January 2023 Plant Availability |
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California native plant medicine for a healthy start to the new year
Greetings,
Happy New Year!!! We are so thrilled to kick off another year of bringing more California native plants into the world 😀
Since the start of a new year often inspires folks to go on a health kick after indulging during the holidays, we thought it would be nice to share some of the spectacular medicine that native plants have to offer to support our bodies and our minds as we embark on a fresh start.
As with any herbal medicine, it’s extremely important to learn about the precautions associated with each plant and how to use them safely. Please do your own research and consult with a medical professional or herbal medicine practitioner before utilizing these plants as medicine!
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Stinging Nettle
Urtica dioica
Available in D-40 pots for $8.80 each!
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- Gets its name from the stinging sensation that occurs when the hollow stinging hairs on its leaves and stems contact the skin and release histamine/other chemicals, so one should take caution and wear gloves when planting or harvesting this species!
- Used to treat painful muscles and joints, eczema, arthritis, gout, anemia, urinary tract infections, hay fever, and more!
- May be applied topically in compresses or creams for treating joint pain, sprains and strains, tendonitis, and insect bites
- The leaves and stems may be consumed in tea, tinctures, fluid extracts, cooked greens, or dried in capsules
- Contains high levels of amino acids, protein, flavonoids, and bone-building minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and zinc
- One of the greatest dietary sources of Vitamin K, which the body needs to help make various proteins for blood clotting and the building of bones
- Its powerful antihistamine properties help to reduce sneezing and itching caused by hay fever allergies
- This herbaceous perennial is easy to grow in sunny conditions, and may even tolerate shade. It will need supplemental water through its first summer of establishment if it is not in a moist area.
- Wonderful addition to butterfly gardens as it supports the Red Admiral, West Coast Lady, and Milbert’s Tortoiseshell butterflies
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Available in D-16 pots for $6.60 each!
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- A tincture made from the leaves and stems may be added to water and ingested for treatment of lower back pain and sciatica
- Dried stems and leaves can be brewed into tea to remedy colds, coughs, and stomach ailments (this has powerful properties that strengthen the immune system, so it is recommended to use a mild dose of 5-10 leaves per pint of hot water)
- A poultice of the leaves can be used to treat skin sores and cuts, reportedly numbing the pain and aiding in healing
- California Pearly Everlasting is a common herbaceous plant in seasonally dry, open areas of forests, grasslands, chaparral, coastal sage scrub, and mixed evergreen shrub lands throughout much of California.
- In the garden it prefers full sun, dry/light water, can tolerate just about any soil type, grows up to 2 ft. tall and wide, and behaves as a short-lived perennial
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Available in D-16 pots for $6.60, TB2 pots for $6.60, 4” pots for $7.15, and 1-Gal pots for $13.20 each
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- This sweet little native perennial is commonly used as a general tonic, since the chemicals that it produces are helpful for reducing inflammation
- Its flowers and foliage can be used to make tea or tinctures that are effective at reducing fevers and the onset of sore throats and colds as well calming nausea
- Verbena’s are in the mint family, so the foliage often has a lovely mint-like fragrance and flavor
- The flowers open sequentially from the bottom to the top of the spike, allowing this species to remain in bloom for several weeks to a few months
- They attract a wide range of pollinators, including European honey bees, native bees, butterflies, and even hummingbirds
- Though not long-lived, this perennial is easy to grow in just about any kind of soil (from sandy to slow draining clay) and re-seeds in many gardens.
- It likes flat ground in partial shade, thriving as a sub-shrub under larger species. Can tolerate seasonal flooding and moist environments, but can also tolerate quite dry conditions.
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Available in D-16 pots for $7.70, D-40 pots for $9.00, and 2-Gal pots for $27.50 each!
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- Although not a true sage, its common name comes from the beautiful sage-like fragrance of its feathery silver-green foliage. It is sometimes affectionately referred to as “Cowboy Cologne”
- A decoction made from the foliage and stems may be used externally for the relief of colds/cough/asthma and as a bath for rheumatism
- A decoction or tincture may be taken internally to treat bronchitis and other respiratory tract infections
- A poultice made from the leaves may be used as a bandaid for skin wounds/lesions
- This drought tolerant perennial shrub grows 3 – 4 ft. tall and wide, and is easy to grow in pretty much any local soil with full sun to part shade. It establishes quickly within a year or two.
- California Sagebrush is moderately salt tolerant, and freezing winters will kill it, so it is best grown close to the coast
- Plants look better if pruned, especially when young (even in the year after planting) so that they will be lush/full and need less pruning as they age. The best time to prune them is in October when plants are beginning to leaf out, and you can prune fairly heavily so long as you leave a handful of new leaves and branches on each stem.
- An excellent choice for hard-to-water areas and slopes, as it has relatively shallow and fibrous roots that allow it to utilize moisture in the soil very efficiently
- Fantastic habitat value in the garden as it provides cover and nest sites for many birds, lizards, and other small critters, many of whom eat the seeds too!
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Available in D-16 pots for $6.60 and D-40 pots for $8.00 each!
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- Mugwort leaves can be steeped into a tea that is helpful externally for soothing poison oak rashes and is sometimes used internally for stomach/gastrointestinal ailments
- A topical application of a decoction from the leaves is also effective against a number of microorganisms, and works well as a nourishing, non-greasy hand lotion
- It is important to note that the chemicals produced by this plant have cytotoxic (cell-killing) properties, so this powerful medicine should be used sparingly under the care and guidance of a practitioner
- Another interesting property of this plant is that it reportedly induces vivid, technicolor dreams! Many indigenous groups of the West Coast sleep on a pillow of mugwort leaves (or with a sachet of the leaves under their pillow) to utilize its vivid dream-inducing properties
- Grows 1 – 3 ft. tall and is a lovely natural ground cover, filling an area via underground stems (rhizomes), rooted stems, and by seed.
- Mugwort is a lush foliage plant that tolerates shade and heavier soils well, so it is often found growing in moist areas of several plant communities such as chaparral, coastal sage scrub, northern and southern oak woodlands, mixed-evergreen forests, and yellow pine forests. Also common around freshwater marshes and moist meadows.
- Mugwort blooms from June – October, and its understated green-gold flowers attract native bees, pollinator flies, and butterflies.
- Birds like to eat their seeds in the fall, and the lush foliage provides cover for ground-dwelling/feeding birds and lizards
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Available in SC for $3.30, TB2 for $6.00, D-16 for $6.00, and 1-Gal for $13.20 each!
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- Allegedly named after Achilles, the mythical Greek hero who used it to stop the bleeding in his soldiers’ wounds, Yarrow is best known for its application to the skin for wounds and minor bleeding
- The flavonoids produced by yarrow increase saliva and stomach acid, which helps to improve digestion when consumed via tea or by eating young leaves (use sparingly as they are tart!)
- A tea made from the leaves and flowers can be consumed to relieve stomach and menstrual cramps as it relaxes smooth muscle in the intestine and uterus
- Yarrow can also be taken as a sedative to relieve anxiety or insomnia
- This plant is best used medicinally sparingly, as allergies can occasionally develop
- The flowers, foliage, and seeds can be included in fragrant potpourri or sachets and are said to repel moths, houseflies, and ants
- Yarrow grows in numerous plant communities throughout California from the coast to the mountains, often forming a natural ground cover between and beneath taller plants.
- In the garden, Yarrow is an incredibly adaptive and hardy perennial. It is one of the best plants for attracting native pollinators and reportedly repels pests and can intensify the flavors of other herbs planted nearby!
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Available in D-16 for $7.70, D-40 for $9.90, TB4 for $14.30, and 2-Gal for $27.50
We also have locally made honey-based elderberry syrup available for $12 per bottle!
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- A wash made from the flowers and/or leaves is a wonderful skin conditioner and may be used on sores and bruises to aid in the healing process
- The flowers and berries may be prepared into tea, syrup, jelly, or a tonic, all of which help your body to fight colds and they are a fantastic source of vitamins C, B6, and A!
- The leaves of all elderberry species including this one are toxic and should not be ingested
- The berries and flowers of this powerful plant contain plant chemicals that may cause nausea or diarrhea, so it is important to only use ripe berries and cook them to ensure they are safe to eat. Tea from the flowers is mild, but should be consumed in moderation.
- Blue Elderberry has great habitat in the garden as it provides perches, nesting sites, and abundant food for birds as well as nectar for a variety of pollinators
- This species likes full sun to part shade and can grow in a variety of soils from sandy to fairly dense clay, although it doesn’t like salty soil or seaside conditions.
- Although it can be quite drought tolerant, Blue Elderberry will thrive in areas where its roots can access deep water, growing slower than you might expect above ground during its establishment. Once established it will grow quite quickly into a large shrub/small tree 8-15 ft. tall.
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Happy New Year from all of us at the Watershed Nursery!!
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Stay Safe, ‘Bee’ Well, and Go Natives!
Happy Planting! From all of us at The Watershed Nursery.
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- Landscape and gardening professionals receive a 10% discount on all plants (except for sale plants) purchased for professional use.
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Resellers: All the plants are available for wholesale purchase. Provide us your resellers license to receive a 20% discount on the listed price (except for sale plants) and no sales tax.
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The Watershed Nursery | 510.234.2222 | sales@thewatershednursery.com |
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