Would you like to create your very own backyard pharmacy by growing medicinal plants?
There’s no better way to use whatever extra space you have at home than to create a garden space where you can
grow medicinal plants.
In fact, even if you live in an apartment setting, you can create a
windowsill garden where you can grow
medicinal plants.
This is especially useful if you have little kids running around in the house who can acquire a burn, a shallow wound, a sore or strike up a fever.
Basically, the
medicinal plants to grow in your very own little garden space should be ones with the most number of medicinal values.
Factors that You Need to Consider when Growing Medicinal Plants in a Garden
Before giving out the top 10 medicinal plants that you can grow in your very own garden, here are a few tips to get you started.
First, check on the area where you plan to grow the medicinal plants in. Will you be having a mini-garden or would you like to turn your lawn into a virtual resource of medicinal plants which you can call your very
own backyard pharmacy?
After analyzing the extra space that you have, consider other factors like sunlight, water, type of soil, type of container and the time of the year when the medicinal plants will thrive the most.
By taking these factors into account, you can rest assured that your medicinal plants will be thriving in the mini-garden that you will create just for them.
Top 10 Medicinal Plants For Your Garden Space
Now that you already have an idea about the gardening basics, what exactly are the
valuable medicinal plants that you can grow right in your very own garden space? Take a look at the following list:
1. Aloe Vera
If there’s
one medicinal plant which has 101 uses, that is none other than aloe vera.
Let’s say that you or a kid in your home suffered from a minor burn, you can use the bottom stalk of aloe vera as a soothing balm by rubbing the exposed end on the burn.
Aside from minor cuts and wounds, this medicinal aloe vera is also great for burns,
treating eczema and reducing inflammation.
Did you know that this medicinal plant can even be taken internally? You can actually drink aloe vera juice and use it to treat digestive problems, ulcerative colitis, chronic constipation and poor appetite. This plant grows well under the sun, so it works best for outdoor gardens.
2. Great Burdock
Also called
edible burdock or Lappa burdock, this medicinal plant is actually used as a root vegetable. In traditional medicine, the Great Burdock is used as a
blood purifying agent, a diuretic and a diaphoretic.
Aside from being medicinal, this plant also has great aesthetic value because of its purple-and-green thorny flowers which looks great against any garden.
If you would like to add this medicinal plant to your backyard pharmacy, this can actually grow even without shade; just make sure that the soil is always moist so that the plant will thrive. Other uses for this medicinal plant include
boils, rashes, bruises, burns, acne, ringworm and bites.
3. Pot Marigold
The good thing about growing this medicinal plant in your garden is that
it can thrive under any soil condition.
As long as you make sure that the Pot Marigold grows in moist soil, it will very easily thrive. It’s also a great-looking addition to your garden aesthetically because of its deep-orange color.
So what are the main uses of Pot Marigold medicinal plants? It can
help heal bites, stings, sprains, sore eyes, wounds and even varicose veins. When taken internally, this medicinal plant can be
used to treat chronic infections and fever.
4. Chamomile
One of the
medicinal plants, chamomile can
help treat more than 100 separate ailments and conditions including the common cold, digestive problems, diarrhea, eczema, gastrointestinal conditions, mucositis, toothache, earache, shoulder pain and the common wounds.
What’s good about chamomile is that planting them in your backyard will
add a crisp and fruity fragrance to your garden.
5. Echinacea
This lovely-colored flowering medicinal plant is considered to be one of the
world’s most important medicinal herbs. It’s actually an herbaceous plant which has several different species.
What makes the Echinacea plant a handy medicinal plant to be around is the fact that it has a wide array of uses, including the treatment of sores, burns, wounds,
allergy relief, insect bites, stings and snakebites. This type of medicinal plants also have the ability to help relieve allergies by strengthening immune system.
6. Great Yellow Gentian
Also called the Great Yellow Gentian, this medicinal plant comes from the
mountains of southern and central Europe. It is actually a bitter herb which is used in traditional medicine, and its main function includes the treatment of digestive problems.
This type of medicinal plants also aids in the
relief of exhaustion from chronic diseases, it stimulates the gal bladder and liver while at the same time strengthening the body.
7. Tea Tree
Look at the ingredients of any over-the-counter medicinal product or beauty product and you will see how tea tree oil is usually listed as one of its main ingredients. This just goes to show
how useful the tea tree plant is medicinally.
Tea tree oil comes from the leaves and twigs of the tea tree plant. It has a great many uses, including the treatment of acne,
vaginal infections, athlete’s foot, warts, insect bites, cold sores, minor burns, thrush and chronic fatigue syndrome.
8. Peppermint
There’s probably no
better-smelling plant that you can grow in your garden than peppermint. It’s considered to be the world’s oldest medicine which has been used by people from the ancient times to relieve whatever it is that is bothering them medically.
What makes peppermint such a medicinal garden essential is the fact that it is
naturally rich in vitamins A and C, manganese and it helps reduce a number of symptoms including
irritable bowel syndrome, upset stomachs, fevers, flatulence and spastic colon.
9. Ginseng
Ginseng is one of the most beloved and
popular medicinal plants in eastern countries. What makes ginseng such a great addition to your medicinal plants garden is the fact that it
promotes general health instead of just being useful for a particular type of ailment.
It’s the root of the ginseng which is particularly useful in relaxing the nervous system. It also
helps reduce cholesterol levels, improve your immune system and stamina, and helps treat lack of appetite and sleep disorders.
10. Sage
Both a
cooking herb and a medicinal plant, sage is a great salve for insect bites, skin infections, gum infections and mouth infections. It can also help with indigestion, flatulence, depression and even menopausal problems.
The Latin name, where sage was derived from, means ‘
to heal’, which is an apt description for many ailments that can be resolved using this lush herb which doubles up as a medicinal plant.
These are just some of the top herbal medicinal plants which can serve as a great addition to your garden space. Aside from giving your dwelling that green and homey feel, these medicinal plants have a variety of uses for whatever it is that is ailing you.
