Oregon grape
Our modern palate oscillates between the addictive flavors of salty and sweet, but we have lost an essential ingredient to optimal health: bitter plants. They are so rare in our diet that many people cannot name anything with bitterness except coffee. Historically, humans valued bitters for their digestive stimulating and medicinal properties. Oregon grape is a quintessential bitter plant that has the capacity to cleanse, clarify, and enliven body and spirit. Other Names: Mahonia spp. Oregon grape is in the barberry or Berberidaceae family. Identifying Oregon Grape: We have two species of...
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Horsetail creates strong structure and foundation. Touch its leaves and you will feel the rocky texture of silica and other minerals. Horsetails’ masterful roots can dig as deep as 150 feet into bedrock where they dissolve minerals and draw them into their cells. When we drink horsetail leaf tea we are absorbing these minerals and utilizing them to build strong bones, hair, skin and nails. Horsetail also regenerates soil health through depositing minerals onto surface soil. Other Names: puzzle plant, scouring rush, Equisetum spp. Identifying Horsetail: The ancient horsetail family was once...
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