Twelve Herbs Every Prepper Should Know

Here at the Independent Herbalist, there are twelve herbs that I have fallen in love with over the years for their versatility and common availability. All of these herbs can be grown almost anywhere, and most of them are either native or have naturalized widely in North America (which means they are great candidates for foraging as well as gardening!)  

Below, I have made a list of the plants along with a link to the USDA plant database. By following the link, you will be taken to pictures of each plant, range maps of where it grows wild, and a related links tab. Under the related links tab, you can find ethnobotanical information (that's the recorded medicinal uses of Native peoples) and gardening information on each plant. Many of the herbs also have a PDF file put together by the USDA plant database people, but not all- so be sure to check out that related links tab!

There are an incredible range of uses for each of the herbs below, but think of this as an introduction or study guide to help learn how to visually identify each plant and learn a general overview of some historical uses. 
 
Angelica:  Angelic archangelica or Angelica atropurpurea (most herbalists consider them interchangeable)

Bee Balm: Monarda fistulosa

Catnip: Nepeta cataria 

Dandelion: Taraxacum officinale

Elder: Sambucus nigra or Sambucus nigra spp canadensis (American elder is considered interchangeable with the European Sambucus nigra)

Hawthorn: Crataegus monogyna

Lemon Balm: Melissa officinalis

Mullein: Verbascum thapsus

Peppermint: Mentha x piperita

Rose: Rosa canina

Valerian: Valeriana officinalis

Yarrow: Achillea millefolium

The USDA Database is a wonderful resources for many other plants as well- just bear in mind you need to have the scientific binomial for the plants you want to research (ie 'Taraxacum officinale' vs Dandelion). It can be a bit fiddly, but it's well worth it!

Stay tuned, our next post will be: Herbs+What?: The Quick Guide to Herbal Preparations