Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)

White mulberry is a deciduous tree cultivated for over 5,000 years, primarily known as the preferred food source for silkworms. The leaves contain flavonoids with antioxidant properties along with vitamins A, B1, B2, and C. In traditional Chinese medicine, mulberry leaves have been valued for their expectorant and fever-reducing properties.

Saffron (Crocus sativus) is a small perennial (about 1 ft / 30 cm) featuring slender, grasslike leaves and mauve-lilac flowers. Inside each flower are three vivid red-orange stigma—precious, intensely colored threads used both as a spice and a potent medicinal. Despite its high cost, only small amounts are needed for therapeutic benefits, especially for mild depression, PMS, and antioxidant protection.

Alfalfa is a perennial herb that can grow to about 32 in (80 cm). It produces trifoliate leaves, flowers ranging from yellow to violet-blue, and spiraling seed pods. It has been called the “king of herbs,” with roots that can extend many feet into the ground to draw up minerals.

Andrographis, commonly known as Green Chiretta or King of Bitters, is an upright annual herb reaching approximately 3 feet in height. Native to India and cultivated throughout northern regions of India and China, this bitter medicinal plant has been valued in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. Historically used primarily for liver support and treating infections—especially malaria—it has earned recognition for its powerful immune-boosting and protective properties. The plant thrives on plains and in forest undergrowth, where its spotted pale brown or purple flowers and long seed capsules distinguish it from other medicinal herbs.

Creeping semi-parasitic annual growing to 20 in (50 cm). Has tiny oval leaves and small scallop-edged white flowers with yellow spots and a black center, somewhat resembling an eye. Eyebright relieves inflammation and tightens mucous membranes and finds specific use in the treatment of conjunctivitis and blepharitis. Its ability to counter mucus means that it is often used for infectious and allergic conditions affecting the eyes, middle ear, sinuses, and nasal passages. Eyebright counters liquid mucus, but it should be used guardedly for dry and stuffy congestion, which tends to be made worse by the plant’s astringency.

Fo ti (Polygonum multiflorum), also known as he shou wu, is a perennial vine prized in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as a major longevity and rejuvenating tonic. Its root is revered for balancing qi (vital energy), tonifying the liver and kidneys, and potentially reversing signs of premature aging, including gray hair.

Goldenrod is a perennial plant growing to 28 inches with toothed leaves and branched spikes of golden-yellow flowers. Native to Europe and Asia and naturalized in North America, it prefers open areas and hillsides and is gathered in summer while in flower. The herbalist John Gerard commented wryly in 1597 about how goldenrod's value plummeted once it was discovered growing locally in Hampstead wood, London, noting society's tendency to esteem things only while they remain rare and foreign. Four hundred years later, this observation still rings true, though the herb's genuine therapeutic value remains unchanged.

Irish moss is a reddish-brown seaweed growing to 10 inches, with a flat, forked plant body and fan-shaped outline. Found on the Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America, it grows just below the waterline, attached to rocks and stones. In summer in North America and in autumn in Ireland, it is pulled up by hand or with a rake at low tide and dried in the sun. This seaweed is used extensively in the food and pharmaceutical industries as an emulsifying and binding agent, appearing in products such as toothpastes. Its polysaccharides become jelly-like and demulcent when immersed in water, making it valuable both as a food ingredient and medicinal herb.