the garden is where we find life’s greatest treasures. 

For the past ten years or so, I’ve tried to share my love of gardening with folks, through classes and workshops as well as in a handful of books that I’ve written, and even in a newly launched podcast, appropriately dubbed Seeds & Weeds. I want people to be just as excited about the world of plants as I am. One subject that seems to generate quite a bit of excitement is seed saving. Even amongst experienced gardeners, I’ve found that the saving of seeds isn’t as common as one might expect it to be. How can we have a garden without seeds? To me, saving seeds is as natural as planting seeds, but it’s a practice that has fallen to the wayside on many gardeners’ annual to-do lists. I suppose it is easy to just buy new seeds each year, but homegrown seeds will perform better than commercially purchased varieties; they’ve begun to adapt to our gardens. If we think about it, all that our plants truly want to accomplish is the production of seeds to ensure the next generation of plants, and they’ll do whatever it takes to make sure this happens. Seeds harvested from our own gardens are adjusting to our microclimates, pest and weed pressures, and even our gardening techniques. They’re making themselves at home. By saving the seeds from our best performing plants, we’ll get even better plants next season. Whether it’s the most beautiful flower, the most fragrant herb or the tastiest tomato you’ve ever had, selecting for the traits that you enjoy will ensure that those traits are passed along into the next generation.

For several years, my seed work was centered around seed libraries, which are public seed dispersal hubs that are often housed within public libraries. These are great programs that help get seeds into the hands of the people that need them the most. I would visit many of these libraries in the spring to help them get their season off on the right foot, and then again in the fall to teach them how to save the seeds from their harvests. While my focus with these programs was providing communities with seeds to grow food, the numbers at the end of each season showed that participants were more interested in growing herbs and flowers than they were fruits and veggies. Maybe it was due to limited growing space, or just personal preference, but either way, I had to adjust my seed saving curriculum to match the needs of the growers in attendance at my workshops. This was fun for me, since I had to refresh myself on the different equipment and techniques needed to process these often very small seeds, and I was reminded of something I learned many years ago, as a young boy munching on cucumbers in someone else’s garden. Everyone likes to grow something different, and it’s these differences that make every garden special. Lean in and grow whatever you love and you’ll harvest baskets full of joy for years to come. 

Join Bevin on Tuesday, August 22, at 1pm Eastern for the webinar: Saving Our Seeds: Herbs, Flowers, and Veggies. Our webinars are free to The Herb Society of America members and $7.50 for guests. Become a member today, and enjoy all of our webinars for free along with access to the webinar library with over fifty program titles. To register, visit https://www.herbsociety.org/hsa-learn/herb-education/hsa-webinars/

Photo Credits: 1) A flower and vegetable garden (PxFuel); 2) People sorting seeds at a seed library (Public Domain); 3) A bountiful garden harvest (Wallpaper Flare); 4) Bevin Cohen (courtesy of the author)

---

Bevin Cohen is an award-winning author, herbalist, owner of Small House Farm, and host of the popular Seeds & Weeds podcast. He offers workshops and lectures across the country on the benefits of living closer to the land through seeds, herbs, and locally grown food. Bevin is a food and garden writer whose work has appeared in numerous publications including Mother Earth News, Modern Farmer Magazine, and The Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation. He’s the author or editor of more than ten books, including Saving Our Seeds and The Artisan Herbalist. Learn more about Bevin’s work at www.bevincohen.com

Embracing the Magic of the Summer Solstice in Your Herb Garden

by Beth Schreibman Gehring

The summer solstice is a time when the natural world is ablaze with life, when the energies of light and warmth are at their peak. This celestial dance of light and shadow held profound significance for our ancestors. It was a time of celebration and thanks for the coming harvests, and a time to relax for a bit and play. Still today, some cultures celebrate by kindling fires, symbolizing the transformative power of the sun, and many communities gather to dance, sing, and rejoice in the abundance of the season.

Within the realms of folklore, the summer solstice is a moment in time when the veils between the human world and the realm of faeries grow gossamer thin. It is said that on the summer solstice eve, you may catch a glimpse of these ethereal beings, frolicking amidst the meadows and woodlands, their presence evoking a sense of wonder and awe. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare says “I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, where oxlips grow and violets nod their heads, canopied with luscious honeysuckle interspersed with sweet-smelling ramblers and wild roses. Titania sometimes sleeps there at night, lulled to sleep among the flowers after her dancing.” 

These words encapsulate the essence of the magical world that many of us have created within our own herb gardens. Immerse yourself in the harmonies of your garden, an oasis that springs forth from the work of your own hands. Here, amidst a symphony of colors and textures, scents and flavors, lies a verdant and intelligent sanctuary where the wisdom of the ages intertwines with the wonders of the natural world. Each leaf, each stem, each flower bestowed upon us by Mother Earth is a treasure that can fill our hearts with wonder and delight.

As you stand amidst your garden, a feeling of peace and inspiration slowly washes over you. You have created a space where you can connect with the mystical and practical energies of the earth, where your dreams and realities blend together in a beautiful dance. From the soothing whispers of lavender and chamomile to the invigorating embrace of rosemary, from the delicate petals of calendula to the fiery leaves of tulsi basil, and the ethereal beauty and captivating scent of heirloom roses, this garden becomes a gateway to a magical realm of herbs, flowers, and spices.

It’s a very good time to infuse our herb gardens with the essence of this magical energy. Imagine the ancient voices whispering in your ear, guiding your hands, and filling your heart with ancestral awareness. I encourage you to grab your favorite notebook, and journey into some questions with me, answering them with all your senses. You don’t have to answer them all, just the ones that call to you. Together let’s forge a deeper connection with the natural world within.

• Recall the reasons behind selecting the specific herbs that grace your garden. What drew you to them? What unique qualities and virtues do they possess that enrich the tapestry of your sanctuary?
• Reflect on the intentions you set during the planting process. Have those intentions manifested in your garden’s growth and energy?
• Observe the intricate interplay within your garden, the dance of life unfolding before your eyes. Which interactions between plants and creatures captivate your attention? How does this reflect the interconnectedness and harmony of all existence in your garden?
• Reflect on the healing properties associated with the scents and aromas in your garden. How have these aromatic herbs contributed to your overall well-being?
• Contemplate how the growth of your herbs mirrors your personal growth. In what ways have you drawn insights and revelations from their flourishing presence? Have you witnessed parallels between their journey and your own personal development?
• Reflect on the role you play as the caretaker and guardian of growth for these plants. How does it make you feel to nurture them? In what ways do these herbs, in turn, nurture you? How do they bestow their healing powers upon your body, mind, and spirit?
• And finally, how has the process of creating this space transformed your connection with nature? In what ways has it deepened your understanding of the inherent magic that resides within the natural world?

The summer solstice is always a magical time for me, a time of deep reflection and celebration. May the day serve as a reminder of the abundant beauty that surrounds us and the intricate dance of life that we are all a part of, and may your herb garden always be a testament to the enduring power of nature, the wisdom of ancient traditions, and the magic that resides within your own heart.

Photo Credits: All photos courtesy of the author.

---

Beth Schreibman Gehring is a lover of all things green, delicious, growing, beautiful, magical, and fragrant. She’s also a lifestyle blogger, storyteller, and occasional wedding and party planner who uses an ever-changing seasonal palette of love, life, and food to help her readers and clients fall madly in love with their lives! Beth lives and works with Jim, her husband of 40 years, and is owned by 17 full sets of vintage dishes, hundreds of books, two cats, one dog, a horse, a swarm of wild honeybees, a garden full of herbs, fruit, vegetables, and old rambling roses, too many bottles of vintage perfume and very soon, a flock of heirloom chickens! She is the author of Stirring the Senses: How to Fall Madly in Love with Your Life and Make Everyday a Day for Candles & Wine (available on Amazon) and is currently working on a new book, Roses for Beauty, Flavor, and Fragrance. Join her in her gardens at https://bethschreibmangehring.substack.com/, or contact her at beth.gehring@stirringthesenses.com.

Perennial Herbs for the Garden

By Peggy Riccio

I love being able to step out into the garden and snip fresh herbs whenever I need them. Yesterday, I was making ham and bean stew in the crockpot. I was inspired to add thyme so I cut off a few sprigs from the thyme growing in the front of the house. I looked around and snipped even more herbs: cutting celery, oregano, sage, and rosemary. Except for the cutting celery, these are perennial herbs that should be in everyone’s garden. They can be tucked in the ornamental bed just like any other perennial plant. In the spring, you can purchase the small plants from a nursery or you can ask a friend for a cutting or division. Once you have them in your garden, you can enjoy them year-round and nothing will bother them, not even deer.

Cutting Celery

Botanically speaking, the cutting celery is a biennial. It puts its energy into foliage the first year and then into flowering and setting seed the next year. In my Zone 7 garden, I can harvest the foliage any time so it acts like a perennial. I am sure it is because the seed drops, germinates, and produces new plants each year. I always grow it in one place, under the dappled shade of a tree and where a tiny stream runs through after it rains. This gives the celery enough moisture. The plant is smaller with thinner stems than store-bought stalk celery (it is the center plant in the bowl in the photo). The taste is like stalk celery but with a peppery, pungent bite. It can be used fresh in a salad, in sandwiches, or sautéed with onions and carrots, which is what I did for the bean stew.

Thyme

Thyme is a perennial shrub with very small leaves (in upper left quadrant in the bowl). It is only about six inches tall, making it a good groundcover. Because the thin wiry stems root easily, it is a great plant to have in order to cut and root stems in the spring to place in containers with summer annuals for the “spiller” effect. Culinary thyme remains green and above ground all winter long. It can be harvested and used in the kitchen any time of the year. There are variegated forms of thyme as well as flavored thymes such as coconut, lemon, and spicy orange. Thyme prefers full sun and well-drained soil. The leaves can be used fresh or dried.

Oregano

Oregano is an herbaceous perennial (in bottom part of bowl). It grows back every spring, reaches about a foot tall, flowers, and then dies back in the fall. Usually though with our mild winters, there are green leaves at the base year-round. In the early spring I cut back the dead flower stalks and remove the debris so fresh new growth can push through. Mine is in full sun and well-drained soil. Oregano is a great plant to have in the garden for the culinary use as well as the flowers. The flowers are small but attract beneficial insects and pollinators. Oregano leaves can be used fresh or dried and we use them for the bean stew, pizza, pasta sauce, poultry rub, and stuffing.

Sage

Sage is a woody shrub, about one to two feet tall. There are many types of sage but if you want to make sure you are purchasing culinary sage, look for Salvia officinalis with grey green leaves. Sage prefers full sun and well-drained soil. The leaves can be used fresh or dried for many dishes such as poultry rub, sausage, stuffing, and root vegetables. You can cut just a few leaves as you need them since they are pungent (top of the bowl).

Rosemary

I have the ‘Arp’ rosemary plant in full sun, on the southern side of the house in well drained soil. It grows so well I trim it back every year to keep it in proportion to the rest of the front garden. Rosemary blooms in the cool months and the purple/blue flowers are edible. The leaves are so flavorful you do not need many of them and they can be used fresh or dried. This plant is easy to propagate by stem cuttings or layering. Rosemary is versatile because the stems or branches can be used as well as the foliage and flowers. Line a platter with branches and then put a roast on top or use them as stirrers in drinks. The leaves can be used in pasta sauce, yeast breads like focaccia, roasted potatoes, poultry rub, and rosemary butter for vegetables (the cuttings are on the right side of the bowl).

This year as you add annuals and flowers to your garden beds, don’t forget to invest in perennial herbs for year round flavor.

---

Peggy Riccio is the owner of pegplant.com, an online resource for gardening in the Washington, DC, metro area; president of the Potomac Unit, Herb Society of America; regional director of GardenComm, a professional association of garden communicators; and is the blog administrator for the National Garden Clubs, Inc.

HSA Webinar: Fairy Gardens Throughout the Ages (and How to Make Your Own)

By Julie Bawden-Davis

Long before humans roamed the forests, fairies are said to have taken up residence in the cavities of trees, forming fairy houses where they took refuge. Dating back to the Middle Ages, fairy folklore says that these little beings possess supernatural powers. 

Many believe that fairies come from the elements—in fact, from Mother Nature herself. For that reason, it makes sense to add fairies to your garden. Even better, adding fairy gardens to your landscape elevates the magic and mystery of your landscape.

How to Make Your Own Fairy Garden

Whether you believe in fairies or not, anyone can make their very own fairy garden. A wide variety of herbs work well in these mini wonderlands. In fact, the diminutive nature of some herbs, like thyme and oregano, makes them fairy garden favorites. 

To create your own container fairy garden using herbs and fairy garden accessories, keep the following tips in mind.

Dream a Little Dream

The first step to creating a magical miniature garden is to dream up what you want the garden to be. A good way to do that is to start with a theme. Just like when you throw a party, knowing the theme allows you to plan and design the garden better.

The theme could be just about anything. Do a little daydreaming, and see what comes to mind. While doing so, ask yourself where you’d like to go if you were a fairy. A mountain retreat, maybe? A secret garden, perhaps? Or how about a beachside resort? The only limits are your imagination, and that’s truly limitless.

Choose Your Fairy

There are a wide variety of fairy figurines available to reside in your fairy garden. The type of figurine you choose can also help dictate the theme. Generally, if you’re planting a small fairy garden, it’s best to choose just one fairy and a supporting character or two like miniature ceramic animals.

Select Accessories

Once you have a theme, the ideal types of accessories quickly spring to mind. Using a cottage garden theme as an example, you will want to look for items such as a white picket fence, miniature stepping stones, a birdbath, and a gazebo or trellis.

Decide on Plants

For your cottage garden, you can’t use large flowering plants like foxglove or larkspur as you’d find in a human-sized landscape, but you can bring flowers to your Lilliputian paradise with small blooming plants like Erodium spp. (stork’s bill, heron’s bill) and miniature roses (Rosa sp.). Many trailing herbs, such as the aptly named ‘Elfin’ thyme, also flower in the spring. Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes) adds color to your fairy garden all year long.

Pick a Focal Point

The secret to creating a magical miniature garden that captures the attention of humans and fairies is to remember that in fairyland, less is more. For an effective, eye-catching miniature garden, be selective in your accessory and plant choice. Avoid packing too much into your garden, as it will look cluttered. From the handful of items you’ve selected, choose a plant or accessory to which the eye will be drawn. Then design the garden around that focal point.

Add Action and Tell a Story

The way to put life into your fairy garden is to add some action. Set the stage in your fairy garden by creating the illusion that something is going on. The secret is to give the viewer the “idea” of movement. What creates that illusion is how the fairy relates to her (or his) environment.

Think about how you position the fairy in relation to the environment. Is she pointing up at a miniature tree? Or maybe she is interacting with a fellow animal figurine. Position a fairy with her arms outspread facing a little kitty looking up at her intently, and while creating action, a story comes to life. The fairy has looked for her kitty all afternoon long and finally found her!

Whatever you place in the fairy’s line of sight helps tell the story. Putting a fairy boy holding a tipping teacup as he sits talking to his dog is another great way to add action while telling a tale.

Planting, Care, and Maintenance

Choose a container with drainage holes that has enough space to arrange your planned scene and is at least eight inches deep. Use a high-quality potting soil. When choosing plants, ensure all of them are either full sun or shade. 

Plant first, then add accessories. If you are going to put in a path, scoop out a half inch of soil and fill in with gravel or stepping stones. After planting, water well.

To keep your fairy garden plants within bounds, pinch and prune them on a regular basis. Don’t feed the fairy garden too frequently, as that will cause excessive growth. Keep the plants healthy with an application of a well-balanced, organic fertilizer every two to three months.

Join Julie on Thursday, March 16, at 1pm Eastern for her webinar: Fairy Gardens Throughout the Ages (and How to Make Your Own). Our webinars are free to The Herb Society of America members and $7.50 for guests. Become a member today, and enjoy all of our webinars for free along with access to the webinar library with over fifty program titles. To register, visit https://www.herbsociety.org/hsa-learn/herb-education/hsa-webinars/

Photo Credits: 1) Hidden home in the forest floor (Askoldsb, dreamstime.com); 2) Logs with little doors (C. Moore); 3) Thymus serpyllum (Kingsbrae Gardens, Creative Commons); miniature roses (The Oregonian); Erodium sp. (Macleay Grass Man, Creative Commons); 4) Tree with tiny door (C. Moore); 5) Fairy with cat (J. Bawden-Davis); 6) Fairy with dog (J. Bawden-Davis).

---

Julie Bawden-Davis is a bestselling garden author, speaker, and University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener. Her work has appeared in a wide variety of publications, including Parade.com and The Los Angeles Times, where she had weekly garden columns. She has also written for Better Homes and Gardens, The Orange County Register, The San Francisco Chronicle, Organic Gardening, The American Gardener and Wildflower Magazine. Julie is author of several gardening books, including Fairy Gardening: Creating Your Own Magical Miniature Garden, Southern California Vegetable Gardening and Southern California Fruit Gardening (SoCal Year-Round Gardening Series), The Strawberry Story: How To Grow Great Berries Year-Round in Southern California, Indoor Gardening the Organic Way, and Reader’s Digest Flower Gardening. She is also founder and publisher of the website, Healthy Houseplants.com. Julie gains inspiration from puttering and planting in her Southern California garden, which was certified in 1999 by the National Wildlife Federation as a Backyard Wildlife Habitat.

HSA Webinar: Horticultural Therapy – Improving Health and Wellness

Have you ever said to yourself or others, “My garden is my therapy?” If you have noticed that you feel more relaxed and even rejuvenated after imbibing the beauty, fragrance, and even hard work in your garden, you are not alone! Gardening provides physical exercise, as well as a rewarding intellectual and emotional connection. When recognized on a personal level, it is not a stretch to see how people in a wide variety of care environments who are facing diverse personal challenges can benefit from professionally facilitated horticultural experiences as well.

The profession of horticultural therapy (HT) was formalized in the early 1970s, though people have sought out gardens and gardening activities for respite and health recovery well before then. The practice of horticultural therapy involves a plant-based activity, a horticultural therapist, client(s), and identified treatment goals and objectives. Either in a group or as individuals, clients participate in outdoor or indoor plant-based activities designed to address their particular health or wellness needs. For example, patients in a rehabilitation hospital can work on standing tolerance, dynamic balance, and coordination by transplanting tea herbs into a planter raised to a comfortable standing height. Later in the season, the patients are rewarded with familiar fragrances as they harvest the herbs to make herb teas and learn about the roles relaxation and stress management play in their recovery.

In another example, adults with brain injuries focus on pre-vocational skills, such as following increasingly complex directions, organizing their work space, and social skills needed for interacting appropriately with coworkers and supervisors, all while growing plants for a sale. They could be growing any plants for sale, but the sensory stimulation from herb plants increases motivation and inspires conversation with customers during the plant sale. I have noticed that HT sessions are often so enjoyable, even with focus and hard work, that participants can feel like they are taking a break from therapy. Yet, they realized real progress towards their goals and objectives. 

HT programs are found in diverse organizations addressing a wide range of physical, social, emotional, vocational, and wellness needs for people of all ages. I’ve always said, “If you have seen one horticultural therapy program, you have seen ONE horticultural therapy program!” The flexibility of this field means that programs are unique and creatively designed to fit lots of different organizations–and not all are health care. Most focus on some type of improvement, recovery, or function maintenance ultimately for improved independence and quality of life. Quite often, horticultural therapists co-treat with other clinicians, such as recreation or occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, social workers, and vocational rehabilitation counselors. 

The other by-product of horticultural therapy programs is an environment with lots of plants! Imagine the impact plants have on senior living facilities, psychiatric hospitals, correction and juvenile detention facilities, veterans hospitals, and community support programs for people coping with grief, chronic illness, or cancer. When walking by a “lemon” garden, filled with lemon verbena, lemongrass, lemon basil, lemon thyme, lemon Pelargoniums (scented geraniums), lemon balm, and ‘Lemon Gem’ marigolds, you can hear people talking about all of the different qualities of plants that are all lemon scented. Lemon has long been associated with uplifted feelings, good moods, refreshment, and even more alertness. These plants, and their fragrant qualities, can compliment treatment programs, as well as add appeal to the overall garden. It is safe to say, these plant-rich environments provide benefits to clients, families, visitors, and staff as well! Some programs also sell plants to staff or the public to practice social and vocational skills and raise funds for their programs at the same time. 

I learned about horticultural therapy as a profession from my high school guidance counselor who had read about the field in a book. I never learned what book that was, but I have enjoyed a rewarding career of watching people discover the joy of growing and harvesting plants, making food, or other products from the fruits of their labor, while they have focused, struggled, delighted, and triumphed in their pursuit of self improvement. To learn more about horticultural therapy and how herbs are incorporated into the practice, join our webinar on February 14th, 2023, at 1pm Eastern. It is free for members and $7.50 for non members https://www.herbsociety.org/hsa-learn/herb-education/hsa-webinars/

Photo Credits: 1) Planting an herb garden; 2) Gardening in a raised bed; 3) Potting up plants; 4) Mint cuttings in a baggie; 5) Lemon herbs in a small “container” garden. All photos courtesy of the author.

---

Karen Kennedy has been the Education Coordinator for the Herb Society of America since 2012. She coordinates and moderates monthly educational webinars, gives presentations, manages digital education programs, including three herbal fiction book clubs, and produces educational materials, such as the Herb of the Month program. Karen is a registered horticultural therapist (HT) with over 35 years of HT and wellness programming experience in health care, social service organizations, and public gardens. She has been a faculty member at the Horticultural Therapy Institute since 2002 and served on the board of The American Horticultural Therapy Association. Karen received the AHTA Rhea McCandliss Professional Service Award (1994) and the American Horticultural Society Horticultural Therapy Award (2009). She co-wrote/edited the foundational text, The Profession and Practice of Horticultural Therapy, published in 2019. Karen loves to garden, knit, drink tea, and is a big fan of her daughter’s soccer teams.

 

Herbs and Vegetables Go Together in Garden and Kitchen

By Maryann Readal, Secretary, The Herb Society of America

Editor’s Note: This article was originally posted March 9, 2018. We hope it inspires you as you plan your spring gardens!

Recently I attended the Edible Yard Symposium sponsored by my local Master Gardener Association. It seems that a trend now is to plant vegetables and herbs into all of your beds instead of plowing up a special garden for these plants in the back 40. Last year, my husband tried to convince me to plant his peppers among my salvias, his spinach next to my parsley and his green beans on my garden trellis.  Oh no, I said to him then. But this may be the year to give that idea a try.

Garden author Judy Barrett, one of the symposium’s presenters, suggested considering a fruit tree when you have to replace a tree in your yard. You will enjoy the spring flowers and the fruit, she noted — another idea worth trying this year.

No room to garden? Not a problem. Find a large container and plant your herbs or vegetables in that.  Many nurseries make that easy by selling herbs and vegetables already growing in large containers. There is something uniquely satisfying about picking vegetables and herbs that you have grown yourself.

Be on the lookout for plant sales in your area. Many of The Herb Society of America’s units have spring plant sales. A check on the Calendar of Events page on the HSA website may help you locate some of these sales in your area.  These sales are a fantastic opportunity to find unusual plants that do well in your area. And you will find plants that you simply cannot buy in local nurseries and big box stores. Proceeds from these sales go toward scholarships and outreach programs by The Herb Society units.

So….be ready for spring. It IS just around the corner.

Herb of the Month: Ginger – An Ancient Spice

By Maryann Readal

Ginger, Zingiber officinale, is The Herb Society of America’s Herb of the Month for January. The English botanist, William Roscoe (1753-1831), gave ginger its name, which was derived from the Sanskrit word sryngaveram, which means “horn root.” However, ginger is not a root; it is a rhizome, which is an underground stem from which the roots grow. Ginger is an excellent spice to feature in January, because when infused into warm water, its spiciness warms the body on a cold winter day. Its medicinal qualities also help to relieve a sore throat or other cold symptoms that are more common in the winter.

Ginger is a very old spice. The Indians and the Chinese used ginger as a medicine over 5000 years ago to treat a variety of ailments (Bode, 2011). It was also used to flavor foods long before history was even recorded. The Greeks and the Romans introduced ginger to Europe and the Mediterranean area by way of the Arab traders. It became an important spice in Europe until the fall of the Roman Empire. When the Arabs re-established trade routes after the fall, ginger found its way back into European apothecaries and kitchens. It is said that one pound of ginger cost the same as one sheep in the 13th and 14th centuries (Bode, 2011). (It’s hard to imagine something that is so common today was so expensive many years ago.) The Arab traders were also good marketers. They brought with them claims that ginger was a reliable aphrodisiac. As late as the 19th century, it was claimed that rubbing your hands in ground ginger would assure success in the bed chamber (Laws, 2018). Perhaps it was their successful marketing that created the demand for the rhizome, driving up its price.

Today, growing culinary ginger is not limited to the hot, humid areas of Southeast Asia and India as it was long ago. Anyone living in southern growing areas (USDA Hardiness Zones 8 – 12) can grow it as a perennial. In colder areas, it can be grown in pots and brought indoors for the winter or grown in the ground, but dug up before frost and potted up for overwintering indoors in a cool location. It prefers a rich, moist soil, good drainage, and shade in the south, but full sun in the north. If starting plants from store-bought ginger rhizomes, the rhizome should be first soaked in water to remove any growth retardant that may have been used. Each rhizome can be cut into sections with at least two eyes and planted in soil. Harvest the rhizomes when the leaves begin to fade. 

There are many beautiful ornamental gingers that are in the Zingiberaceae family that are easy to grow in warm climates. There are shell, butterfly, spiral, hidden, and peacock gingers, each with a unique bloom and bright color. All provide tropical accents in the garden.

Savory Asian and Indian cuisines would be unthinkable without ginger, but in Europe, it is added to puddings, cakes, and drinks. Ginger is used in teas in many countries as well. In some parts of the Middle East, it is added to coffee. On the Ivory Coast, ginger is ground and added to juiced fruit. And how much more tasty Japanese sushi is with those slices of pink, pickled ginger! Here in the U.S., we have ginger ale and ginger beer, gingersnaps, and gingerbread. In Hawaii, ginger flowers are one of the flowers used in making leis. Googling ginger and cooking will find many, many interesting recipes using ginger in some form: fresh, ground, crystallized, pickled, preserved, or dried. 

Ginger is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Some medicinal applications of ginger that are supported by contemporary research are for the treatment of motion sickness, nausea, osteoarthritis, and muscle pain reduction (Engels, 2018). According to Bohm, “ginger also appears to reduce cholesterol and improve lipid metabolism, thereby helping to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.” It also shows promise as an anti-cancer agent against colon cancer.

Unfortunately for ginger, there is a dark side to its history. Throughout the 19th Century, a patent medicine, Ginger Juice (also Jamaica ginger), or “Jake” as it was popularly called, was widely sold on street corners and in pharmacies in the U.S. It contained alcohol and a ginger extract and was used as a treatment for headaches, upper respiratory infections, menstrual disorders, and intestinal gas. Even though it had a pungent ginger flavor, it became a sought-after alcoholic drink in U.S. counties where alcohol was prohibited. When Prohibition came along in 1920, medicines with a high alcohol content, such as Ginger Juice, became especially popular. The U.S. government put in place measures to control inappropriate use of these patent medicines; alcohol-based medicines were only available with a prescription. The Prohibition Bureau (naively) considered Ginger Juice to be non-potable and too pungent and possibly did not think people would misuse it. However, Ginger Juice continued to be a popular and inexpensive “drink.”

To circumvent the government’s restrictions/regulations placed on Ginger Juice, one manufacturer began adulterating the medicine by adding the compound tri-orthocresyl phosphate to its product. This created the illusion of pure Ginger Juice to fool the government officials, but ultimately resulted in a very toxic drink for the consumers. Soon, Ginger Juice users began reporting that they lost control of their hands and feet. They developed a peculiar walk, where their toes would touch the ground before their heels. It was called the Jake Walk or Jake Leg. Between 30,000 – 50,000 (some even estimate up to 100,000) people (Fortin, 2020) were affected before the government could remove the contaminated product from the market. Some recovered, but many did not.  This unfortunate event has been the subject of many blues songs and some books and movies. This incident contributed to the passage of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938, which prohibited the marketing of new drugs that were not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

This winter, warm up with ginger. For more information and recipes for ginger, please see The Herb Society’s Herb of the Month webpage.

Medicinal Disclaimer: It is the policy of The Herb Society of America, Inc. not to advise or recommend herbs for medicinal or health use. This information is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered as a recommendation or an endorsement of any particular medical or health treatment. Please consult a health care provider before pursuing any herbal treatments.

Photo Credits: 1) Ginger inflorescence (Maryann Readal); 2) Arab merchants trading ginger (public domain); 3) Growing ginger (Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder); 4) Alpinia zerumbet ‘Variegata’  (variegated shell ginger) and Curcuma petiolata (hidden ginger) (Maryann Readal); 5) Japanese sushi with pickled ginger (Creative Commons, wuestenigel); 6) 19th-century Jamaican juice (Wikimedia Commons, public domain); 7) Washington Post article about Jamaican Juice lawsuit (Wikimedia Commons, public domain).

References

Bhatt, Neeru, et al. 2013. Ginger : a functional herb. Accessed 12/1/22. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257416254_Ginger_A_functional_herb

Bode, Ann. 2011. The amazing and mighty ginger.  Boca Raton, FL. CRC Press/Taylor Francis. Accessed 12/11/22. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92775/

Engels, Gayle. 2018. The history and mystery of the Zingiberaceae family. Round Top, TX, Herbal Forum.

Fortin, Neal. 2020. Jamaica Juice paralysis. Accessed 12/9/22. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/jamaican-ginger-paralysis 

Ginger, Zingiber officinale. 2018. Accessed 12/1/22. https://mastergardener.extension.wisc.edu/files/2018/02/Zingiber_officinale.pdf

Ginger. 2022. Accessed 12/25/22. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger

Laws, Bill. 2018. Fifty plants that changed the course of history. Ohio: David & Charles Books. 

---

Maryann is the Secretary of The Herb Society of America and a Texas Master Gardener. She is a member of The Society’s Texas Thyme Unit in Huntsville, TX. Maryann is also a certified Native Landscape Specialist. She lectures on herbs and plants and does the herb training for several Master Gardener programs. She gardens among the pines in the Piney Woods of East Texas.