Raspberry Leaves
The raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) is a useful plant that was used by the Greeks and Romans 2000 years ago. It belongs to the rose family and grows mainly in forest clearings or clear-cuts up to 2000 metres above the tree line in the boreal zones of the northern hemisphere. Known primarily for its flavoursome fruit, raspberries, its leaves are also used in traditional herbalism for the preparation of tea. Both the fruits and leaves of the plant were already being used in the Stone Age, as archaeological finds show. Herbalist priests and monks of the Middle Ages also cultivated them in their monastery gardens.
Hazelnut Leaves
The hazel bush (Corylus avellana) belongs to the birch family. Mainly native to the northern hemisphere, it can be found from Anatolia to the northern Alps, in Tyrol at elevations of up to 1500 metres. The hazel rarely grows as a tree and can reach a height of 5 metres and live up to 100 years. It is the hazel that was once used to make divining rods, the leaves were used to cook things wrapped in them.
Pine Buds
Pine buds (Pinus sylvestris flos) are harvested with the first shoots in May. Native to the northern hemisphere, this tree has been valued for thousands of years for its high-yielding wood, among other things. Its healing properties have been recognised since ancient times, notably amongst the Celts.
Horsetail/Tansy
Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) once stood as a towering tree, coexisting alongside giant ferns and mosses within vast forests 400 million years ago. Similarly to ferns and mosses, the horsetail lacks flowers, reproducing instead through spores. During spring, it emerges as a pale stem-like plant which wilts away shortly after it appears. The vibrant green summer shoots which then sprout were once favoured for cleaning pewter, a connection which inspired the name "pewterwort."
Cornflower
The cornflower (Centaurea cyanus L., Cyanus arvensis) has been combatted so successfully that it is almost extinct. It is therefore a protected species now. From the eastern Mediterranean region it has spread throughout Europe as a so-called ‘’cultural successor‘’ and can be found at elevations of up to 1800 metres in the Alps. Our true cornflower comes from near-natural cultures on lime-poor, permeable and nutrient-rich soils. Due to its high content of bitter substances and anthocyanin colouring, it has a firm place in herbology.
Dandelion
The dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is a resilient perennial herb native to the entire northern hemisphere. It exhibits remarkable adaptability, thriving in diverse habitats at altitudes of up to 2800m above sea level such as meadows, forests and even urban environments, where it can be found in such unlikely areas as cracks in the pavement. The dandelion can grow up to 10cm tall and is characterised by its distinctively white sap present in all parts of the plant. Although references to the dandelion date back to the 11th century in Persia, it wasn't until the 16th century that it was mentioned in European herbal lore.
Ribwort
Ribwort (Plantago lanceolata) is indigenous to Eurasia and North Africa. In the Alps it grows at altitudes of up to 1700m and is found on the edges of footpaths, rich meadows and parks, often in the vicinity of people. Ribwort plantain was already included in European herbalism in ancient times. The Germanic and Nordic peoples called the ribwort plantain Laekeblad ("healing leaf"), the Greeks called it Arnoglosson ("lamb's tongue") and the Romans "Plantago minor."
Rose
Die Rose (Rosa centifolia) ist eine echte Perserin, im Iran gibt es heute die meißten Rosensorten. Karl dem Großen verdanken wir die heutige Vielfalt in unseren Gefilden, er veranlaßte die Kultivierung der Rose als Duft- und Nutzpflanze. Symbolträchtig steht sie nicht nur für die Liebe, sowohl die Griechen als auch die Chinesen schätzten Ihre Attribute sehr.
MELISSE
Melissa officinalis is originally a southern European plant. Similar to many herbs from Southern Europe, it was first cultivated in monastery gardens and then gradually spread throughout Europe. The perennial plant sprouts from March onwards, can grow up to 70 cm tall by July and is clearly recognisable by its scent. Because of its many uses it was cultivated early on throughout Europe as a popular aromatic herb. In the Middle Ages, it was cultivated in every monastery garden as it was considered particularly valuable and indispensable.
Mallow
The wild mallow (Malva sylvestris) reaches a height of 40-100cm and has a hairy, branched stem. The 5 to 7-lobed leaves are hairy on both sides and have strongly toothed margins. The flowers are in clusters in the leaf axils and are pink to purple in colour. The mallow belongs to the mallow family (Malvaceae) and flowers from May to September. It is native to Europe and the Near East. The plant thrives on roadsides, fields and wasteland.
Blueberries
The European blueberry plant (Vaccinium myrtillus), or common bilberry, primarily thrives in the temperate and northern regions of Eurasia. In addition to low-lying plains, the common bilberry also grows in mountainous areas, where it can be found at altitudes reaching up to 2840m. As its berries are considered a superfood, boasting one of the highest nutrient densities among all known berries, this remarkable plant is firmly established in herbalism.
Marshmallow
Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis L.) belongs to the mallow family. The true marshmallow is a steppe dweller and can be found in the Altai Mountains. It was brought to Central Europe by humans. This perennial plant can grow up to 2 metres high and, depending on the habitat, flowers appear between June and September. Mallow has many uses, for example as a cooked root in times of need, and is a real all-rounder in botany.
Edelweiss
Edelweiss (let. Leontopodium nivale) has spread from the steppe regions of the Himalayas to the Alps. It is strictly protected and has not been allowed to be collected from the wild since the 19th century. All edelweiss products come from edelweiss cultures which must be grown at an elevation of at least 1000 metres. It is firmly anchored in European and Asian herbal teachings and is said to have a rejuvenating effect.
Juniper
Juniper (Juniperus communis) is native to the Alps and Central to Northern Europe but originated in the Mediterranean region. The Juniperus genus is wide and vast; to illustrate, other species within the genus share closer affinities with cypresses than this Central European species. Juniper grows in the northern hemisphere and grows wild in large quantities in the Lüneburg Heath, but also in eastern Africa as far south as 18°. The flowers of the juniper are dioecious, meaning they grow on separate plants. Within a year, the female flowers develop into green berries, which then take two to three years to mature and transform into black-brown berries.
