Mullins Log Cabin Country Getaway

 

 Herbal Information & Products

In nature, you will always find plants that have a look a like. This can be dangerous to an inexperienced person seeking to gather herbs for food or medicinal purposes.

One prime example is Queen Anne's Lace and Poison Hemlock. Both plants have a similar bloom.  One good way to identify Poison Hemlock is by the purple blotches on the stem. The plant has a horrible smell when the stem is crushed. This is a deadly plant, and there is no room for mistakes. So take an experienced herbalist with you, and a good field guide, when you are beginning to learn about wild plants.

Our forefathers & pioneers used herbs in medicine, foods, and daily living. Modern medicines and modern ways have caused today's society to get away from this valuable information. God put these plants on earth for our use. They worked then, and they still work today.

I don't mean to imply that we don't need modern medicine and doctors. Certainly we do. Many of our modern medicines are derived from plants. A good  example would be Foxglove which is used to make a heart medication called digitalis.

 

St. John's Wort

This is called nature's antidepressant

One easy way to identify this plant, crush the yellow bloom between your fingers. If it turns red, you have found

St. John' s Wort

This is supposed to represent the blood of St. John

 

Mullein Plant

This plant has a tall spike with small yellow blooms. It was used as a torch to light the way in caves. Medicinal uses:

Used as an asthma and bronchitis herbal medication.

 

Elderberry Blooms

The berries from this plant were

often used to make wine

 

 

Prickly Pear

Believe it or not, this plant does grow wild in Kentucky.

Normally, you would expect to find this plant in the western part of the United States.

It is edible if you can get past the prickly needles.

Stinging Nettles

This plant is edible, and full of vitamins and minerals.

Just be careful, and don't touch the nettles found on the stem.

You'll find this plant growing on river and creek banks.

 

Boneset

The dried leaves of this plant were used by Native Americans

for flu, and to reduce fevers. It's usually found growing in moist areas.

 

 Wild Oregano

This is also called wild marjoram, and is good for stomach ailments.  Helps to eliminate yeast in your body

 

 Rasberries

The fruit and leaves can be used as a tea for abdominal upsets and diarrhea.

 Herbal Soap

Directions on how it's made can be found below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Closeup of Ironweed

This plant blooms in late summer in KY.
 

 

Evening Primrose

 

Field of Evening Primrose

 

 

Bouncing Bet

Also known as "Soapwort"

The plant can actually produce a lather. The background plant is giant ragweed

 

 

For those who have asked to see the difference between Queen Anne's lace and Poison Hemlock blooms, see the two pictures below. The top picture shows Queen Anne's Lace. It usually has a tiny purple bloom in the center of the bloom.

It's one large umbel on a stem.

Below that, you will find a Poison Hemlock bloom. Notice that it has several umbels, usually 11 on top of one stem. The stem of Poison Hemlock has purple blotches. Please keep children away from Poison Hemlock, it can be deadly.

 

 

 

 

Chicory

Roots can be dried and used as a

Coffee substitute

Jeruselum Artichoke

The tubers of this plant are edible after the first frost.

 

 

Jimson Weed

This plant is very poisonous.

The bloom looks similar to a

Morning Glory

 

Common Plantain

This plant is wonderful for skin abrasions, and bee stings. It's found on most lawns. It's also edible, and good in salads.

Milkweed Plant

The sap found in the stem is

sometimes used to remove warts.

 

Jewelweed

This plant is used to treat

poison ivy, and is often found growing near poison ivy and poison oak.

It's also a wild Touch Me Not, sometimes it's listed as waterweed.

Jewelweed has two different colored blooms. You will find either an orange bloom, or yellow, as seen below.

 

 

I was taught many years ago that the yellow bloom plant shown below was called Angelica. The stem looks like celery. The compound leaflets can be used as a tea for abdominal gas. 

Some herbal books call this plant wild parsnip. The roots are poisonous. It's usually found growing in marshy areas, or near creeks.

 

 

 

 

Garlic Mustard

If you like the taste of garlic, you'll love this plant in your spring salad.

You'll find it blooming in late April or early May. It's best to harvest the leaves when very tender in March or early April.

 

 Willow Trees

The willow tree has many uses. It can be used for basket making, & rustic furniture. The twigs should be gathered in the Fall & Winter for furniture making.

Medicinal uses:

 An aspirin like substance is found in the bark, which makes a good tea for headaches, & other aches and pains.

Don't use if you have an allergy to aspirin

 

 

 Yarrow

The leaves of this plant were used during the Civil War. They were placed on wounds to stop bleeding.

The flower heads dry beautifully for floral arrangements.  

Toothwort

Blooms in early Spring

Usually found in wooded areas

 Great Burdock

These are young burdock plants. The leaves will be double this size, when fully mature. Great Burdock produces the big

round cockleburr seeds. The inventor of "Velcro" was said to have gotten his idea from this plant. Burdock leaves are edible, and the roots were used as "Hoxey's cancer cure.

 

Peppermint growing in creek

Look close, you'll see wild peppermint

emerging through the creek water.