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Plant Profile: Goldenseal
Hydrastis candensis of the Ranunclulaceae family. Otherwise known as goldenseal, eyebalm, eyeroot, and yellow puccoon is happiest in rich, open, and hilly woods. It is native to southeastern Canada and the eastern United States.
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Passionflower – Plant of the Month, March 2022
This perennial herbaceous climbing vine is native to Central Florida and the southeast United States—found growing mostly from Texas to Florida. It grows easily by cutting and is happy in sandy Florida soil, sunshine, and rain.
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Turnera ulmifolia – Plant of the Month, February 2022
Latin Name: Turnera ulmifolia Common Name: Yellow Alder, Yellow Elder, Ramgoat Dashalong, West Indian Holly, Sage Rose Family: Turneraceae Habitat: T. ulmifolia is a small woody shrub native to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean basin that can also be found in many tropical parts of the world. It grows in partial sun/shade. However, the plant will branch more and stay fuller when in full sun. Open woods and disturbed areas, such as roadsides and abandoned fields, are some of T. ulmifolia’s favorite places to grow.
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In Memoriam: Steven Foster (1957-2022)
Steven Foster is a teacher to many students at the Florida School of Holistic Living, whether or not they’ve ever taken a class with him. Through his 19 books, most notably the Petersen’s Field Guide to Eastern and Central Medicinal Plants, Steven has captured a legacy of plant wisdom for future generations. Steven traveled to Florida to keynote our 2015 Florida Herbal Conference, where many Florida herbalists got to understand the depth and dynamism of this humble herbal legend.
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Yaupon – Plant of the Month, January 2022
Plant of the Month Blog, by Maggie O’Halloran Common Names Yaupon Holly, Yaupon, Cassina Latin Name Ilex vomitoria Family Aquifoliaceae (Holly Family) HabitatLike many other hollies, yaupon holly is an evergreen shrub or tree that is loved for the colorful berries it produces on the female plants. Native to the land now called the United States this bushy holly plant is in the same family as yerba mate and guayusa. Hardy and drought resistant, it grows wild in the Southern United States and Mexico zones 7-9. Native to a variety of areas including sandy woods, dunes, open fields, forest edges, and wet swamps, often along the coastal plain and…
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Turmeric – Plant of the Month, December
Plant of Month profile contributed by Maggie O’Halloran Common Names Turmeric, yellow root
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Moringa – Plant of the Month, November
Plant of Month profile contributed by Jessica Grandey Common Names Wonder Tree, The Divine Tree, The Miracle Tree, Drumstick tree, West Indian Ben, Bridal Veil, Muringa/Muringai (Tamil), Jacinto (Spanish), Sahijan, Munaga (Hindi), Shigru, Shobhanjana (Ayurvedic). Benzolive Tree, or Ben Oil Tree
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Beautyberry – Plant of the Month, October
Plant of Month profile contributed by Jessica Grandey Common Names Beautyberry, American Beautyberry, French Mulberry, Perfumed cherry, ZiZhu
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Community Graduate – Tamara Niedermann
Favorite lesson My favorite lesson learned through my time with the Holistic Living School is that this education isn’t just about learning which herbs to use for what, or how to make a tincture or tea, or how to build an herbal business. It’s also about learning about and celebrating your lineage and the people who came before you. It’s about connecting to your ancestors, remembering a practice that’s been forgotten, and becoming more yourself in the process. Journey into herbalism I started learning about herbs as a way to support the people I was serving in my doula practice. I’ve been a doula for five years and I saw…
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Papaya – Plant of the Month, September
Plant of Month profile contributed by Jessica Grandey Common Names English Papaya, Pawpaw, Papaw, Melon Tree, Mummy Apple, Papaya, Kates