a collection inspired by United Plant Savers and their mission to conserve, protect, and uplift medicinal plants with low populations.

Tending

Black Cohosh

Latin: Actea Racemosa
Actea: Elder/Sambucus, due to leaves looking similar
Racemosa: Grapelike

Home: Woodlands ranging from Arkansas and eastward

Story: This at-risk herb is the plant that inspired this entire collection.  I was captivated by its tall plumes of white flowers, which has a stark contrast against the dark forest floor that this plant typically occupies. I was delighted to discover that this plant is also called "fairy candles." 

Trillium

Latin: Trillium
Highlights the pattern of "three" in this plant - three leaves, three petals, three stigmas, and three stepals.

Home: Woodlands across the United States.

Story: Trillium is one of the first flowers to bloom in the spring. The variety that grows here in the Pacific Northwest starts off with white petals that shift to light pink and then finally turn a deep purple-magenta color. I love to visit the Trillium patches and see their current color status while they are in bloom.

American Ginseng

Latin: Panax quinquefolius
Panax: Means 'all-healing" in Greek, aka panacea
Rquinquefolius: five-leafed

Home: Shaded woodlands on the east coast of the United States

Story: American Ginseng was a wide-spread plant of importance to the Indigenous peoples of the United States.  Its popularity in post-colonial western herbalism has drastically reduced its population in the wild, which is heightened by its high selling price. 

Pleated Gentian

Latin: Gentiana affinis

Home: Full sun locations with somewhat rocky soil.

Story: Gentian a gorgeous herb with  stunning electric blue-violet flowers. Gentian  reallllly loves to grow where it grows naturally, and so cultivation can be difficult. 

This plant has a history of starring in bitter blends for digestion and mixed drinks. A beautiful alternative to this plant is Centaury, which grows wild and abundantly and has a potent bitter quality.