Scutella, meaning “little shield” describes the shape of the calyx. In the 1700’s the Genus was Cassida, which meant “helmet”.

If you are prone to sunburns you have probably met “The Lily of the Desert,” aloe vera. An evergreen succulent plant species, aloe vera has antibacterial, antiviral, and antiseptic properties. The Egyptians idealized aloe vera and called it “the plant of immortality” because it can live and even bloom without soil

You will very rarely see this plant in a pot-it definitely likes to run. In fact, Plantago major has be gifted the eponym “whiteman’s footprint” from Native Americans because it mapped the paths of European settlers.

If you are interested in repelling dragons, serpents or improving psychic powers– you have found your herb! Lemongrass is a powerful cleanser getting rid of stagnation, despair and lethargy. It can assit when one needs to let go oof old, limiting beliefs, toxic energy or negatrons. Cymbopogon citrates is of the Poaceae family. That means like the name implies, it is a grass.

Let us not forget that cotton is a plant, part of the family Malvaceae (mallow family); the same family as hollyhock, okra and hibiscus. There are over 135 varieties of cotton, that share gossypium’s folklore, magic and medicine. All of it is overshadowed by a history of exploitation, mass production and consumption. A cool, versatile and elegant fabric, but has cost more in human misery than any other textile.

Ginger! The movement builder. This plant promotes digestion, increases the flow of fluids in the body, is a stimulant and harmonizer. Ginger is a part of the Zingiberaceae family, which also includes turmeric and cardamom.

…in Ayurveda specifically, Tulsi is classified as a “rasayana,” delineating its MVP (most valuable player) status in the realm of adaptogenic herbs. Recognizing that the herb helps restore the central nervous system and keep it in balance, many believe that Holy Basil also possesses curative properties when it comes to addressing the “Mind-Spirit '' causes of disease.

Luffa is a powerful climber that under the best conditions can produce many sponge gourds. Luffa has been eaten as food and used in folk medicine especially in Africa and Asia. The plant produces a bright yellow flower and has been used in the treatment of many ailments including nose cancer, snake venom, wound healing, edema, whooping cough, stomach upset, stomach pain and malaria.

Before the invention of clocks Moon Flower and Morning Glory blossoms gave humankind a sense of the time. Ipomoea purpurea shares their bloom before noon whereas Ipomea alba performs after dusk. Each flower dies after a single bloom.

Historically, plants are part of the resistance and communicate freedom and liberation. Plants were used to map significant places along the underground railroad and okra (ngombo), whose seeds were braided into the hair of the enslaved as they struggled to survive the middle passage were then planted into colonized soil. The bright yellow ngombo flowers became beacons of hope to other enslaved individuals.

Somehow we know rosemary even if we don’t cook with it on the regs. Some say rosemary is the scent of deja vu. This aromatic herb has been hailed since ancient times for its powerful medicinal properties, culinary attributes and energetic relationships to death, memory and rememberance. Rosemary reminds of memories from lifetimes past. The ancient wisdom of this sacred plant is also carried in our human DNA. Rosemary is a great teacher, friend and plancestor.

This flower is actually made of magic- their seductive alien-like beauty is unmatched. This plant offers us sedative/ tranquilizing/ anti-spasmadic medicine and has been proven to work as good as oxazepam for sleep in clinical trials. You have met the fruits of this seductress as passionfruit, which represent joy, sweetness, pleasure and are said to be a natural aphrodisiac (duh).

Sugarcane was long considered the most violent of all chattel crops, as harvesting it proved deadly to many of the enslaved. One tool of the abolitionist movement fighting to end slavery was a boycott of slave-grown sugar, a consumer protest celebrated by contemporaries as a key component of abolition’s success. In writings about the boycott sugar is equated, and figuratively imbued, with the blood, sweat, and tears of the enslaved, morally polluting the crop.

Despite its sting, nettle has many beneficial qualities. In the garden, it encourages beneficial insects and strengthens the growth of mint and tomatoes. Medicinally, nettles are a highly nutritious superfood providing vitamins A, B6, K, riboflavin, folate, calcium, manganese, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and potassium has been used to treat a range of illnesses of the kidneys, adrenals and urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract, skin, cardiovascular system, hemorrhages, and influenza.

Not just a pretty face, all parts of hibiscus plants are used traditionally. Hibiscus is special in that it possesses both demulcent and astringent properties. Historically, hibiscus tea has been used to decrease body temperature, treat heart disease, and sooth a sore throat.

Chamomile is called the Plant’s Physician, because planting it near sickly plants helped them get well. Matricaria – the root word could be matri meaning mother (helpful for mothers, helpful for mothers because it’s helpful for children) or matrix, meaning womb.

Lavender, from the latin lavar, “to wash” is mostly known for its powerful nervine properties. The plant has over 100 constituents that are relaxing to the nervous system. A clinical trial in 2014 found lavender taken internally to be more effective than placebo or conventional tranquilizer for relieving anxiety. Lavender oil is used to reduce stress, nervousness, insomnia, and anxiety.

We are working with Salvia officinalis, whose botanical name is a clue to its just why it is part of Growing Abolition. Salvia comes from the Latin “salvare” to cure. Sage has been used for warding off evil (think ethical smudging), increasing fertility, and according to Celtic tradition and was associated with wisdom and immortality. Many traditions and religions will welcome sage to ceremony as an offering or to cleanse stagnant energy and invite new. As the name implies, sage is a magical plant for inviting possibility, or helping us to see what have not yet imagined.

Thistle hopefully change your perspective… :) The thistle family reminds us to have courage in the face of adversity. Thistle leaves produce a cholesterol-lowering tea and their milky juices are high in potassium. Its armored exterior guards a sweet and healing interior.

Did you know the dandelion, North America’s most famous weed is also an incredible healer to humankind and soil alike? Dandelions are not actually in competition with grasses or other shallow rooted plants. They prefer deep rich soil and their roots often attract beneficial earthworms. All parts of the plant are edible, and have been celebrated by indigenous peoples, contemporary plant enthusiasts and herbalists as a cure-all, tonic, stimulant and anti-oxidant.