5 Most effective medicinal herbs to grow in your garden

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As more people become disillusioned with the mainstream medicine and turn to other, more natural therapies with which to treat themselves, there is a great interest in being able to grow at least some basic medicinal plants at home. This is not only more economical, it is also a great way to ensure the quality of the herbs and plants that are being used medicinally by the household.

Learning how to use medicinal plants takes a lot of research and practice and is a definite skill that needs to be acquired over time. However, one of the first steps to this is getting educated about which medicinal plants can be grown easily at home and what ailments they can be used for. Below is a list of some of the most easily grown and common medicinal plants.

Basil

Although most people prize this plant for the flavor it lends to so many Italian and other Mediterranean dishes, basil also has a long history of medicinal use stretching back at least as far the Middle Ages. It can be used to treat digestive complaints like gas, bloating and loss of appetite as well as being useful when applied topically to minor cuts and scrapes. (1)

Chamomile

Most people are aware that this daisy-like flower can be brewed into a delicious tea and used to treat sleeplessness. However, chamomile’s uses go beyond that. It is also good for the treatment of digestive problems like heartburn or colic and can be applied to the skin directly to help reduce inflammation and irritations like rashes or dermatitis.(2)

Echinacea

Echinacea, a beautiful wildflower native to North America, was long used by native peoples there to help strengthen the immune system. It is used that way even today, especially in regards to treatment for colds, flus and other common viruses. It has been shown that people who use this can dramatically shorten the length of time they are affected by these ailments. (3)

Feverfew

This lovely little flower does not only add beauty to the garden, it can help with a number of complaints. Much clinical research has gone into the use of this herb as a treatment for headaches, especially migraines, and it has also been shown to be helpful in managing chronic inflammatory conditions like arthritis. (4)

Johnny Jump-Ups

These members of the violet family are so named because of the way they “jump up” and bloom early in the spring. They have proven useful in the topical treatment of a variety of skin conditions and blemishes and, if taken internally, can also help those suffering from respiratory conditions to loosen phlegm and make it easier to expel. (5)

All these plants are easy to grow in the home and already appear in herb and flower garden, on balconies and in window boxes all over the country. And apart from being easy to grow, all of these plants have proven histories of medicinal use and can be used to help treat a whole range of ailments. It is easy to see why more and more people are choosing to grow their own pharmacies!

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Meghan Telpner
Meghan has written many articles about health subjects as a journalist and as a freelance writer. As a reporter, she often covered hospital and clinic events/news and wrote news and features about health topics relevant to people in the community.