22 Medicinal Herbs You Need in Your own Garden

Medicinal Use: Famous for its pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties, arnica is used for bruises, sore muscles, and swelling. Anything impact-injury related, really. Arnica is an herb I use quite frequently, and I usually have a salve on hand, it’s also an important component in the salve I am making for my mother’s knees, as it warms the body. Arnica is also antiseptic.

How to Use: Infuse into oil for a healing salve (not for internal use!).

Culinary Use: None (Arnica is toxic when ingested).

Medicinal Use: One of the queens of herbalism, calendula is a powerful skin healer. She is amazing for wounds, rashes, and soothing irritation, and belongs in any skin salve for any purpose. It also stimulates collagen production, and works great in moisturizers.

How to Use: Infuse into oil for a skin-soothing salve or brew as a tea for gut health.

Culinary Use: Petals can be added to salads, soups, or rice dishes for a pop of color and gentle medicinal benefits.

Medicinal Use: A powerhouse for immune support, echinacea is known to help fight colds and infections. I use echinacea for immune support in the winter months, keeping away illness. You can also take the tincture at the first sign of sickness.

How to Use: Make a tincture or brew into a strong immune-boosting tea.

Culinary Use: Can be blended into herbal teas.

Medicinal Use: So common its often overlooked! Garlic is a powerful antimicrobial and immune booster, I chew a whole raw garlic clove if im feeling even remotely ill. Gross, but effective. Garlic is also fantastic for cardiovascular health and fighting infections.

How to Use: Eat raw, or ferment into honey for an immune tonic.

Culinary Use: Essential in almost every savory dish—soups, sauces, roasts, and stir-fries, and a few sweet ones. Pro tip: however much garlic a recipe calls for, double it.

Medicinal Use: One of my favorite adaptogenic herb known for stress relief, immune boosting, and respiratory support. Holy basil is a cooling, laxing herb, so it works well for me in a de-stressing tea.

How to Use: Brew into a nourishing tea or infuse into honey.

Culinary Use: Can be used in teas, pestos, or herbal vinegars.

Medicinal Use: Wonderful for anxiety, digestion, and antiviral support, lemon balm is great for cold sores, as it reduces breakouts. It’s also great for treating candida, with its incredibly high antiviral properties.

How to Use: Brew into a calming tea or use fresh in infusions.

Culinary Use: Pairs beautifully with salads, fruit, and herbal syrups. Strong lemony scent with a subdued taste.

Medicinal Use: Common sage is a versatile herb. Traditionally used for hormonal balance, memory, and sore throat relief, I use it in my cough syrup and in my cleaning agents, due to its antiviral, microbial, and bacterial properties.

How to Use: Brew into tea or infuse into vinegar for digestive health. Combine with lemon, water, and vinegar for cleaning solution.

Culinary Use: Amazing in roasts, soups, and butter infusions, also stir fry’s.

Medicinal Use: I remember when my dad’s girlfriend at the time burned herself on the stove – i ran out, chapped off a leg of aloe, and used it right away. Aloe is famous for skin healing, burns, and wound care, but it also also supports digestion and immune health. Freeze cubes at night and apply to skin as a calming balm.

How to Use: Apply fresh gel directly to burns, cuts, and dry skin, or blend into a soothing digestive juice. Good for leaky gut or autoimmune disorders.

Culinary Use: The inner gel can be added to smoothies and fresh juices (in small amounts!).

• Medicinal Use: A now famous adaptogen launched into stardom with recent trends, ashwagandha is known for reducing stress, boosting energy, and balancing hormones.Extremely powerful.
• How to Use: Dry the root and make a powdered supplement, or brew a tonic tea via decoction, since it is a root.
• Culinary Use: Traditionally added to warm milk or herbal tonics for stress relief. A mild flavor.

• Medicinal Use: A sunflower! Traditionally used for lung health, and fighting off parasites. It is an expectorant like mullein, so get ready to cough all that gross stuff out of your lungs. The root is the part you want.
• How to Use: Make a syrup or decoction for deep lung support, or take for parasite purging. Small doses, too much can cause nausea.
• Culinary Use: The root is sometimes used in bitters and herbal liqueurs, but not much else.

Medicinal Use: Famous for mood support, this herb has been used for mild depression, nerve pain, and wound healing. Not the standard herb, really. Also, it’s great for menstrual surpport as it helps with your hormones.

How to Use: Infuse into oil for skin healing, or make a tea for nervous system support. Tea is best!

Culinary Use: Not commonly used in cooking, but can be infused into honey or tinctures if you’d like.