Materia Medica

Natural yellow Tagetes erecta African marigold flower close-up in garden light
Marigold, African (Aztec) — Tagetes erecta
African Marigold / Aztec Marigold (Tagetes erecta) materia medica covering Mesoamerican and regional traditional uses, documented preparations and amounts, lutein and zeaxanthin chemistry, human marigold-lutein research, skin and gastrointestinal adverse... Read more...
Cnicus benedictus (Blessed Thistle), realistic botanical photo
Blessed Thistle (Cnicus benedictus) — Holy Thistle, Spotted Thistle
Blessed Thistle (Cnicus benedictus) Materia Medica in Bacopa section order: exact plant identification, European and Canadian documented bitter-herb preparation amounts, five measured herbal extraction examples, cultivation, safety and medieval protective... Read more...
Ageratum houstonianum flossflower with blue-purple clustered flower heads and toothed leaves
Ageratum / Flossflower (Ageratum houstonianum) — Blue Mink / Mexican Ageratum
Ageratum / Flossflower (Ageratum houstonianum) covering botanical identity, species confusion with A. conyzoides, precocene I and II, documented pyrrolizidine alkaloids, insecticidal research, livestock toxicosis, internal-use limitations, cultivation, propagation and safety. Read more...
Eupatorium perfoliatum (Boneset), realistic botanical photo
Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) — Thoroughwort, Feverwort
Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) Materia Medica: perfoliate-leaf identification, historical feverwort tea and tincture formats, measured botanical and garden preparations, modern safety evidence, rain-garden growing and North American herbal folklore. Read more...
Original full-color botanical visualization of Burdock Arctium lappa purple flower heads and hooked green burs
Burdock (Arctium lappa) — Burdock Root, Beggar's Buttons, Clotbur
Burdock (Arctium lappa) Materia Medica: botanical identity, species distinctions, root and fruit traditions, exact root infusion, decoction, powder, tincture, extract, oil and gobo recipes, evidence-specific adult doses, cultivation, harvesting, safety... Read more...
Tanacetum balsamita costmary with gray-green crenate leaves and yellow button flower heads
Alecost / Costmary (Tanacetum balsamita) — Bible Leaf / Sweet Mary
Alecost / Costmary (Tanacetum balsamita) materia medica covering botanical identity, Bible Leaf and culinary history, traditional digestive use, polyphenols, variable carvone/camphor/thujone essential-oil chemotypes, research limits, pregnancy and essential-oil safety, cultivation... Read more...
Petasites hybridus (Butterbur), realistic botanical photo
Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) — Sweet Coltsfoot, Pestilence Wort
Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) Materia Medica retains earlier detailed research and references while reorganizing into 18 Bacopa-standard sections, adding five safe botanical recipes, native range, cultivation, propagation, poison-alkaloid context and medieval... Read more...
Original Roosters Peacock botanical visualization of yellow and orange Calendula officinalis in sunny garden
Calendula (Calendula officinalis) — Marigold, Pot Marigold
A whole-plant guide to calendula (Calendula officinalis), including identification in the garden and wild, flowers, leaves and seeds, cut-and-sifted and powdered forms, topical and culinary preparations, research, safety and spiritual... Read more...
Echinacea purpurea fibrous root crown, leaves, and flower — original Roosters Peacock botanical visualization
Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) — Purple Coneflower, Black Sampson
A complete species-specific whole-plant guide to Echinacea purpurea (eastern purple coneflower), featuring identification, aerial herb and root preparations with four home recipes, traditional history and folklore, constituents, modern evidence, harvesting,... Read more...
Life Everlasting (Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium) — Rabbit Tobacco, Sweet Everlasting
A guide to life everlasting, rabbit tobacco or sweet everlasting (Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium), covering Eastern Woodlands ethnobotany, identification, traditional use, limited modern research and safety. Read more...
Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) — False Saffron, Dyer's Saffron
Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) supplies both colorful flowers and an edible seed oil, but the two materials are not interchangeable. This evidence-aware guide covers Hong Hua tradition, human research on safflower oil and specialized extracts, pregnancy and bleeding cautions, and practical safety. Read more...
Spilanthes (Acmella oleracea) — Toothache Plant, Eyeball Plant, Jambu
Spilanthes, now accepted botanically as Acmella oleracea, is the famous toothache plant or jambu whose flowers produce a tingling, numbing and mouth-watering sensation. This guide explains the modern taxonomy, spilanthol chemistry, culinary tradition, pain research and safety without turning a traditional toothache remedy into a substitute for dental care. Read more...