Parts Used: Aerial Parts in flower.

Taste: Bitter, and aromatic.

Energetics Cooling, and moist.

Origin Native to Europe, West, Central and East Asia. This easily-grown plant is quite invasive. Burdock is naturalized as a noxious weed in North America, Australia, and New Zealand, and is cultivated is Japan for culinary purposes.

Description: A stout handsome plant, with large, wavy leaves and round heads of purple flowers. It is enclosed in a globular involucres of long stiff scales with hooked tips, the scales being also often interwoven with a white, cottony substance.

Nutritional Content: Vitamins: A, B2 niacin, C, E, P. Minerals: Iron, calcium, copper, iodine, silicon, sulphur, and zinc.

Parts Used: Roots harvested in autumn of the first year, or spring of the second year, before flowering stems develop.

Taste: Sweet, bitter, and mucilaginous.

Energetics Burdock root is cool and moist, embodying Earth and water, or kapha energy, very yin.

Indication: has been traditionally used in chronic and acute skin conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, boils, rashes, and other eruptions. It encourages lymphatic drainage, and distributes moisture evenly around the body. 1 Burdock is not recommended internally in Pregnancy.

Botanical Name: Matricaria recutita

Origin: Europe and West Asia

Description: The annual form of chamomile is also called German chamomile. It grows to 20 inches and has feathery foliage with daisy-like flowers like its cousin. The flowers are scented, but the foliage is not.

Nutritional Content: Iodine, Calcium, and Potassium

Taste: Sweet, bitter, and mildly salty, gentle Yin energy.

Parts Used: flowers

Energetics: Powerfully calming, gentle, sweet, slightly bitter, and aromatic, warm, and earthy, yin.

Indication: One of the safest medicinal herbs, chamomile is a soothing, gentle relaxant that has been shown to work for a variety of complaints from stress to menstrual cramps. Traditionally Chamomile is utilized for its powerfully calming, anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic actions. Traditionally it has been used as treatment neural irritability, restlessness, exhaustion, and hysteria. It has also been to calm irritable bowels. Externally chamomile has been used to treat burns, wounds, bruises, irritation and inflammation of muscles, lymph and skin.

Chamomile is found in a range of our products due to its safe, calming, gentle nature, and its wide range of indications.

Origin: Native to Mediterranean Europe

Description: Large yellow or orange flowers with many petals. Easily propagated from seed, it flourishes in almost all soils. Flowers and foliage are aromatic. The flowers are harvested as they open in early summer and are dried in the shade. Always grown from seed, and self-sows freely.

Nutritional Content: Vitamins A, and C, and phosphorus.

Taste: Bitter, and salty.

Parts Used: flowers

Energetics: Drying, warm, and gentle yang energy.

Indication: Traditionally Calendula has been used to encourage lymphatic drainage, sooth inflammation, heal wounds and for its antiseptic properties. Research shows Calendula has in vitro anti-viral activity, and supports normal connective tissue growth, which aids in the healing of wounds, burns, bruises, boils and rashes. 2 Calendula is not recommended internally in Pregnancy.

We use Calendula in many of our products due to its wide range of indications, and gentle nature.

Origin: Native to Europe, chickweed grows wonderfully in cool weather and has been naturalized in many locations. It is often seen in grasslands, gardens and roadsides.

Description: An annual with a fine tap root, which forms a loose mat. The stems are week, branching, with fine hairs. Leaves are opposite, also with fine hairs. Flowers are white, small, and star shaped. Frost resistant, but drought tender. The herbs are harvested during or prior to flower.

Nutritional Content: Vitamin B complex, and Vitamin D, rich in iron, copper, calcium, sodium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc. Chickweed is a wonderful salad herb, high in nutritional value.

Taste: Salty, and green.

Parts Used: Aerial parts.

Energetics: Cool, drying, earth and water or kapha energy, yin.

Indication: Chickweed is often used topically for treatment of skin eruptions and wounds such as rashes, psoriasis, eczema, bites, acne, abscesses, boils, bruises, warts, cuts, wounds, and hemorrhoids. Internally chickweed is a high nutritious green.

Botanical Name: Theobroma cacao L

Plant Family: Sterculiaceae

Origin: Cocoa originates along the ivory coast of Africa, and the eastern coast of South America.

Description: We only use the unrefined and highly fragrant form of Cocoa butter for it's rich skin soothing properties. Very hard and made from expeller pressed cocoa beans used in chocolate and is a high saturated fat. A great emollient that is popularly used to add flexibility to the skin, to lock in moisture and add soothing sensation to skin care products.

Botanical Name: Cocos nucifera

Plant Family: Arecaceae

Origin: The coconut tree stems from the Southeast Asian peninsular (probably Malaysia), but is cultivated in tropical regions all around the world.

Description: This is a truly spectacular oil with a deep, and mildly intoxicating scent of pure Coconut pulp.100% virgin expeller pressed and unrefined. It�s great oil for general moisturizing and serves as a protective layer, helping to retain the moisture in your skin. It also acts as a mild oil suitable for those with inflamed and irritated skin, and those with skin sensitivities.

Method of extraction: Expeller Pressed/Unrefined

Origin: Native to Europe and Asia. Adaptable to most soils and situations.

Description: This is a perennial herb which dies back in win ter. Stems grow up to a meter high, with prickly-hairs when the herb is in flower. Roots are brittle and easily broken, black skinned with white insides. They grow thick with age. Very large basal, prickly-haired leaves. Pale pink-white, often becoming purplish small flowers, cymes densely bristly, with 5-8 cm calyx which are lobed nearly to the base. Comfrey is frost resistant, but like moisture. Propagated by root division.

Nutritional Content: Vitamins A, B12, and C. Minerals calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, sulphur, copper, zinc, and eighteen amino acids including lysine.

Taste: Mucilaginous.

Parts Used: Root and leaves.

Energetics: Cool and Moist, Earth and water or kapha energy.

Indication: Comfrey has traditionally been used as a strong external healer, penetrating deep into skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. It has been used to treat inflamed skin disorders, bruises, wounds, sprains, dislocations, and broken bones. It is also called bone knit for this reason. In wise women�s� medicine it has been used to treat Mastitis as well. Comfrey is contra-indicated in pregnancy, and should only be taken internally with knowledgeable guidance.

Origin: Native to Southern Europe, especially in the Mediterranean regions. Now it is naturalized in many areas of Europe, North and South America�s, Australia, and New Zealand.

Description: A stout aromatic, erect perennial. Stems are solid, ribbed, polished and grow to be up to two meters high. Leaves are lacey, 3-50 mm long, not all in one plane. Flowers are numerous, yellow, and umbel, 2-5 cm in diameter, rays 4-25 cm, usually incurved at fruiting. Fruits are a pale green-dark brown, ribbed seed 3-6 mm long. Fennel establishes quite well in cities. Usually self-sows, and may become invasive very quickly. Likes warm sunny situations. Drought and frost resistant.

Nutritional Content: Potassium, sulphur, and sodium

Taste: Sweet, spicy and aromatic.

Parts Used: Seed collected when dry and ripe.

Energetics: Warm

Indication: Fennel is a mild expectorant, a diuretic, and antisposmodic, thought to act on the beta 2 receptors which effect vasodilation, intestinal relaxation, uterous relaxation, bronchiodilation, and bladder relaxation. Fennel also acts as an anti-inflammatory, a galactagogue, a carminative, and a phytoesrogen. It also adds sweet flavor. Fennel is therefore utilized as a breast feeding tonic, and in the restoration of intestinal cramping, colic, flatulence, hiccoughs, indigestion, bloating, urinary tract infections, and externally as an eye wash in the presence of conjunctivitis. The anethole in the volatile oil of fennel has been found to be structurally similar to nerve transmitting hormones such as adrenaline, noradrenaline, and dopamine. This may account for some of the actions of this herb, such as bronchiodilation and increased lactation. Fennel is therefore utilized in the treatments of coughs, bronchitis, and increase of milk flow to lactating women, as well as colic, flatulence, intestinal cramps, hiccoughs, indigestion, bloating and anorexia.

Origin: Native to Canada and the US, Golden Seal grows in moist, rich deciduous woodlands from Vermont to Michigan, Minnesota, Virginia, Tennessee and Arkansas, growing only in the mountains down South.

Description: This small herbaceous perennial herb grows up to 30 cm tall in flower. Rhizomes are yellowish-brown outside, thick, irregular and knotted with bright yellow interior pulp, and numerous roots. Stems are simple and erect, thick and hairy. Leaves are palmate 5-7 lobes, dark green, wrinkled, lower larger than upper, growing near the top of the stem. Flowers are solitary, and have no petals but numerous greenish-white stamens and twelve or more short pistils.

Nutritional Content: Vitamins A, B-complex, C and E. Calcium, copper, potassium, a lot of phosphorus, manganese, iron, zinc and sodium.

Taste: Bitter, sweet, and astringent.

Parts Used: Root and rhizomes.

Energetics: Cool, and drying.

Indication: Goldenseal has been found to be antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-amoebic. Goldenseal has traditionally been used as mucus membrane and digestive tonic, and for treatment of an array of digestive disorders and infections. Clinical studies further support this, showing how it stimulates bile and bilirubin secretions. Case studies also show it may increase immune function by stimulating blood flow to the spleen, and by stimulation of macrophage activity.

Contraindications: Contraindicated in pregnancy. Should not be taken over long periods of time due to its antibacterial properties, it will off balance the symbiotic bacteria population. Also contraindicated in adrenal exhaustion, and hypertension.

Origin: Lavendula angustifolia commonly known as English Lavender suggests it origin. However Lavender is originally from the Western Mediterranean, but has been cultivated all over the world for its sweet fragrance. Lavender thrives in the cool climate of England, where it produces a fine aromatic oil.

Description: Grayish-green, perennial shrub, producing very aromatic lavender flowers 36-80 cm high. Leaves are opposite, sessile, and 2-6 cm long.

Taste: Bitter, and aromatic.

Parts Used: Flowers

Energetics: Cool, dry, aromatic, and calming.

Indication: Lavender has traditionally been used for headaches, muscle spasms, inflammation, insomnia, restlessness, depression, and irritability. Internally it is a bitter, digestive aid and a nervine tonic. Externally, the essential oil of lavender is a common and effective application of this herb. External application of lavender or the essential oil of lavender is safe and effective during pregnancy.

Origin: Originally from Eurasia, Melissa is easily grown from seed, cuttings, or root division, and has therefore naturalized in many parts of the world. Lemon Balm is frost resistant, but drought tender.

Description: This perennial, lemon scented herb has square, erect, and branching stems reaching 60 cm in flower. Leaves are opposite, petiolate, and hairy. Flowers are white, in verticals in leaf axis, usually 3-10 flowers in a row.

Taste: Lemony, sweet, sour, bitter, astringent and aromatic.

Parts Used: Aerial parts, harvested just after the plant goes into flower.

Energetics: Slightly warm.

Indication: Lemon Balm possesses anti-viral properties, as well as very effective sedative and antispasmodic properties, vasodilation and carminative actions, and has therefore been utilized in the treatment of restlessness, insomnia, anxiety, depression, headaches, Herpes simplex, indigestion, nausea, dyspepsia, and morning sickness. Lemon Balm is safe and effective for use during pregnancy.

Origin: Native to South East Europe, and Asia, Licorice grows best in stony places, dry woods, and ditches.

Description: A robust, erect, hairless, perennial, growing 4 � feet in summer, and dying back in winter. The leaves are mat green, and pinnate. Flowers are numerous, long stalked, spike like clusters, blue-violet in color.

Nutritional Content: Vitamins E, and B-complex, phosphorus, manganese, iodine, chromium, and zinc.

Taste: Sweet and slightly bitter.

Parts Used: Root.

Energetics: Moistening, and warm.

Indication: Due to licorices constituents, namely triterpene glycosides (this glycoside is 50x sweeter than sugar, but safe for diabetics to use) many of this herbs actions can be attributed to. These actions include expectorant qualities, anti-inflammatory, demulcent, a wonderful adrenocorticotropic, and mild laxative qualities. Therefore licorice has been traditionally used to treat asthma, bronchitis, coughs, constipation, auto-immune conditions, as an adrenal tonic and wonderful restorer, chronic skin disease, arthritis, peptic ulcers, and rheumatism to name a few. Much of the licorice sold over the counter in processed forms, namely pills, is de-glycerised because of the herbs adrenocortical effects can lead to the increase in mineralcorticoid activity which in turn gives rise to retention of sodium, and thus water, with the potential to raise blood pressure. When the herb is de-glycerides it has no adrenocorticotropic properties, however it is still calming to the tummy.

Contraindications: Pregnancy, hypertension, hypokalaemia, cirrhosis of the liver.

Origin: Originating in North Eastern Africa, Myrrh grows wild in Ethiopia, Somalia, and the Arabian peninsula. Myrrh has also been present in the ancient civilizations of Egypt and India.

Description: A small tree growing up to 8 feet tall, with a thick trunk bearing numerous irregular knotted branches, which divide into stout clusters if branches, each terminating into a sharp thorn. Leaves are sparse and trifoliate.

Taste: Aromatic and bitter.

Parts Used: The oleo-gum-resin.

Energetics: Warm and drying.

Indication: This herb is mostly used externally, where it works so well at counteracting infections and reducing inflammation. It has therefore been traditionally used on abrasions, inflammation, sores, chronic infection of the mouth, gingivitis, tonsillitis, and sinusitis. Also having a very effective anti-fungal action, Myrrh is indicated in the presence of diaper rash.

Origin: Originally from Northern Europe and Asia, stinging nettle has been naturalized in North America, Australia, New Zealand and many other temperate climates.

Description: An erect, square stemmed, rhizomatous perennial. Stems reach up to 4 � feet tall when in flower. Leaves are opposite, flowers are small, green, hairy. The entire plant is hairy, with short-stalked stinging hairs as well.

Nutritional Content: Vitamins A, B2 (fresh extracts contain B1), C, E, carotenoids (beta-carotene and chlorophyll) and K, a relatively high amount of calcium and potassium, silicic acid, iron, manganese, and copper.

Taste: Sweet and green.

Parts Used: Arial parts harvested just prior to flower.

Energetics: Drying and Stimulating.

Indication: Nettle is a wonderful nutritious tonic herb. Due to its high vitamin and mineral content, and its circulatory stimulation actions, it is often taken as a pregnancy tonic, and also in the presence of gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis, chronic cystitis, and hemorrhoids.

Origin: Native to Northern Europe, oats have a wide distribution as a cereal crop.

Description: This annual, stout erect monocot with a fibrous root produces a smooth, hollow, jointed stem, growing up to 120cm tall, with more or less rough pale green, narrow flat leaves. The flowers are arranged in a loose terminal panicle from 15-30cm long consisting of two-flowered spikelets up to 2.5cm long. The hairy, grooved grain is narrow with almost parallel sides.

Nutritional Content: Both oats and oatstraw are high in Vitamins A, B-complex including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, B6, C, E, and K. They both also contain silicon, calcium, iron, potassium and phosphorus. Oats are also a source of fiber, and protein, including amino acids such as tryptophan, histidine, arginine, lysine, leucine, phenylalanine, and methionine to name a few.

Taste: Sweet, and nutritious.

Parts Used: Milky oat bud, and the straw (i.e. aerial parts)

Energetics: Moistening, calming.

Indication: Oats are a wonderfully nutritious tonic, or restorative herb to the nervous system, the cardiovascular system, and externally the constituents, namely silica, aid in local tissue repair. This nutritious herb is safe and effective during pregnancy and lactation.

Botanical Name: Iris germanica

Plant Family: Iridaceae

Origin: Native to Southern Europe, this beautiful iris has been widely cultivated throughout Europe, America and the world for its decorative flower.

Origin: Native to North America from Virginia down to Florida. Passionflower is cultivated in other similar climates.

Description: A perennial climbing vine up to 20 feet, with extensive rootstock and coiling tendrils. The stems are cylindrical, the leaves alternate and deeply 3-lobed. The fantastic flowers are solitary, 5 green sepals, 5 petals, white or pale lavender with outer two rings of the corona consisting of purple or pale pink filaments.

Taste: Bland, slightly aromatic.

Parts Used: Flowering aerial parts.

Energetics: Cooling.

Indication: Extracts of this herb possess antispasmodic, and sedative effects. Passionflower is indicated therefore in spasmodic asthma, insomnia, epilepsy, nervous stress, neuralgia, restlessness, anxiety and headaches.

Botanical Name: Olea europaea

Plant Family: Oleaceae

Origin: The origin of the olive tree is unknown. It is said to have appeared in prehistoric times, before humankind, and to have originated in southern Asia Minor where there are now abundant forests of wild olive trees. It appears to have spread from Syria towards Greece by way of Anatolia, although other theories claim it originated in the Mediterranean basin.

Origin: Native to North America from Virginia down to Florida. Passionflower is cultivated in other similar climates.

Description: A perennial climbing vine up to 20 feet, with extensive rootstock and coiling tendrils. The stems are cylindrical, the leaves alternate and deeply 3-lobed. The fantastic flowers are solitary, 5 green sepals, 5 petals, white or pale lavender with outer two rings of the corona consisting of purple or pale pink filaments.

Taste: Bland, slightly aromatic.

Parts Used: Flowering aerial parts.

Energetics: Cooling.

Indication: Extracts of this herb posess antispasmodic, and sedative effects. Passionflower is indicated therefore in spasmodic asthma, insomnia, epilepsy, nervous stress, neuralgia, restlessness, anxiety and headaches.

Origin: Native to North Africa and European regions, currently naturalized throughout the world in rich, moist soil.

Description: Peppermint is a rhizomatous perennial with hairy stems which are often purple. Leaves are opposite, usually distinctly petiolate. Flowers are terminal inflorescence in an oblong spike. They are purple to lilac, hooded flowers with protruding corolla. The smell is strong of peppermint.

Nutritional Content: Vitamins A, C and niacin, magnesium, potassium, copper, iodine, iron, silicon, and sulphur.

Taste: Like the common name says, pepper and mint.

Parts Used: Leaves or aerial parts just before flowering.

Energetics: Cool, invigorating.

Indication: Menthol, the volatile oil in peppermint, has a noticeably cooling impact on nerve receptors. It has the ability to dry out mucosal secretions, not altogether but to aid in Natural healing. In isolations it is a powerful antifungal and antiseptic. It is carminative, spasmolytic, and a muscular relaxant. It also has mild bitter constituents which aid digestion. In conclusion to all this information, peppermint is utilized in the presence of fever, influenza, cold, colic, indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, vomiting (safe in pregnancy and lactation), nervous tension, insomnia, vertigo, dysmenorrhoea, and externally to sooth muscles and fight funguses.

Red Raspberry

Origin: Native to Europe. Raspberry thrives in woods and mountainous places, preferring cold winters.

Description: A sucker shrub with many stiff, erect, prickly, reddish stems growing 3-6 ft tall. Leaves are pinnate with 3-7 oval toothed, long-pointed leaflets 2-5 in., green above and densely white and hairy beneath.

Nutritional Content: Vitamin C and bioflavoniods

Taste: Astringent and nutritious

Parts Used: Leaves

Energetics: Warm and drying.

Indication: Raspberry leaf is specifically used to tone the uterus and therefore ease childbirth. Detailed experiments into this effect have run into ethical difficulties, therefore there is very little scientific evidence of how this herb is such an effective uterine tonic, however the herb has been utilized foe this purpose for centuries of traditional use. Raspberry is also indicated in the presence of diarrhea, leucorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, and externally on bleeding gums, wounds, burns, tonsillitis and conjunctivitis.

Botanical Name: Rose ssp

Plant Family: Rosaceae

Origin: Roses are native to Mediterranean Europe, North Africa, the America's and other temperate regions throughout both hemispheres. The family is especially abundant in E Asia, Europe, and North America, where species of almost half of the family's genera are indigenous, especially in the Pacific coastal area.

Description: Shrubs, usually with prickly stems. Leaves alternate, odd-pinnately compound, and stipulate. Flowers showy, solitary or in clusters borne on leafy peduncles; calyx-tube urn-shaped, contracted at the summit, and on its margin bears the 5 petals, 5 sepals, and numerous stamens; carpels many, becoming achenes in fruit

Nutritional Content: Vitamins C, E, and A, iron, a rich source of bioflavanoids, pectin, selenium, manganese, and the B-complex vitamins. Rose hips also contain trace amounts of magnesium, potassium, sulfur and silicon.

Taste: Sour and astringent

Parts Used: Flowers, and fruit. Traditionally the leaves have been used to ease labor pains.

Energetics: Warming

Botanical Name: Butyrospermum parkii

Plant Family: Sapotacea

Origin: The ivory coast of Africa,.

Description: Pure unrefined shea butter comes from the nuts of wild karite trees scattered the fields and forests of the wooded savanna in central and northern Togo. The moisturizing and healing properties of shea butter is the first choice in natural skin care and fine body care products, this butter forms a breathable, water-resistant film and is the leading natural product for moisturizing. A wonderful base for cosmetic recipes or used as a stand alone application, this comes highly recommended for those concerned about naturally healthy skin. Shea butter has been a mainstay of African pharmacology for centuries. Our shea butter is responsibly wildcrafted, hand harvested, expeller pressed and imported directly from the processor.

Botanical Name: Mentha spicata

Plant Family: Lamiaceae

Origin: Native to the Mediterranean region, however Spearmint has long been naturalized throughout Europe, North and South America.

Description: From creeping root-stocks, erect, square stems rise to a height of about 2 feet, bearing very short-stalked, acute-pointed, lance-shaped, wrinkled, bright green leaves, with finely toothed edges and smooth surfaces, the ribs very prominent beneath. The small flowers are densely arranged in whorls or rings in the axils of the upper leaves, forming cylindrical, slender, tapering spikes, pinkish or lilac in color.

Parts Used: Aerial Parts

Energetics: Cool, warm.

Indication: Spearmint is indicated in the presence of flatulence, indigestion, nausea, morning sickness, diarrhea, colic, colds, headaches, sore throats, toothaches, cramps, cancer, arthritis, and muscle pain. Spearmint is safe and effective in pregnancy.