Herbs of the Lowcountry
It was a beautiful weekend to sit down by the river and learn about native plants in the neighborhood. Clare Parks - herbalist, doula, doctor of education and founder of Nature + Nurture, led us through a workshop exploring medicinal plants that commonly grow in our local marsh.
After introductions and some tasty tea, we delved into the medicinal and ecological life of 5 plants native to the Lowcountry. All of these plants, with proper care, could also be grown in your backyard to support pollinators and support sustainable harvests for household use. We learned so much, but here’s some fun facts– and hopefully a few brainteasers – to encourage you to learn more. Please Note: The information provided here is not intended as medical advice, please consult with a certified forager/botanist/expert to help identify these goodies.
Saltbush (Baccharis halimifolia) is not only a favorite of monarch butterflies and honeybees, it’s also a herbal remedy that can be brewed into a tea to help relieve fevers, congestions, colds, and even stomach cramps. Way back in the day, folks called it “Consumption-weed” for its relief of symptoms of tuberculosis. Thankfully that’s a lot less common, but showy saltbush still helps with a cold.
Sea Ox-Eye Daisy (Borrichia frutescens) is common around the saltmarshes of Charleston, but did you know that throughout the Caribbean the leaves are eaten cooked or raw as part of a delicious salad? We’ve tried it, and it’s for real, and good for you too (supports the immune system)
Seaside Goldrenrod (Solidago sempervirens) is a “keystone” plant for dozens of butterflies and moths. Its dried flowers and leaves are also a yummy tea for us humans. It has a long history of use in the Southeast. Many indigenous groups used goldrenrod tea specifically for nerve pain and tootache.
Southern Wax Myrtle (Myrica Cerifera) is a great plant to have in the yard to create a natural privacy fence, and provide a source of medicine and fun for the family. The leaves can be harvested year round, and has traditionally been used in warm baths for pregnant women. The leaves can also make a healthy tea to soothe a cold. Berries are traditionally harvested to make candle wax to ward off mosquitoes (sort of works with those persistent little guys!)
Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus Virginiana). What about a living Christmas this year or next, and plant it in the backyard to mark the new year? Red Cedars are evergreen trees that can grow 30-40 ft tall, some taller, and is a popular habitat for many lowcountry birds, including cedar waxwings, robins, and much more.
This is just a quick snapshot. It would take a book to chronicle all the things we learned and were inspired to pursue, after hanging out with Clare. If you want to join in on the conversation, you can follow Nature + Nurture!
From Clare: “It is my hope that you walk away excited to get to know new members of our community, not that you feel you have to go out and harvest each and every plant we discuss. The ones you are meant to develop a relationship with will resonate with you, so trust in that. If you choose just ONE that you are excited to practice identifying along the marsh, or plant at home, or try out in a tea or in another way that we discussed- that’s a win. It’s also my hope that developing a relationship with the plants that we see around us and understanding the history of how it’s been used by multiple communities nudges us to our own excavations within ourselves, whether it’s about the relationship that we have with nature already and /or within the larger systems that have been barriers to reciprocity both with the plants and with the people who have been committed to stewarding them, especially here in the Lowcountry.”
