Common Commercial Landscaping Plants for Herbal Medicine

Disclaimer.  I am not a licensed health practitioner.  This is just another post on items you might wish to have available if needed so that a physician can treat you and your family as best as possible.  No medication, including those available over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician.  Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only.  It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical care.  A qualified, licensed physician or other medical provider should be consulted before beginning any herbal or conventional treatment.


So much of writing about herbal medicine in a collapsed society revolves around finding plants in the wild.  However, as the current pandemic has demonstrated, none of us had to bug out.  We're all at home.  We also found some medicines became a little more difficult to obtain.  Fortunately, with social distancing, far fewer people are getting sick.  But what will the next crisis bring?  While food shortages and riots seem baked in, beyond that it's difficult to guess. 

Still, illnesses can and will happen.  What if you can't get the pharmaceuticals you want?  What if you live in the city, or you're a student or apartment dweller? What if you can't grow your own herbal medicine?

While many lack the ability to grow herbs for medicine due to constraints of property location or personal situation, it's critical to be as self-reliant as possible, even in a city.  Happily, there are dozens of common commercial landscaping plants that are also medicinal.

Because commercial landscaping plants are more likely to have pesticides applied, you may not wish to use them except in an emergency.  When you do have to use them, keep in mind that plants used in commercial landscaping are chosen partially for being low maintenance, so there really shouldn't be much sprayed on them.  Just wash them well.

Be judicious and stealthy in harvesting. Picking a few honeysuckle blooms or snipping off a bit of rosemary for a tea probably won't get you in trouble, but digging out half a Japanese barberry to make a tincture will likely be frowned upon.  Remember, this is for a time when society has completely collapsed and you have no other options.  As long as there is still a functioning community, don't break the law and don't violate the property of others.

The following is a short list of common commercial landscaping plants that also have medicinal qualities and are used in my area.  There are blog articles on most of these.  Just click on the links.  Take a look at what is used in your area and do a little research to see what medicinal qualities those plants hold.

• Cinquefoil
• Japanese barberry
• Japanese honeysuckle
• Juniper
• Lavender
• Oak
• Pine
• Rosemary

At the same time, consider the weeds and trees in your public parks.  Budget cuts often mean the weeds aren't being sprayed and the grass isn't being fertilized.  Of course, there are all the dogs to deal with, but if you go off the beaten path, you may find some good stuff.

• Dandelion
• Mallow
• Plantain
• Purslane 
• Red clover
• Usnea
• Yarrow

Using herbs for medicine doesn't require tromping about in the wild.  You can probably find what you need growing right in your neighborhood.  Pick one new herb to learn about each week, and within three months you'll have a really good variety to choose from.


Links to related posts:
Click on the herbs in the lists above.

 20 july 2020