HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN HERBAL APOTHECARY
Editor’s note: You should always check with your doctor before starting any herbal treatment, especially if you take any prescription medication! This article is an excellent place to start if you’re interested in creating an herbal apothecary, but should not be read as professional medical advice.
Table of Contents
herbs, plants and flowers and how to use them
2. how to dry herbs
3. how to store herbs
4. how to create healing remedies
5. Examples of products to create
6. Where to buy or harvest these herbs
7. Sources
Photo by Bundo Kim on Unsplash
Herbal medicine is a truly wonderful thing. There is so much power in knowing what plant leaves or tree bark to use in order to get rid of a headache while hiking, or in knowing what plants to use in order to bandage a wound while out in the backcountry. And while trailside first aid is an incredibly important skill to know, herbal medicine is about so much more than that. It’s about knowing what herbs and flowers to put in your morning tea to perfectly balance your mood for that specific day. It’s about knowing how to create a bath salt mix for every different occasion, whether that be simple relaxation or a muscle soak. It’s about creating your own essential oils and using plants and flowers to make your own lotions and tinctures. I think a common misconception about herbal medicine is that it’s purely nonsense made up by girls with flowers in their hair who love to wander through the forest and collect herbs. And while my friends and I also just so happen to love wandering through the forest with flowers in our hair, there is actually a lot of scientific proof behind the practice of herbal medicine. After all, a lot of medicines we use today have natural ingredients as some of their main compounds! By using this article as a guide, herbal medicine is relatively easy to get into and can be incorporated into anyone’s daily life.
herbs, plants and flowers to use & how to use them
All sources listed at the bottom
All illustrations by Naomi Goldstein
Lemon
anti stress
has cytotoxic effects against human prostate, lung, and breast cancer cells
good natural bug repellent!
improves creativity & makes you happy
excellent vitamin C source
enhances attention level, concentration, cognitive performance & memory
could help with anxiety and depression
good for skin
good for cleaning small wounds
helps with menstrual pain
How to use: internally, topically or for aromatherapy
use the lemon peel to make lemon tincture or oil or simply buy lemon essential oil
use this oil to make aromatherapy oil
use this oil together with other oils that are good for your skin to make a natural facial wash
use this oil together with other oils that are good for cleaning wounds to make a natural wound cleanser
use this oil together with other bug repellent oils to make natural bug spray
use this oil together with other oils that help with menstrual pain to make a natural period pain reliever
use this oil internally for help with anxiety & depression
Tea Tree
amazing healing properties for
cuts, infections, burns, etc.
helps dry skin & eczema
helps oily skin
helps itchy skin
helps with inflammation
How to use: topically
use tea tree leaves to make tincture or oil or simply buy tea tree oil
use this oil together with other oils that are good for your skin to make a natural facial wash
use this oil together with other oils that are good for infections, burns, cuts & wound-healing in order to make a natural wound cream or lotion & first aid antiseptic
Lavender
helps with healing small wounds
helps with anxiety & depression
excellent for aromatherapy!!
How to use: internally, topically or for aromatherapy
use the lavender petals to make lavender tincture or oil or simply buy lavender oil
use this oil together with other oils that are good for cleaning wounds to make a natural wound cleanser
use this oil together with other floral or happy scents to create a great aromatherapy mix
Eucalyptus
relieves coughing & clears up your chest
can disinfect wounds
helps with pain relief
good natural bug repellant!
How to use: topically or for aromatherapy
use eucalyptus leaves to make tincture or oil or simply buy eucalyptus oil
keep an eucalyptus plant always handy!
use this oil together with other oils that are good for cough relief for steaming or for aromatherapy
use this oil together with other oils that are good for cleaning wounds to make a natural wound cleanser
use this oil together with other bug repellent oils to make natural bug spray
use this oil together with other oils that are good for pain relief in order to make a natural pain cream
Rosemary
aromatherapy can help with concentration & memory
stimulates hair growth
helps with pain relief
good natural bug repellant!
could help improve circulation
aromatherapy can help with energy & cheerfulness
can help with joint pain specifically
How to use: topically or for aromatherapy
use rosemary leaves to make tincture or oil or simply buy rosemary oil
use this oil together with other bug repellent oils to make natural bug spray
use this oil together with other oils that are good for pain relief in order to make a natural pain cream
use this oil in aromatherapy
Frankincense
reduces pain
may improve gut function
studies are underway about how frankincense may help people with Crohn’s disease
can stimulate lung function & help with asthma
How to use: internally, topically or for aromatherapy
use frankincense resin to make tincture or oil or simply buy frankincense oil
use this oil together with other oils that are good for pain relief in order to make a natural pain cream
use this oil together with other oils that are good for cough relief for steaming or for aromatherapy
use this oil internally for pain relief & improved gut function
Jasmine
can help with depression & anxiety
good massage oil
can help with infections
can help with general self care
How to use: topically or for aromatherapy
use crushed jasmine flowers to make tincture or oil or simply buy jasmine oil
use this oil together with other oils that are good for cleaning wounds to make a natural wound cleanser
use this oil together with other floral or happy scents to create a great aromatherapy mix
use this oil to create an excellent massage oil
Rose / Wild Rose
can decrease pain
can provide relief from menstrual pain
can decrease anxiety & depression
excellent for aromatherapy
How to use: internally, topically or for aromatherapy
use rose petals to make tincture or oil or simply buy rose oil
use this oil together with other floral or happy scents to create a great aromatherapy mix
use this oil to create an excellent massage oil
use this oil together with other oils that are good for pain relief in order to make a natural pain cream
use this oil together with other oils that help with menstrual pain to make a natural period pain reliever
Rosehip
useful externally to decrease redness & swelling in wounds
useful for pain internally
good for colds, chills & vitamin c deficiencies
one ripe rose hip can have 500 mg of vitamin C!! Also very rich in vitamins E, B & K
How to use: internally, topically or for aromatherapy. Petals & buds are good for external use, the hips can be used internally.
use ripe rose hips to make tincture or oil or simply buy rosehip oil
use this oil together with other plants, leaves, flowers or herbs that are rich in vitamin c to create a remedy for colds, chills & vitamin c deficiencies
use this oil together with other oils that are good for infections, burns, cuts & wound-healing in order to make a natural wound cream or lotion & first aid antiseptic
use this oil together with other oils that are good for pain relief in order to make an internal pain relief serum
Spruce & Pine
good for respiratory problems & lung function
good for healing cuts, sores, burns, etc.
has lots of vitamin C & A
How to use: internally, topically or for aromatherapy
use young spring needles to make tincture or oil or simply buy spruce or pine oil
use this oil together with other plants, leaves, flowers or herbs that are rich in vitamin c to create a remedy for colds, chills & vitamin c deficiencies
use this oil together with other oils that are good for cough relief for steaming or for aromatherapy
use this oil to create a natural cough syrup
use this oil together with other oils that are good for infections, burns, cuts & wound-healing in order to make a natural wound cream or lotion & first aid antiseptic
Sage
excellent skin wash
natural insect repellent!
How to use: topically or for aromatherapy, but never internally!!
use leaves to make tincture or oil or simply buy sage oil
use this oil together with other bug repellent oils to make natural bug spray
use this oil together with other oils that are good for your skin to make a natural facial wash
Aspen & Willows
reduces pain, fever & inflammation
inner bark has similar properties to aspirin
How to use: internally, topically or for aromatherapy
use inner bark to make tincture or oil used for internal pain relief
use young buds infused in oil as the basis for a healing salve
use inner bark together with other oils good for respiratory function in order to make a natural cough syrup
for a trail side first aid remedy for headaches or pain, simply chew on some of the inner bark
Thimbleberry
all members of the rose family have astringent (reduces bleeding) properties
good for treating stomach aches
used for wounds, burns and to lessen scar formation
How to use: internally, topically
use the roots, fruits and leaves to make tinctures, oils or lotions
leaf poultice is used as a first aid trail remedy for wounds, burns and to lessen scar formation
use the roots, fruits and leaves to make tea
Raspberry
strengthens the uterus
regulates menstruation
helps pain
good for infections and minor wounds
How to use: internally, topically
use the roots, fruits and leaves to make tinctures or lotions
use this oil together with other oils that are good for cleaning wounds to make a natural wound cleanser
use this oil together with other oils that help with menstrual pain to make a natural period pain reliever
use the raspberry leaves and roots to make a tea for help with menstrual pain
Yarrow
stops bleeding
good for healing wounds
tea for colds, flu & menstrual pain
How to use: internally, topically
Dried & powdered yarrow stops bleeding and is good for healing wounds. This is an excellent trail side first aid remedy
Use the roots to create a tea for colds, flu & menstrual pain
Arrowleaf Balsamroot
good remedy for colds, flu & immune support
How to use: internally
use roots to create tincture or oil or simply buy arrowleaf balsamroot oil
use the root in order to create a tincture that can be a regular addition to drinks
use this root oil together with other oils good for respiratory function in order to make a natural cough syrup
Dandelion
important for liver & stomach
strengthens the liver’s ability to clear toxins out of the blood resulting in a clear complexion, better digestion, less bloating, sounder sleep & improved appetite
regular use of dandelion can strengthen and tone the entire digestive system
How to use: internally, topically
unroasted root is the most potent, but leaves are good too
use the unroasted root to create an oil or tincture that can be used as a regular addition to food or drinks
put the leaves in a salad!
Red Clover
good for treating fevers
good for treating couch
good for menopause
good blood cleanser
good skin treatment
How to use: internally, topically
flowers & leaves are the most potent
use the flowers & leaves to create a tincture or oil or simply buy red clover oil
use internally as a blood cleanser
use this oil together with other oils that are good for your skin to make a natural facial wash
use this oil together with other oils good for respiratory function in order to make a natural cough syrup
Fireweed
reduces inflammation
good for respiratory conditions
How to use: internally, topically
use the flowers & leaves to make oil or tincture
use this oil internally
use this oil together with other oils that are good for cough relief for steaming or for aromatherapy
use the dried leaves for tea or baths
Strawberry
part of the rose leaf family
good women’s tonic
soothes inflammation
stomach cleanser
How to use: internally
dry the leaves in order to create tea
use the leaves to make an oil or tincture
Juniper
good for wounds
good for chronic arthritis
good for rheumatic pain
How to use: internally
use the berries internally
Chamomile
good for anxiety & relaxation
used for healing wounds & reducing inflammation
good for skin irritation
How to use: internally, topically and for aromatherapy
use the flower petals to make tincture or oil
use this oil together with other oils that are good for skin in order to create a natural facial wash
use this oil together with other oils that are good for cleaning wounds to make a natural wound cleanser
Ginger
eases nausea & motion sickness
may help prevent blood clotting
How to use: internally
use raw ginger to make ginger oil or tincture
use chopped up ginger in teas
How to dry herbs
Flowers
There are lots of different ways to dry flowers. You could hang them upside down, place them on a window screen, place them in a basket, etc. You just want to allow them to dry away from moisture. Flowers are completely dry when they crumble in your hands. Once the flowers are dry, immediately store them in an airtight container.
Roots
Wash and soak the roots until they are completely clean, then cut them into little pieces. Leave these pieces out to dry until they are crispy, and then store them in airtight containers.
Flowering tops
This includes the leaf, stem and flower. The best way to dry these is by putting them in bundles and hanging those bundles up to dry. Once dried, cut up the bundles and store in airtight containers.
Bark
Thinly up young branches and leave these pieces out to dry or cut open young branches and scrape out the thin, green medicinal inner bark and leave that out to dry. Once dried, store the pieces in airtight containers.
Berries
Berries with a very high moisture content have to be dehydrated. Berries with a lower moisture content can be dried on screens or in baskets. Once dried, store the berries in airtight containers.
How to store herbs
Herbs must be kept completely dry and out of direct sunlight. It’s best to keep dried herbs in air right glass jars. Also important is to label your jars and keep track of everything.
How to create healing remedies
Tinctures / oil
The basic concept of creating any tincture or oil is that it involves infusing either oil or alcohol with the plant’s medicinal properties. This is done by putting flowers, roots, berries, bark, leaves, stems, etc in a glass jar and pouring either alcohol or oil over the plant material. For fresh plants, this should be done in a 1 to 1 ratio. For dried plants, the ratio is 1 to 4. After that, you simply let the jar sit for 6 or more weeks, occasionally shaking it. After 6 or more weeks, the medicinal properties will have infused into the carried oil or alcohol and your oil or tincture is ready! Typically tinctures are more for internal use and oils are for external use, like for massage oil or for creating pain lotions. There are so many things you can create by using oil or tincture. Before ingesting anything, always check if the essential oil is safe to consume.
Lotions / creams / salves
There are lots of different ways to create lotions. One of my favorite recipes goes as follows: first, melt down ¾ cup of any carrier oil with about ½ to 1 cup of beeswax and pour this mixture into a blender. After letting the mixture cool, turn on the blender and slowly add up to 1 cup of distilled water until the mixture begins to look like lotion. That is just a base recipe, you can add any dried ingredients or essential oils to the lotion. Another easy way to make lotion is to simply buy aloe Vera gel or lotion and mix in essential oils or dried ingredients. You can experiment here by using either of these base recipes and adding your own ingredients depending on what exactly you’re trying to make and for what purpose.
Herbal tea mixtures
This one is easy! Just mix together any dried or fresh herbs, flowers, stems, leaves or bark in any given ratio and pour hot water over the mixture. Here again you can experiment with creating perfect blends for whatever you feel you need or desire.
Bath products
Mix Epsom salts, sea salt and baking soda with essential oils and any dried flowers or flower petals, herbs & leaves discussed in this guide. The general rule of thumb is to stick to 2 parts Epsom salts, 2 parts sea salt and 1 part baking soda. The goal is to look at all the individual benefits of these ingredients and put together a blend that is perfect for whatever you’re feeling on any specific day. Once done creating a blend, put it in a little fine mesh bag so that your bath stays clean.
Examples of products to create!
A good way to start making your own remedies is to look through all the uses of these plants, flowers, fruits & herbs and find those whose properties tend to go together. For instance, I would make a facial wash with a combination of herbs that are good for your skin. This way you can start experimenting with making your own herbal remedies that are perfectly suited to you and your needs! But just to get you started, here are some ideas using the herbs discussed in this guide.
Tincture for internal use
Use the base recipe for creating tinctures. These tinctures can be used internally for any of the uses / reasons described in the first part of this guide, and can be added to all kinds of base recipes to create different products. A good way to use tinctures is to just add them to your drinks whenever you feel that you need them.
Bug spray
Experiment with different bug repellent oils and see what works best. Mix these oils together with witch hazel, water or alcohol and put it in a spray bottle.
Facial wash
There are a couple of good base recipes for facial washes that you can then customize. One good recipe uses a base of 1 cup of distilled water and ¼ cup Castile soap. Another uses a base of coconut oil and honey (2:1) and a little bit of baking soda. Find a base recipe you like and then customize it!
Menstrual pain reliever
Mix together oils or tinctures of all the herbs that are good for relieving menstrual pain and create one tincture that can be used instead of or in addition to painkillers.
First aid antiseptic
There are a few different kinds of products you can make for a first aid antiseptic. A good base recipe for antiseptic salve or lotion is to use 1 cup of coconut oil and ½ to 1 cup of beeswax melted together and mixed with different kinds of oils that all are good for cleaning / healing wounds. Good oils to use are tea tree, lemon and lavender among many others.
Pain cream
Make the base recipe for lotion / cream and add a mixture of oils or tinctures that work well for relieving pain.
Steaming blend
Create a blend of either tinctures / oils or dried herbs that all have respiratory relief properties. Then simply add this mix to a bowl of hot water and out your head in a towel over the bowl to inhale the steam, or add the mix to a hot bath with the door closed.
Cough syrup
Use a 1:1:1 ratio of apple cider vinegar, honey and water for the base recipe. Then add any oils or tinctures that work well as a cough or flu remedy. Good oils or tinctures to use include pine and ginger.
Cold syrup / vitamin C syrup
Use the same base recipe as for cough syrup, but also add oils that are very high in vitamin C such as rose hip, lemon or pine.
Where to buy or harvest these herbs
Where to harvest these herbs depends on where you live, and I recommend checking out what grows in your local area. If you are harvesting your own herbs, please make sure to triple check that you have the right one before making anything with it. Harvesting your own herbs from the forest always carries some inherent risk with it.
Another way to get access to all these herbs and flowers is simply to start growing them! I personally have a couple of medicinal plants and hope to slowly (or quickly) accumulate more.
If you wish to buy oils or dried herbs online, I would recommend getting them from Mountain Rose Herbs. They are a wonderful online company with quality products, and not overly expensive either.
Finally, you could buy fresh herbs locally wherever you’re living and dry them yourself.
In the end, this is merely a tiny part of all the thousands medicinal herbs that exist out in the world. Use this guide as a starting point of sorts, and continue to learn more and more as well as experiment with your own herbal remedies. I recommend checking other websites and reading lots of books about herbal medicine. And then hopefully one day we’ll all have a little corner in our cozy homes with pretty lights and jars full of flowers, leaves and plants for every occasion.
Works cited
“Medical Information and Health Advice You Can Trust.” Healthline, Healthline Media, www.healthline.com/.
O'Brien, Mary, and Karen Vail. Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Southern Rockies: Foothills to Alpine Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and Idaho. Book Crafters, 2016.
My own experience