Educational Resources

Botany: Ganoderma lucidum Other Ganderma spp. may also be therapeutic but lack the traditional use. “Gano-derma” translates as “shiny-skin” which is an accurate description of the look of this mushroom. Common Names: Reishi Ling Zhi Mushroom of Immortality Divine Mushrom Spirit Plant (Spirit in this context refers to Shen in TCM) Energy & Taste: Slightly warm, astringent, bitter Chemistry: Immune boosting polysaccharides and triterpenes Method of Preparation: The polysaccharides benefit from a long decoction. A more involved method is tincturing the mushroom to extract triterpenes, then using the marc in a long decoction to extract the ploysaccharides. Combine the menstruum […] See More

Common Name: Royal Jelly (although not an herb, it is used in herbal medicine) Botanical Name: The primary food eaten by the queen bee and produced by other bees in her hive. The common honeybee is known as Apis mellifera. Energy & Taste: Neutral temperature, sweet and slightly sour Traditional Uses: -The dosage is smaller and more infrequent than other adaptogens. It can be taken twice a week long term or for one week each month. -A supreme tonic, it is used to slow the general aging process. This correlates to Jing in TCM. -Used for both menopause and andropause, […] See More

Common Name: Schisandra. also spelled Schizandra Wu Wei Zi (5 Flavor Berry) Botanical Name: Schisandra chinensis Energy & Taste: It has 5 flavors: sour, salty, spicy, bitter and sweet. These flavors correlate to the 5 Elements in TCM and the 5 primary organs. Because of the 5 flavors, the energy is mixed. If used with appropriate herbs in formula, it can be tridoshic. Traditional Uses: -Improves quality of sleep but is not a sedative -Supports the fluids of the body. This includes keeping skin supple, the blood strong and strengthening the reproductive fluids -Calms Shen -Adrenal tonic -Reproductive tonic - […] See More

Common Name: Eleuthero Siberian Ginseng (this plant is not a true ginseng). This label is rarely if ever used in commerce anymore but the confusion persists. Botanical Name: Eleutherocauccus senticoccus This plant is in the same family (Araliaceae) as the Panax spp. of ginseng. It is a different genus and very distantly related. The link between these plants used to be emphasized for marketing reasons. Energy & Taste: A fairly neutral energy and less stimulating than some other adaptogens, making this herb beneficial for a wide variety of ages and all doshas if formulated properly. Traditional Uses: -Nervine tonic for […] See More

These are images from the Rocky Mountain Herbal CampOut program held each July in the high country near Durango in southwest Colorado. High alpine meadows are one of the destinations for the daily plant walks. Summer is short at elevations close to 11.000' and late July is the perfect time to experience the peak of the bloom.       [hr] Hawthorn berries are a tried and true cardiac tonic and one of the most commonly used remedies in Western Herbalism. They are high in flavonoids and anti-oxidants.         [hr] The bark of the wild cherry tree […] See More

Common Name: Tulsi, Holy Basil There are different varieties and chemotypes of Tulsi. A chemotype is a species of plant that changes chemistry and therapeutic actions depending on where it is grown.  This can be due to soil, elevation or climate. Besides the herb of Tulsi, some essential oil plants such as Rosemary and Basil have chemotypes. To make this even more involved, the chemistry of Tulsi changes during its growth cycle - before and after flowering - which can affect its therapeutic actions. Other common names for Tulsi varieties include Rama, Krishna, Vana and Kapoor. There is much regional […] See More

Botanical Name: Berberis fremontii, B. haematocarpa Family: Berberidaceae The botany world goes back and forth with some of its labels. The plants don’t change; just the names. Berberis and Mahonia are sometimes the same and sometimes different. For the community herbalist, their uses are quite similar. Common Names: Texans I know refer to this genus as Algerita and Michael Moore uses this name in the “Desert and Canyon West” book. Habitat in Which it is Found/ Harvesting Season/ Special Considerations: Most often found between 4,000’ and 6,000’ just below the Mogollon Rim in Arizona although I have seen it along […] See More

A longer backpack trip that included some stormy weather and colder than normal temps. We were rewarded by scenes like this one as the storms cleared. The Grand Canyon changes by the season, day and hour.   [hr] The clearing storm, taken shortly after the previous photo. These are the types of experiences that make the challenging hikes so worthwhile.       [hr] Desert bighorn sheep are abundant in many areas of the Grand Canyon. I have seen them along the river in the 1,200' to 2,500' range and as high as just below the rim, close to 7,000'. […] See More

Scenes from some of my hiking journeys over the years in the Sonoran Desert. A view from near Usury Mountain, on the east side of Phoenix. The saguaro, with its endless combinations of arms, is one of the plants that make this desert so special. This particular cactus is one of the largest I have seen and is truly majestic. [hr] The Superstition Mountains are part of the Transition Zone in Arizona. Just slightly above the volcanic Basin and Range of the lower desert and not yet up on top of the Mogollon Rim of the high country to the […] See More