Tag: Antimicrobial

Broadleaf plantain (Plantago major) is one of the most familiar “accidental herbs” in the world—an unassuming lawn plant that has been used for centuries...

Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) is a South American tree whose bright red berries are often sold as “pink peppercorns,” and whose bark and leaves...

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) is a woodland wildflower native to eastern North America, best known for the bright red-orange sap that seeps from its rhizome...

Black mustard (Brassica nigra) is a pungent, heat-building spice seed best known for the sharp “mustard bite” it brings to foods—and for traditional warming...

Biriba (Annona mucosa) is a tropical fruit tree in the custard-apple family, loved for its creamy, aromatic pulp and increasingly discussed for its potential...

Betel leaf (Piper betle) is a glossy, heart-shaped leaf from a tropical climbing vine that has been used for centuries across South and Southeast...

Bergamot (Mentha citrata)—often called bergamot mint, eau de cologne mint, or lemon mint—is a fragrant mint grown for its soft citrus-lavender aroma and its...

Benedict’s balsam (Impatiens balsamina), also known as garden balsam or rose balsam, is a brightly flowering annual that has long lived in the overlap...

Bee balm (Monarda didyma) is a vibrant, mint-family plant prized for its crimson flowers, aromatic leaves, and long history as a comforting tea herb....

Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), often called uva-ursi, is a low-growing evergreen shrub whose leathery leaves have been used for centuries in European and North American...

Bayberry (Myrica cerifera), also called wax myrtle or southern bayberry, is an aromatic coastal shrub native to North America. Its leaves carry a spicy-resinous...

Bay rum oil (Pimenta racemosa) is an aromatic essential oil distilled from the leaves of the West Indian bay tree, best known for the...

African basil (Ocimum gratissimum)—often called scent leaf or clove basil—is a strongly aromatic herb used as both food and traditional medicine across West and...

Balsam of Peru is an aromatic resin obtained from the bark of Myroxylon pereirae, a tree native to Central America. It has a long...

Australian tea tree (Leptospermum scoparium) is a fragrant shrub in the myrtle family whose leaves and nectar have become well known through two modern...

Asafoetida (often called hing) is a pungent spice made from the dried resin (oleo-gum-resin) of Ferula plants in the carrot family (Apiaceae). In the...

Artemisia (Artemisia absinthium), often called wormwood, is a famously bitter herb with a long history in European and West Asian herbal traditions. People most...

Anemone pulsatilla—often called pulsatilla or pasque flower—is a striking spring plant with a long history in European herbalism and homeopathy. In traditional practice, it...

Anacyclus pyrethrum—often called pellitory or akarkara—is a pungent, warming root used in North African, Ayurvedic, and Unani traditions for oral discomfort, sluggish digestion, and...

Allspice is the dried, unripe berry of Pimenta dioica, an evergreen tree native to the Caribbean and parts of Central America. Despite its name,...

Alkanet (Alkanna tinctoria) is a Mediterranean and European herb best known for its deep red root pigments—historically used as a natural dye, and still...

Ajowan (also spelled ajwain) is an aromatic seed from Trachyspermum ammi, a plant in the parsley family that has long been used as both...

Ailanthus, also called “tree of heaven,” is a fast-growing deciduous tree best known today as an aggressive invasive plant in many regions. Yet long...

African wormwood (Artemisia afra) is an aromatic shrub native to many parts of southern and eastern Africa, known by traditional names such as umhlonyane,...