Linden (Tilia europaea)

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.

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.

Sweet violet is a creeping perennial growing to 6 inches tall with toothed oval leaves and attractive violet-blue or white flowers with a five-petaled corolla. Native to much of Europe and Asia, it is a common wayside plant also found along roadsides and in woodlands. In classical mythology, sweet violet was associated with death, but classical physicians recognized it as an effective emetic and cough remedy. The 17th-century herbalist Nicholas Culpeper noted that violets are cooling and moistening when fresh and green.

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.

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.

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.