With the break in the weather and Dandelions, Violets, Ground Ivy, and Plantain running amok in my neck of the woods, it’s peak spring foraging season!
Foraging Ground Ivy 
Ground Ivy (purple) 
Dandelion & Violet 
Violet flowers & leaves in the dehydrator 
Dandelion flowers & Plantain leaves in the dehydrator
My Favorite Uses
Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea) used to be a popular herb in our home, as my partner was extremely susceptible to colds and they would easily turn into full-blown bronchitis. The above-ground parts of the plant are used for hot/damp lung conditions like respiratory tract infections (yellow/green mucus). Thankfully, after we addressed his underlying immune deficiency, the frequency of his colds and bronchitis decreased from many times a year to about every-other year. I still keep plenty on hand for clients though! Use in tea and tincture formulas.
Dried Plantain (Plantago major or lanceolata) leaves infused in a base oil or made into a salve is always in my first aid kit (more coming up about this in September’s DIY Seasonal Herbal Oils Series). Applied topically, Plantain is a profound vulnerary (healing to the skin) and excellent for small cuts, scrapes, burns, insect bites, rashes, sores, eczema, decubitus ulcers — you name a skin condition and Plantain is probably indicated for it!
One time on a hike I was stung in the lip by a hornet. Through blinding pain and tears, I picked some Plantain leaves growing on the side of the trail (thankfully they grow prolifically everywhere!), chewed them up, and applied this “spit poultice” to my lip. The swelling immediately went down and the Plantain drew the stinger right out of my lip.
Taken internally in a tea or tincture, Plantain heals the gut and urinary tract the same way it heals the skin, and is indicated for inflamed or ulcerated GI/GU tissue, and stomach ulcers, IBD, IBS, and leaky gut syndrome.
Want to know what my favorite uses for Dandelions and Violets are? Check out my Dandelion and Violet blog posts, part of my DIY Seasonal Herbal Oils Series.
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