Healing Herbs as Natural Medicine

Which Herbs are Medicinal?

Did you know we have around 1000 different products? It is important to the Kings Seeds team that we are all able to answer your questions about the seed varieties we have, so we work hard at learning about our products. That's a lot of product knowledge that we need to learn and retain, so..........

...........every Tuesday the staff have a product knowledge quiz where we answer as much as we can in writing, and then we discuss the answers together. It's a great way of learning, and we all take turns to research a topic and present a quiz. One of the recent topics was MEDICINAL HERBS, presented by Sonya who is a very keen gardener and member of the local herb society. We thought we would share what we learned.

Question 1:

The Kings Seeds catalogue has 35 varieties of herbs that have medicinal properties. What is the definition of a 'medicinal herb'?

It has healing properties and provides proactive health benefits.

Question 2:

This herb is a traditional medicinal herb, easy to grow perennial, from the Asteraceae family.
The leaves have a strong pungent aroma, making it a great insect deterrent and companion plant. It is most noted for bringing relief to headache/migraine sufferers as well as a myriad of other conditions including respiratory, digestive, skin and fevers. It can be used for arthritic relief in humans and dogs. If not allergic, take a leaf or two in a sandwich or chop and eat with fresh fruit or honey.
What is it?

Feverfew.

Question 3:

Name herbs in our range for which the roots are used medicinally.

Coriander
Licorice
Dandelion
Evening Primrose
Lovage
Valerian

Question 4:

This herb is a low growing aromatic perennial from Asteraceae family, with white or pinkish flowers and slightly hairy leaves. It has many common names including Bad Man's Plaything, Devil's Nettle, Gordaldo and Soldiers Wound Wort. Medicinally, it is famous for staunching blood flow by pressing fresh leaves and flowers into the wound site.
Chewing a fresh leaf is great for toothache and combining with other herbs for colds and flu.
Leaves can be added to a salad.
In Sweden, a beer is made from this herb.
Cosmetically it can be made into a facial tonic for oil skin.
It is great for helping surrounding plants to resist diseases and chopped leaves in the compost speed decomposition.
What is it?

Yarrow.

Question 5:

The Lamiaceae (mint) family is huge. One of its most common characteristics is upright square stems. Name medicinal herbs in our range from this family.

Peppermint
Spearmint
Sage
Anise Hyssop
Catmint
Thyme
Bergamot

Question 6:

Another native to the Asteraceae family, the flowers are used medicinally, especially the orange petals which are considered to the the most effective part of the plant.
It is known to be an excellent herb for skin problems including inflammation, infection, bruising, cuts, ulcers, bed sores, slow healing wounds, minor burns, scalds, warts, oily skin and eczema.
As a mouthwash it is effective in treating periodonal disease.
It can also be made into a tincture and used internally.
Which herb is this?

Calendula.

Question 7:

Brewed into a tea, name two herbs that are great to use at the first sign of a sore throat.

Sage
Thyme

Question 8:

A hardy perennial and another member of the Lamiaceae (mint) family, this herb grows in dense clumps to a metre in height. It is a creeper with small white hooded flowers that appear mid-summer.
Best used brewed in a tea, it is known as the 'memory strengthener', useful for anyone suffering from restlessness, excitability, insomnia, a busy mind or tired brain.
Can also be used in a cream for cold sores.
The whole plant releases a delicious scent when bruised.
What is the name of this herb?

Lemon Balm

Question 9:

Name medicinal herbs in our range that can be used to assist with sleeping and anxiety issues.

Lavender
Lemonbalm
Valerian
Chamomile

Question 10:

This is perhaps the most common medicinal herb, another member of the Asteraceae family.
The whole plant, including the roots were used extensively by Native Americans and traditional herbalists for immune system support, detoxification and wound healing. This has now followed in western herbal medicine as well, in particular for the circulatory, lymphatic and respiratory systems.
It is commonly blended with garlic, zinc and other vitamins as a cold/flu remedy.
What is it?

Echinacea

How many did you get correct?