Harvesting Medicinal Herbs
Remember, “Look both ways”
Harvesting medicinals is something that many of us learn to do. For some of us, we turn to our gardens, our window boxes and those allies we grow indoors. We may also identify medicinals along roadways, sidewalks and of course, further afield, in parks, open spaces, at the tops of mountains and in the valleys.
With experience, we become more and more familiar with the preferred habitats of each herb. This allows for more successful collection trips – or foraging experiences. For example, we know to look for an abundance of dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) and red clover (Trifolium pratense) in open sunny spaces. On the other hand, trout lilies (Erythronium americanum) are most likely to be found in the dappled light of a wood. By the way, in my experience, they prefer the dappled light of a southern-facing slope.
As we explore it’s important to observe a few basic, yet essential, rules while foraging. First and foremost, correct identification is essential. As we get to know plants, knowing their habitats and lookalikes is critical to safe foraging. There are a number of Apps, online sources, and of course herbalists that can help ensure correct identification (ID). We can also learn how to use plant keys.
Plant keys help unlock correct IDs through a series of questions surrounding an observation. For example, key questions may include: Are the edges of a leaf smooth or jagged? Are leaves opposite each other along the stem or do they alternate left and right?
Another critical aspect of foraging is knowing the collection site or looking around for clues that let us know that it’s safe to forage at a given location. Never do we want to forage from a contaminated site. So what do we look for?
Busy roadways. These are easily identifiable. Busy roadways would be low on my list of foraging sites, except of course in an emergency. I might harvest some yarrow (Achillea millifolium) from an apparently clean space along a roadside if I needed a hemostatic herb to help control bleeding. I’d be prioritizing controlling bleeding over possible later challenges.
Old factory sites and landfills. I avoid these as I have no idea what might be lurking underground.
Urban spaces are often convenient. They can be places of concern too. Many people apply chemicals to their urban landscapes. Personally, I prefer not to eat chemicals or to use herbs grown in these soils for medicine making. But sometimes it’s hard to tell what’s going on.
One sure sign of a treated urban lawn is that plantain (Plantago spp.) and other broad leaf plants will be absent. In urban landscapes, it’s important to, “look both ways” and not to focus on the desired harvest. It’s important to look around. For example, these images help to identify telltale signs of the unnecessary use of chemicals, some of which may be carcinogenic.
The two images on the left represent an average northeastern broad leaf lawn in near drought conditions, as is the case in July of 2022. No chemicals.
The sign in the central image is indeed a very likely indication that chemicals have been applied. Additionally, both images on the far right reflect toxic chemical use, as evidenced by the brown patches around objects. These chemicals can be absorbed through our skin. Yes, through the soles of our feet and the paws of our friends.
In the bottom right image, we see the application of Roundup® around a telephone pole and a property boundary marking an untreated lawn with clovers, etc (left) and a treated lawn (right). Notice on the right the absence of broad leaf plants.
Both discoloration and the absence of broad leaf plants can be indicators of toxic chemical usage. Roundup® is used here in Erie, PA. This toxic glyphosate is often applied as a “time-saving” measure to avoid weeding around trees, poles, benches, and more. While the Bayfront offers a grand view of Presque Isle Bay, and some areas appear untreated, it’s always a good idea to look left and right, or indeed right and left, before harvesting!
Safe foraging is key to making good medicine.
