Learn which plants that thrive in any space and will consistently succeed in your garden. These are my top reliable picks that I come back to again and again. Over the past decade, I have cultivated gardens in diverse environments, ranging from tight city balcony gardening setups to expansive suburban lawns and urban vacant lots. Adapting to different soil types and locations has taught me which varieties are truly resilient and worth your time. This guide is for anyone looking to simplify their planting process by choosing options known for their persistence. Beyond aesthetics, I also cover the practical uses of these medicinal plants . You will learn what parts to use, how you might propagate them, what to use them for and what to make with them. These gardening tips focus on low-maintenance success regardless of whether you are working with containers or ground soil. Comment if you'd like to see more gardening tips and plant care breakdowns on my channel. This is my first garden video, and it was fun to share a bit of my garden obsession with you! WHERE TO GET PLANTS and SEEDS - Friends of the Trees (seeds, dried herbs): https://friendsofthetreesbotanicals.com/pages/seeds - Strictly Medicinals (seeds, live plants, root cuttings): https://strictlymedicinalseeds.com/ Join my Patreon to keep up on my planty side quests: https://www.patreon.com/cw/thebackcountryherbalist/posts

Learn the medicinal linden tree benefits and how to harvest fragrant flowers in June for a soothing, natural herbal tea at home. This video covers identifying the medicinal linden tree during peak bloom and the proper techniques for gathering its flowers. If you are interested in foraging for natural remedies or looking for gentle ways to support your nervous system and digestion, this overview provides clear steps to get started. After harvesting, I demonstrate the simple process of preparing linden tea. You will see how to preserve the delicate scent and flavor of the flowers for your own pantry. Understanding these medicinal linden flowers allows you to create a calming drink that has been used traditionally for GI tract support. Subscribe to learn more about foraging, herbalism and wild food, and comment below if you have ever tried making tea from linden tree benefits! Check out my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/thebackcountryherbalist/posts

The dandelions grow extra tall in the shade in my yard, so this year I harvested them to try out for weaving. They were a joy to work with! Way stronger than I thought and very pliable. Almost like rubber. I highly recommend trying it. You can make cordage, baskets and more! If you love foraging and making things with plants, subscribe and stick around here on my channel!

After practicing with cattail and cedar bark, I am proud to say that I made my first willow bark hat with bark that I harvested in June. The material was actually pretty easy to work with, and dried to be light and stiff. I love being involved in every step of the process from gathering the material to weaving to wearing :) Subscribe if you love to make things with plants!

One thing I appreciate about self heal (Prunella vulgaris) is that it's so easy to overlook. It's a common plant that many people walk past every summer, yet it has a long history of use across Europe and Asia and remains one of my favorite herbs for soothing irritated skin. In this video, I'll show you how to identify self heal, where I find it growing in Washington, how I harvest it sustainably, and how I turn the dried flowers into an alcohol intermediary infused oil that I love using as an after-sun oil. We'll cover: 🌿 How to identify self heal (Prunella vulgaris) 🌿 Where it grows and when to harvest it 🌿 Traditional herbal uses and current research 🌿 Sustainable harvesting tips 🌿 My favorite method for making a self heal infused oil 📚 Research review mentioned in the video: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9261270/ Update: A knowledgeable viewer pointed out something really interesting! After looking into it further, it appears that the self heal growing where I filmed is the native North American subspecies (Prunella vulgaris subsp. lanceolata), rather than an introduced Eurasian form as I had assumed. The best way to tell is that the leaves are much longer in the native one, and some people online suggest that the flowers are also much more vibrant in the native one. I still feel comfortable harvesting abundantly from this species due to it's growth habit. Thanks to everyone who shared resources and helped me learn something new. I always appreciate opportunities to make my content more accurate! I also love that there is a native self heal, because it is SO beautiful! Hi! I'm Natalie from The Adiantum School of Plant Medicine. I'm an herbalist, photographer, and author passionate about helping people learn the plants growing right outside their doors. Whether you're interested in foraging, medicinal plants, edible wild foods, or herbal medicine making, you'll find new videos here every week. 📖 Books: Medicinal Plants of the Pacific Northwest Edible Plants of the Pacific Northwest Winter Twigs of the Pacific Northwest 🌿 Learn more: Website: www.adiantumschool.com Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/thebackcountryherbalist/posts Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adiantumschool/ #herbalism #foraging #selfheal #prunellavulgaris #medicinalplants #plantmedicine #wildcrafting #herbalmedicine #pnwforaging

Preorder direct from me: https://nataliehammerquist.square.site/product/preorder-winter-twigs-of-the-pacific-northwest-signed-copy-ships-early-sept-/BZGJJVC3PQMOX4TIBMU2NKMB?cp=true&sa=true&sbp=false&q=false Preorder from my publisher: https://www.mountaineers.org/books/books/winter-twigs-of-the-pacific-northwest-common-trees-shrubs

Mullein is one of the most recognizable medicinal plants in North America, but there's a lot more to this fuzzy-leaved herb than most people realize. In this video, I cover how to identify mullein, where it grows, how to harvest it ethically, and the traditional medicinal uses of the leaf, root, and flower. You'll also see how I prepare mullein leaf tea and mullein root tincture, along with detailed comparisons between mullein and several common lookalikes. In this video: • How to identify mullein (Verbascum thapsus) • Where mullein grows and how to find it • Harvesting and processing mullein leaves and roots • Traditional medicinal uses of the leaf, root, and flower • Making mullein leaf tea • Mullein lookalikes compared side-by-side Mullein has a long history of use in Western herbalism and folk medicine, particularly for respiratory support, but every plant has nuances that are worth understanding before harvesting or using it. I'm now selling signed copies of my books from my website! https://www.adiantumschool.com/book 🌿 Find more plant resources, classes, and articles: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/thebackcountryherbalist/posts As always, this video is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Be sure to positively identify any wild plant before harvesting or consuming it.

Spring has arrived in the mountains, and the lime green conifer tips are beginning to emerge. In this video I head into the conifer forests near my home to harvest fresh Douglas fir tips, explore the timing of spring emergence across different conifer species, and prepare a few simple conifer remedies and foods at home. Along the way we encounter grand fir, mountain rivers, drifting clouds… and even an owl with a freshly caught mouse. Note for viewers: I remastered the sound from the old video and reuploaded. Thanks to those who commented and helped out! In this video: • How to identify and harvest Douglas fir tips • Differences between Douglas fir, firs, and spruces • Conifer emergence timing in spring • Drying Douglas fir tips • Douglas fir tip cold infusion • Douglas fir tip syrup preparation 🌿 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/thebackcountryherbalist/posts Disclaimer: This video is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always properly identify wild plants before use.

In this video, I share 20 common wild medicinal plants that grow across much of the United States. These are plants that are widespread, practical, and deeply useful for herbal medicine — the kinds of plants I come back to again and again in my own practice. You'll see a mix of roots, leaves, flowers, and tree medicines, including plants for digestion, skin support, first aid, the nervous system, and overall vitality. Many of these grow in backyards, along trails, and in disturbed ground — which means they’re often closer than you think. Whether you're new to herbalism or looking to deepen your relationship with medicinal plants, this is a strong foundation of plants worth getting to know. 🌿 Want to learn more about medicinal plants? I wrote a field guide called Medicinal Plants of the Pacific Northwest, which includes detailed plant profiles, preparation methods, and practical uses. If you purchase it from the link in this post, I get a little affiliate income, too! 🌱 Go deeper with me on Patreon I teach monthly classes on wild foods, herbal medicine, and practical plant knowledge. If you'd like more in-depth learning and a supportive plant community, you can join here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/thebackcountryherbalist/posts Safety note: Always be 100% confident in plant identification before using any wild plant medicinally. Some plants have toxic lookalikes, and others can interact with medications. Use multiple sources, learn proper preparation methods, and work within your scope of knowledge. Thanks for watching, and happy foraging 🌿 Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:24 Dandelion 00:56 Plantain 01:37 Yarrow 02:17 Nettle 02:58 Red clover 03:28 Horsetail 04:11 Mallow 04:47 Elder (flower & berry) 05:21 Cleavers 05:52 Burdock 06:18 Yellow dock 06:46 Rose 07:19 Hawthorn 07:49 Mullein 08:34 Cedar 09:17 California poppy 09:45 St. John’s wort 10:16 Willow 10:46 Poplar buds 11:22 Mugwort 11:57 My book!