Walking into an herb shop is like walking into a magical wonderland. I love the way it smells, the collection...
Walking into an herb shop is 
like walking into a magical wonderland. I love the way it smells, the collection of curious labels and recipe books, and the endless line of herb packed jars sitting atop wooden shelves (and if you’re lucky some of them are actually labeled). Herb collections are like personal potion shops, with literally hundreds and hundreds of possibilities for formulas and remedies. With almost no idea where to start, I knew I wanted something like this in my home one day.
It’s so fun to create a little nook in your home with your remedies and herbs and spices and teas and tinctures to play with and actually use for good old-fashioned preventative and acute care. Herbal medicine is amazingly simple, but also amazingly complex. Starting your own herbal collection at home doesn’t have to be done in one fell swoop – it’s a process. A process depending on what you and your family’s needs are. I would break down what herbs to invest in by category and action, and then start trying them out yourself to see which are the most effective for you.
Here are some basic botanical herbal actions to pick & choose from (although not nearly a complete list):
Adaptogen (increases endurance and resistance to stress)
Ashwagandha, Holy Basil, Licorice, Milky Oat Tops, Nettle
Analgesics (pain relieving)
Skullcap, ashwagandha
Antispasmodics (prevents and relieves spasms)
Chamomile, Peppermint, Skullcap, Yarrow, Wild Yam
Anti-inflammatory
Ashwagandha, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Holy Basil, Nettle, Turmeric, Yarrow
Anti-microbial
Chamomile, Elderberries, Yarrow, Ginger, Goldenseal
Bitters
Chamomile, Gentian, Dandelion leaf
Carminative (soothes digestion, relieves gas & bloating)
Fennel, Cardamom, Chamomile
Demulcent (to soothe inflamed tissues)
Marshmallow, Slippery Elm bark
Expectorant (increases the elimination of excess mucus)
Mullein, Wild Cherry, Thyme
Hepatic (liver protecting)
Burdock, Dandelion root, Turmeric, Reishi
Immune Stimulant (to acutely increase immune activity)
Echinacea root, Elderberries
Immune Modulator (to balance and support the immune system)
Astragalus, Reishi, Elderberries, Turmeric
Lymphatic
Calendula
Nutritive
Alfalfa, Nettle, Slippery Elm, Milky Oat, Reishi
Sedative/anxiolytic (calms the body and nervous system)
Chamomile, Ashwagandha, Skullcap, Passionflower, Valerian, Kava kava, Lemon balm
Stimulant (increases circulation and breaks through obstructions)
Ginger, Turmeric, Rosemary
Storage
This is kind of a big deal if you 
plan on keeping your herbs for any length of time. Herbs, like food, have a shelf life much dependent on the manner in which they’re kept.
Rule #1 – keep them out of direct sunlight (this causes them to break down and “age” more quickly).
Rule #2 – dried herbs for tea and infusions must be stored and kept completely dry. Moisture is the kiss of death to most herbs. Make sure they’re good and dry if you’re harvesting and drying your own.
Rule #3 – store loose herbs in air tight (preferably glass) containers like mason jars or amber glass bottles. Air oxidizes herbs over time, making them break down more quickly.
Rule #4 – LABEL YOUR JARS. I know you think you’ll remember them, and your sense of smell is keen and unmatched…but you probably won’t. I promise you’ll thank yourself for doing this 4 months after you’ve bottled and stored something and it all starts to look the same. Label the herb (common and botanical name if you know it), date you collected or packaged it, and where it came from.
Extra Pieces for Herbal Creations
Small and large ball jars or amber glass jars, mortar and pestle, empty heat-and-seal tea bags or muslin bags, base oils for infused oils (I like apricot kernel oil, olive oil, sesame oil or grape seed oil), beeswax and butters for salve making, digital kitchen scale (weighing in grams), and 1 ounce and 2 ounce dropper bottles for travel sized tinctures.
Keep Notes
When you try an herb for the first time (or even the tenth time), write down your experience with it. Keeping an herb journal will help you refine your apothecary to keeping and utilizing only the most effective herbs and combinations of herbs that work well for what you need. It’s extremely easy to have a ramshackle apothecary that quickly becomes messy, unorganized and filled with expired or non-used herbs. Keeping track and routinely rotating and freshly stocking your supply is made much simpler when you keep track of your herbs and your relationship with them.
Herb Stock Lists
Dried Herbs (for tea, infusions, and decoctions):
Alfalfa
Ashwagandha
Astragalus
Calendula
Cardamom
Chamomile
Cinnamon
Dandelion leaf & root
Echinacea tops and root
Elderberries
Fennel
Ginger
Hawthorn
Hibiscus
Holy Basil
Lavender
Lemon Balm
Licorice
Marshmallow root
Milky Oat Tops
Mullein
Nettle Leaf
Peppermint
Raspberry leaf
Rosemary
Sage
Skullcap
Slippery Elm bark
Thyme
Triphala
Yarrow
If you do not have access to local sources of these herbs (or you can’t grow your own), reputable online sources to purchase them include: Zack Woods, Mountain Rose Herbs, Oregon’s Wild Harvest, Avena Botanicals, and Starwest Botanicals.
Herbal Tinctures (Hydroalcoholic Extracts):
Ashwagandha
Astragalus
Burdock
Cardamom
Chamomile
Chaste Tree
Dandelion root
Echinacea
Eyebright
Fennel
Ginger
Gentian
Goldenseal
Gotu Kola
Hawthorn
Holy Basil
Kava Kava
Lemon Balm
Licorice
Linden
Nettle
Milky Oat
Passionflower
Reishi
Skullcap
Valerian
Wild Cherry
Wild Yam
If you’re not making your own, you can purchase from reputable online herbal companies including: Herb Pharm, Gaia Herbs, Oregon’s Wild Harvest, Urban Moonshine, Mountain Rose Herbs and Wise Woman Herbals.
List by Ginger Tonic Botanicals
TeriAnne Tarot does not claim the rights to any of the images used here.
Be magickal, y’all!
