How to Make a Tincture
A tincture is a solution prepared by steeping or soaking (maceration) plant materials in alcohol and water.
Yarrow
Propagation of Yarrow is by division and cuttings but it also spreads via seed and roots and grows up to 3 feet tall. Prone to mildew in hot, dry conditions. The white flower version is the medicinal herb but there are many colors of ornamental yarrow which do not contain the medicinal chemicals in high enough volume to be used as a medicine. Yarrow is a beneficial insect attractant plant (ladybugs and parasitic wasps).
Nettles-Stinging Nettles
According to Roman times, Roman nettle was used for arthritis and rheumatism in a process called urtication where the cut stalks were bundled and flailed onto the back. Ouch! American Indians used it as one of spring’s first cooked vegetable and as a spring tonic (the cooking process inactivates the sting). This page includes alias names for Nettle herb with pictures, how to use Nettle herb, its properties, chemical constituents, and helpful links.
Gymnema for Blood Sugar
Gymnema (Gymnema sylvestre) has been used for thousands of years in India as a medicinal herb for sugar issues, constipation, liver disease and bladder issues. Here are alias and Chinese names for Gymnema with pictures, uses, properties, chemical constituents, and helpful links about the herb.
Elecampane
Elecampane is a 4-5 foot tall perennial that grows on a rigid erect stem that is deeply furrowed. The plant branches near the top with pointed leaves that are 1-1.5 feet long and four inches across the middle where they are velvety underneath. The 3-4 inch diameter yellow flowers bloom from June-August and resemble a double sunflower. Inula helenium is notably prized by the Romans for food and medicinal purposes. Elecampane is native to western Asia and Europe but has been spread to now grow in many temperate parts of the globe including areas in the United States. It can be grown from seed in the spring or by root division in the fall. The plant grows best in shady, well drained but moist soil. The root is harvested in the fall and used fresh or dried at high temperatures for later use.