Southwest Landscapes

I recently completed guiding a week-long trip to the bottom of the Grand Canyon for our local university. As we happened to be hiking during the wettest and stormiest weather of the past several months, Water quickly became the theme of our trip. It got me thinking about how this all relates to the Element of Water in the Ayurvedic view. Ayurveda recognizes the 5 Elements as Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. Each has an essential role to play in our lives and our health. Too much or not enough of any element creates imbalance and eventually disease. During […] See More

 I had a nice surprise in mid-March during a hiking trip in the western end of the Grand Canyon. My group came across “Hesperoyucca newberryi” in full bloom. This was a first for me and quite special. This plant used to be (and sometimes still is, depending on the source) in the Yucca genus, where it was known as Yucca whipplei or the Whipple yucca. It has recently been put into a separate and new genus. This particular species is found only in NW Arizona, on slopes of the Canyon. This plant is semelparous, meaning it flowers once, then dies, […] See More

The coming of spring brings with it a renewed interest in the sprouts, buds and shoots of warmer weather and how they can be used to improve our health. Many people are motivated to not only learn the uses of finished herbal products found in the retail world; they are also inspired to connect with healing plants while they are still in the ground. Learning their growing needs and ways to harvest and process plants is an essential part of the herbal path. While the ever increasing interest in using herbal medicine in recent decades has been beneficial in many […] See More

Botanical Name: Rumex hymenosepalus Family: Polygonaceae Common Names: Red Dock, Desert Rhubarb, Wild Rhubarb Part Used for Medicine: Tubers Habitat in Which it is Found/ Harvesting Season/ Special Considerations: It is found in sandy areas between 3,000’ and 6,000’. Common in the Verde Valley and the many sandy areas around Page, Arizona. The farthest north I have encountered it is near Moab, Utah. This is a plant that is out of sight for much of the year, surviving the heat of summer by retreating underground into its moist tubers. In northern Arizona, it grows above ground in March and April […] See More

Book & Internet Resources for Herbal Field Study in Arizona and the Colorado Plateau Field Guides for the Southwest The focus of these books is plant identification rather than herbal usage. In general,  books arranged by plant families and that use pen and ink drawings are considered more academic and geared to more experienced botanists. Books that use color photos and order plants according to flower color are considered more user friendly and geared to people with less background in botany. *Wildflowers of Arizona Field Guide by Nora Mays Bowers, Rick Bowers and Stan Tekiela Compact enough for field work. Plants […] See More

These are images of some of the medicinal plants encountered in the Sedona area during our plant walks and especially as part of the Foundations of Herbal Medicine course. Three Leaf Sumac (Rhus trilobata) is a common member of the Pinon - Juniper zone. Its leaves are astringent due to the tannic acid. The berries have a tangy sourness to them and are high in Vitamin C. The berries can also be added to water to make a lemony flavored drink, hence the common name: Lemonade Bush.   [hr] The resin of pinon pine trees (Pinus edulis) is regionally famous […] See More

Changing elevation in the Southwest changes temperature, precipitation levels, evaporation rates and results in dependable and predictable changes in both flora and fauna. I consider these to be 'normal' places that provide 'normal' flora. Keep in mind that even an undisturbed environment with average temperatures, water supply and sunlight for a given climate will provide many plants useful to humans. The tips in this article are for going beyond the norm by looking for those often overlooked micro-climates and micro-environments. Human Altered Environments ~By old homesteads - look for apple and other fruit trees, asparagus, comfrey, peppermint and catnip ~Pre-historic […] See More

Mindful use of resources is rarely promoted in the consumer culture in which many of us live. If our resources come from a retail store, we take as much as we want, as often as we want. Even if the objects of our desire aren’t affordable, using the all too convenient credit card allows the expense to be put off for another time. Unfortunately, this same mentality is sometimes applied to gathering herbs from nature. Too often, people assume that having the knowledge to wildcraft also gives them the right to harvest whatever, wherever and whenever they desire. Knowing the […] See More

Growing and wildcrafting the plants we use are beneficial in many ways. Simply being aware and in nature with the plant world is healing. It is the ultimate in quality control since you personally are overseeing the process from planting to picking to processing to medicine making to the actual use of the herb or food. Being involved in this process deepens our connection to nature and makes us pro-active in our own healthcare. A well trained herbalist has precious skills and knowledge that can benefit many people. These come with a responsibility; to the plants and their environment and […] See More