Herbs for Anxiety

Kava (Piper methysticum) is a tropical shrub or evergreen vine, traditionally revered across the Pacific Islands for its calming, muscle-relaxing, and mildly euphoric effects. Its thick, knotty rootstock is used ceremonially and medicinally to ease anxiety, insomnia, and pain while preserving mental clarity.

Lavender (Lavandula officinalis, also known as L. angustifolia) is a small, perennial shrub that can grow about 3 ft (1 m) high, characterized by its narrow, silver-green leaves and spiked violet-blue flowers. Renowned for its sweet, calming aroma, lavender is a mildly warming, relaxing nervine, helpful in alleviating stress, tension, depression, and headaches. Its essential oil has antifungal properties and is commonly used for burns and other skin inflammations.

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata and related species) is a climbing vine that can grow up to about 30 ft (9 m). It features ornate, complex flowers—often white, purple, or blue—and lobed leaves. Traditionally recognized for its mild sedative and tranquilizing effects, passionflower helps ease anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia. Some species (e.g., P. quadrangularis) contain serotonin-like compounds, which may contribute to the herb’s calming properties.

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is an upright, clump-forming perennial reaching about 4 ft (1.2 m), with divided, pinnate leaves and pinkish-white clusters of small flowers. Known for its pungent (often unpleasant) smell, valerian is one of the most popular sedative and relaxant herbs in Western herbal medicine, helping to calm sympathetic overactivity, ease anxiety, and aid restful sleep.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), sometimes called “Indian ginseng,” is a sturdy shrub growing to about 5 ft (1.5 m) with oval leaves, greenish or yellow flowers, and small, round fruits. A key herb in Ayurvedic medicine, it is valued for boosting vitality and aiding convalescence from chronic illnesses. It promotes relaxation, increases energy and muscle tone, and can support healthy thyroid hormone conversion from T4 to T3. Traditionally, ashwagandha is considered a “Rasáyana” (rejuvenator), used long-term to rebuild and regenerate body and mind.

Magnolia (Magnolia officinalis) is a deciduous tree that can reach about 80 ft (25 m) in height, featuring large, aromatic bark, substantial green leaves, and fragrant creamy-white flowers. The dried bark—rich in lignans such as honokiol and magnolol—has shown anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties, making it helpful for digestion, stress, and mental function.

Bacopa, also known as Water Hyssop or Brahmi, is a creeping succulent perennial that can grow to about 20 inches. It features spatula-shaped fleshy leaves and pale blue or white flowers on slender stalks. Thriving in marshlands and along the edges of mangrove swamps in warmer temperate and tropical climates—especially southern Asia—it develops into dense mats on mudflats. This herb has been a cornerstone of Ayurvedic medicine for supporting cognitive function and treating various nervous system disorders, and it is increasingly recognized in Western herbalism for its brain-enhancing properties.

Catnip is a downy, aromatic perennial growing to 3 feet with heart-shaped, gray-green leaves and whorls of white flowers marked with purple spots. Native to Europe and naturalized in North America, it grows in dry wayside places and mountainous regions up to altitudes of 5,000 feet. The plant is gathered when in flower during summer and autumn. Its name comes from the Norse word 'dylla,' meaning 'to soothe,' reflecting its calming properties. Catnip has an excitatory effect on cats but a sedative effect on humans.

Linden comprises deciduous trees growing to a height of 100 feet with smooth gray bark, heart-shaped leaves, and clusters of pale yellow flowers with winglike bracts. Native to Europe, it is found in the wild but is also much planted in gardens and along roads. The flowers are collected in summer. Greek myth recounts how the nymph Philyra, devastated after being raped by the god Cronus in the guise of a horse and giving birth to the centaur Chiron, begged the gods not to leave her amongst mortals. The gods granted her wish by transforming her into a linden tree, forever linking this graceful species with transformation and divine mercy.