Winter Herbs

Winter is on it's way...

I've been getting into the Wise Woman Tradition and nourishing herbal infusions, etc.
I'm wondering, other than Goldenrod - which I know I have access to, what other fall/winter herbs can we use for these kinds of remedies?
I'm also interested in making tinctures. Any references to herbs for these coming seasons would be appreciated.

Thank you!

Here, it is time to cut and dry passionflower vine passilflora incarnnata. We gather it where it grows wild, dry the leaves, tendrils and any flowers that are still attached and drink it for a relaxing tea all winter....although lately we aren't having a problem with relaxing over the winter:)
I have read to only use the wild variety and not the ornamental one. I have always intended to make a tincture of some of the fresh green herb and everclear but haven't yet.
I used to make echinacea root tincures in the fall.
Are you interested in herbs in the wild or domestic also? It is wonderful to have a 'medicine' cabinet full of herbal remedies.

and welcome to permies!

EDIT....I see you have been here awhile.....thought you were a new name:)

Funny you say that... my passiflora is eaten every year by red caterpillars with black spikes. Know what these are or what I could do about them? I think mine is incarnata.
I'd love to make echinacea root tinctures but I'm working on getting a good crop of them established before I start digging them up. I'm a little worried about where they are growing as well. There is some old rusty and plastic junk in my backyard... :/

I am definitely interested in both wild and domestic herbs! Next year I plan on ramping up my dandelion harvesting.

Any other ideas? Thank you very much!

Judith Browning wrote:Here, it is time to cut and dry passionflower vine passilflora incarnnata.

Judith, do you have any tips on transplanting passionflower? I dug some up from the ditchbank across the street, but it dried out and lost its leaves. Will it still grow back from the root? Do I have to wait for wetter weather to dig more? I would like to get it growing on my side of the road, preferably in my back yard.

John Elliott wrote:

Judith Browning wrote:Here, it is time to cut and dry passionflower vine passilflora incarnnata.

Judith, do you have any tips on transplanting passionflower? I dug some up from the ditchbank across the street, but it dried out and lost its leaves. Will it still grow back from the root? Do I have to wait for wetter weather to dig more? I would like to get it growing on my side of the road, preferably in my back yard.

I've never tried to transplant them...they come up everwhere and i am more likely to be 'weeding' them...I do pick the riper fruit and throw them around different places...i think they grow pretty easy from seed but I am not checking on them to be sure. I haven't seen fruit on ours this year though... They do come back from their roots so maybe there is hope for yours still.

Fred Neecha wrote:Funny you say that... my passiflora is eaten every year by red caterpillars with black spikes. Know what these are or what I could do about them?

Bump!

I have also grown mine from seed but am finding that they spread underground or something. They are coming up everywhere, unexpectedly. They all get eaten though. I've transplanted some before and they took. Just transplant gently into rich soil like you would most other things... I'm guessing... Mine have surprised me with the hardiness of those roots as well, so like she said, there is plenty hope. Good mulch in winter.

Winter medicinal herbs? Know of any John?

Fred Neecha wrote:
Winter medicinal herbs? Know of any John?

Chamomile! It thrives during the mild Georgia winter. Other, frost tender plants, I make sure to cut and dry enough of them before the first freeze so that I have enough to tide me through the winter.

We have limited access to fresh herbs here in the cold North winters, but the needles from Pine family (including hemlock, fir, and spruce - but not the toxic Yew!!) are high in vitamin C and available year round, especially here close to the boreal forest. Also wintergreen, as indicated by it's name, is fresh even under the snow, and has aspirin-like qualities similar to willow.

This time of year, before frost, we can harvest asters and goldenrod, and many plants to dry before they die off or back. I'm also planning to collect seeds from the wild yarrow and St. John's wort on my property to try to grow them from seed next year. I'm hoping to start a medicinal herb business, starting with selling potted herbs that I grow from seed. So I'll collect seed soon, and then I think I'll probably stratify it starting around New Year's, and plant under lights in February. I also think I found some New England Aster growing along the side of the road in a nearby town, and I'm going to try to get some seed from that as well and introduce it to my property, which only has white aster (New England, which has deep purple petals, is apparently the most effective aster for lung ailments, with the most resinous flowers).

For me, winter is the time to play with all the herbs I collected and dried during the growing season, making tinctures and salves, and of course, using the herbs to keep colds and flus at bay, particularly the immune-enhancing ones like astragulus and echinacea (and garlic - I love garlic!).