Medicinal Perennials to Know and Grow

Book excerpt: Growing your own medicine is empowering—learn how with plant activists Dan Jason and Rupert Adams. Many common, easy-to-grow plants can energize or soothe, stimulate the immune system, aid in sleep or digestion, help to heal injuries, change blood pressure, reverse inflammation, soothe a sore throat—and more. But how do you find or grow them, and how do you use them? This compact book describes some of the best-known medicinal plants and provides expert information on their care and use. Accompanied by the beautiful watercolour illustrations of Lyn Alice, Dan Jason and Rupert Adams explain the nature of each plant, how to grow them, their medicinal properties and other potential perks, such as their ability to produce dyes or attract pollinators. Dan Jason has owned and operated the mail-order seed company Salt Spring Seeds since 1986 and Rupert Adams has worked for nearly two decades with Dan Jason, currently growing a wide variety of vegetable, grain and herb seeds for Salt Spring Seeds and the BC Eco Seed Co-op. The medicinal perennials in this book will be beautiful, useful and environmentally positive additions to any local garden.