Native to the southwestern region of the U.S., yucca is an herbaceous plant. It is of a genus making up a category of more than 40 different evergreen plants in the agave family. Yucca was a staple plant to southwest Native Americans, who used the leaves in traditional ceremonies. The...
Magnolia (covering more than 200 different species within the Magnoliaceae family of flowering plants) has a strong history. This ancient flowering plant has been on Earth as far back as 95 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. Studies show that although there were dinosaurs at that time, bees still...
Thyme, an herb native to the Southern Mediterranean, is now grown around the world. Thyme grows best in loose, well-draining soil, and grows quickly in sunny locations. It is classified as an evergreen herb, and it blooms with small flowers of white and purple. Many people may not know that...
Black seed oil is an herbal ingredient extracted from the fruit of the Nigella sativa. This small, flowering plant is native to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Southwestern Asia. In Ayurveda, black seed oil has long been used for many common ailments. At the top of the list of...
Harvesting it by hand, farmers have to work delicately to safely harvest the threads of the saffron plant. This intricate process makes saffron extremely expensive; in some parts of the world the price can yield as much as $4,000 to $5,000 per pound. The spice has been harvested for thousands...
Native to South and Central America, as well as Mexico, and Texas, Damiana (Turnera diffusa) has gained popularity for its use as an aphrodisiac. Also, it is known as a hormonal supporter. Few studies have been done proving its effectiveness. That said, history and feedback regarding its successful use has...
A bitter-tasting, yellow-pigmented compound berberine has gained much attention in recent years. It is found in the roots, rhizomes, stems, and barks of plants like goldenseal, Oregon grape, and European barberry. It is known as a cationic alkaloid and was first isolated in 1917 from goldenseal. Although berberine is still...
Brahmi, Indian pennywort, or Bacopa (Bacopa monnieri), is a perennial herb that grows in India, Africa, parts of Europe, and in America, and tends to flourish in wet areas, even in small gardens and swamp areas. It is known to have small green leaves with small white flowers. All parts...
Native to Sri Lanka, Asia, and southern India, this tropical plant is found in many parts of the world including South America, North America, Australia, and Africa. Lemongrass is also known as citronella, and it has a fresh smell with a hint of citrus. It’s popular in the summer as...
A little-to no-calorie sweetener that has been known since the 16th century, the stevia plant is originally native to Brazil and Paraguay, but you will find it grown widely in both China and Japan. Stevia has gained popularity as a natural alternative to high calorie (and unhealthy) sugar in foods...
