Day Twelve:. ECHINACEA
Stacking Functions In The Garden, The Meadow and In The Medicine Cabinet
Glowing with serene radiance as if she shines some kind of bioluminescent light from within. Echinacea may be seen as a common weed by some here but I adore her and am grateful for her presence in our lives.
All plants (and other beings) offer their own important and unique gifts to contribute to the communities they are a part of, but there are some plants that go beyond just being helpful and/or being ‘productive’ in the garden (and/or in the wild in the ecosystem) and into the realm of being powerful allies to humans (and non-human beings) in increasing longevity, productivity, providing medicine, food, beauty and increasing the quality of life of those that the plant or in question exist alongside.
Echinacea purpurea (Wild Purple Coneflowers) are sometimes treated like an unwanted weed in the farm fields here in Southern Ontario where they grow wild and readily self seed but the gifts these plants offer to those that give them sanctuary in their gardens (or on their farms) are amazing and numerous.
One of its main modern uses is to support healthy immune function, although some of its historical uses were related to topical applications. It is now one of the most available dietary supplements in health food stores and continues to be a subject of many scientific studies investigating its immune support properties. Modern scientific research has now confirmed a number of additional medicinal benefits offered be compounds found within the roots and aerial parts of the plant including (but not limited to) offering Cardioprotective, Radioprotective, stimulating increased levels of Mitochondrial Biogenesis, increased proliferation of MSCs (pluripotent Mesenchymal Stem Cells).
The following article is an exploration of the many gifts offered by one of my favorite photosynthetic allies.
History and Cultural Significance of Echinacea:
Known as ashosikwimia'kuk to the Potawatomi/Ojibwe peoples of the Great Lakes regions in the Anishinaabemowin language. Known as ica’hpehu to the Lakota people, known as ize. iso. he. to the Kiowa-Apache people and known ksapitahako to the Pawnee people.
Indigenous people of Turtle Island such as the Cheyenne, Sioux and Comanche used echinacea as an antiseptic and to treat snakebites, toothaches, sore throat and even serious viral infections.
Early settlers soon adopted the plant’s medicinal value from Native Americans as a remedy for colds and influenza, and took it to Europe in the 17th century.
The 18th century German botanist, Conrad Moench, named the genus Echinacea, which comes from the Greek echinos, meaning hedgehog, referring to the spiny, round seedhead which reminded him of a hedgehog or sea urchin. The species name, augustifolia, means “narrow-leaved”. In some older literature, the names of Rudbeckia and Brauneria were used for this genus instead of Echinacea.
Schar describes a typical scenario of herbs being introduced to the established medical society. A German country doctor discovered this remarkable American plant and its benefits and offered to show doctors its powers at a medical conference. He said that he would allow a snake to bite him and then cure that bite with nothing but echinacea. Nevertheless, the doctors ignored him. Dr. Meyer then presented this same offer to two other doctors named King and Lloyd, electics who belonged to a now-extinct branch of medicine. Uncharacteristically, these two doctors listened to the message and not the messenger and looked further into the herb’s power. Despite initial doubts, the herb was introduced into the 1887 Materia Medica.
This beautiful flowing plant has been used extensively by traditional herbalists and Native Americans alike in North America for generations. Echinacea eventually gained popularity in Europe in the 1900's. One of its main modern uses is to support healthy immune function, although some of its historical uses were related to topical applications. It is now one of the most available dietary supplements in health food stores and continues to be a subject of many scientific studies investigating its immune support properties.
In 19th century Scottish folklore echinacea was a symbol of strength and healing.
Medicinally it was and still is used for boosting the immune system and helping with coughs, colds and flu. However traditionally it had lots of other uses too such as healing burns and wounds. It was brought to Europe in the 18th century from American where it had been used extensively by the indigenous native Americans.
The herb fell out of favor after the advent of antibiotics in the 1930s, and only recently has been recognized by scientific studies — and made into hundreds of commercial preparations intended boost the immune system and ward off cold and flu symptoms. Within the last fifty years, it has achieved worldwide popularity as an antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial. The first pharmaceutical company to research the plant was the Sandoz Company. Its findings were published in Germany in 1950.
I feel that extracts and teas made at home, with love, reverence and respect for this plant will offer far greater (and more holistic) healing benefits than any store bought concoctions.
Recommended Books of Coneflower Stories from Native American Myth and Legend :
Echinacea Exalted!: The Botany, Culture, History and Medicinal Uses of the Purple Coneflowers:
Book about the meaning of the coneflower through history, beginning with Native American folklore.
Native American Medicinal Plants:
Comprehensive book on the names and traditional uses of herbs throughout Native North America.
Native Plant Stories:
Excellent collection of Native American stories about plants and their meanings, by Abenaki storyteller Joseph Bruchac.
Medicinal use of Echinacea:
Echinacea is considered to be the most effective detoxicant in Western herbal medicine for the circulatory, lymphatic and respiratory systems. Its use has also been adopted by Ayurvedic medicine. Plants in this genus were probably the most frequently used of N. American Indian herbal remedies. They had a very wide range of applications and many of these uses have been confirmed by modern science. This species is the most easily cultivated of the genus and so has been more generally adopted for its medicinal uses. The plant has a general stimulatory effect on the immune system and is widely used in modern herbal treatments. In Germany over 200 pharmaceutical preparations are made from Echinacea.
Paul Bergner's story (Paul is a great herbalist and educator and is the senior lecturer for the Southern Institute of Medical Herbalism - details on the home page)
~ a scorpion bite
"Once in Arizona, I was bitten by a Centruroides exilicauda scorpion, the only potentially lethal poisonous scorpion in North America. I didn’t know I’d been bitten, but thought I’d been stabbed by a cactus thorn. Soon my arm was numb, an itchy rash crept up my legs up to the knees, and my pulse rate rose to more than 100 beats per minute. I went to bed, but didn’t figure out what had happened until I woke the next morning and my pulse rate was still over 100.
Realizing it was a scorpion bite, I began taking large hourly doses of Echinacea angustifolia —a folk remedy of the Plains Indians for rattlesnake bite. Nothing much happened for the first five hours, but then I fell asleep and woke as if nothing had happened. I have only a small scar from the bite, and a fondness for Native American herbalism to show for it today."
A List Of Some Of The Many Medicinal Benefits Of Echinacea
Boosts the Immune System:
How does Echinacea help with colds and flus?
Published in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases, the University of Connecticut performed a meta-analysis study that evaluated 14 studies and determined that:
• Echinacea cuts the chances of catching a common cold by 58 percent.
• Echinacea reduces the duration of the common cold by almost one-and-a-half days.
Craig Coleman, assistant professor of pharmacy practice and lead author of the study, added that, “The take home message from our study is that echinacea does indeed have powerful cold prevention and cold treatment benefits.”
Dr. Coleman found that “the significance of that finding becomes clear when you consider that Americans suffer from one billion colds annually and spend about $1.5 billion annually for doctor’s visits and another $2 billion annually on non-prescription cough and cold treatments.”
The United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service reports that the immune system seems to be strongly influenced by the level of the echinacea dose. It appears that 10 milligrams of echinacea per one kilogram of body weight, taken daily over a 10-day period, is effective as an immunity stimulant.
In addition, the medical journal Hindawi published material suggesting that echinacea stops viral colds.
Another study, this one published in Virus Research, evaluated the effects of echinacea against viral and secondary bacterial infections that often follow. Plant extracts were able to fight viral respiratory infections, including the flu, while also reducing inflammation and lowering the risk of developing bacterial complications.
Therefore, you can see from several controlled trials why echinacea products are used for viral illnesses, such as the common cold and flu, particularly extracts.
Relieves Upper Respiratory Issues Because of its immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory effects, echinacea can be used to relieve the following upper respiratory symptoms:
Because of its immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory effects, research indicates that this herb may work to improve the following upper respiratory symptoms:
• Acute sinusitis
• All flu’s
• Asthma
• Common cold
• Viral infections
• Diphtheria
• Inflammation
• Strep throat
• Tuberculosis
• Whooping cough
In fact, in a clinical study of asthma sufferers, echinacea acted similarly to classic synthetic drugs in treating asthma. Researchers wrote, “Recent studies have shown that secretion of asthma-related cytokines in the bronchial epithelial cells can be reversed by Echinacea preparations.”
In particular, echinacea showed significant bronchodilatory and anti-inflammatory effects. Study authors concluded that this “provide(s) a scientific basis for the application of this herb in traditional medicine as a supplementary treatment of allergic disorders of the airways, such as asthma.”
In particular, echinacea showed significant bronchodilatory and anti-inflammatory effects. Most people don’t realize that the chemicals contained in the root differ significantly from those in the upper part of the plant.
If we analyze the roots, we can see that they have high concentrations of volatile oils, while the parts that grow above the soil tend to contain more polysaccharides that are known to trigger immune function.
Fascinating research about echinacea benefits regarding brain cancer has been published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Researchers state that the “medicinal value of phytochemicals contained in Echinacea is clearly evident and indicates that these agents, as well as phytochemicals not yet discovered in other herbs, may be valuable tools to combat tumors.”
The use of echinacea as another alternative cancer treatment is now being recommended, literally, “alongside — or indeed in place of — conventional therapy,” according to researchers.
Arguably the number one killer worldwide, inflammation is at the root of most diseases. Various factors — including stress, toxins in our food and poor sleep — all contribute. Thankfully, as explained by the University of British Columbia, regular echinacea consumption can effectively reverse and alleviate various types of inflammation.
Products containing echinacea may even help with uveitis, or eye inflammation. It’s a good idea for people who struggle with chronic inflammatory conditions, like rheumatoid arthritis, to regularly consume the herbal tea in order to reduce system-wide inflammation.
Echinacea extract is essentially a tincture from this upper part of the plant and the roots. Many of Echinacea’s chemical constituents are, in fact, powerful immune system stimulators and can provide a significant therapeutic value. A few that you’re probably familiar with are essential oils, flavonoids, inulin, polysaccharides and vitamin C. Echinacea tea, also known as the purple coneflower, is a delicious herbal tea made from the echinacea plant.
Echinacea also contains compounds that increase the rates of mitochondrial biogenesis and also increases the rate of endogenous stem cell production in the bone marrow.
That really has profound implications for health in general, but is especially helpful for the healing of wounds (and in particular the regeneration of internal tissues, whether it be bone tissue, tendons, muscle or even heart cells, more on this below).
For those that have family members suffering from the deleterious side effects of the mRNA injections, Echinacea could serve as a powerful ally on the path to healing.
Alleviates Pain
Echinacea’s history has roots in the fact that Echinacea purpurea was used by the peoples that are indigenous to the Great Plains as a painkiller. It’s an especially effective pain reliever for the following types:
Pain in the bowels
Pain associated with headaches
Pain associated with HSV (herpes)
Pain associated with gonorrhea
Pain associated with measles
Snake bites
Sore throats
Stomach ache
Tonsillitis
Toothache
Recent research suggests that Echinacea purpurea and angustifolia activate the endocannabinoid system, enhancing its pain-relieving effects. In in vitro and vivo studies, the herb has proven to reduce inflammatory pain, such as arthritis and burns.
Some common ways to use echinacea products to combat pain are to drink herbal echinacea tea or make a paste out of the dried herb and rub it directly on the area that is affected.
𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗼-𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲
Instances of myocarditis and/or pericarditis in young people has exponentially increased in 2021-2022 in lock step with the roll out of the experimental mRNA injections.
While conventional medical treatment options for these conditions is often just about covering symptoms and mitigating the chance of life threatening degeneration of these conditions (with extremely expensive pharmaceutical drugs) there is some new research that indicates that humans may have the potential for myocardial regeneration (producing new heart cells to replace damaged ones) via the stimulation of the differentiation of Multipotent Adult Endogenous Stem Cells (in particular Mesenchymal stem cells, which have been shown to be capable of initiating Cardiomyocyte Proliferation).
Many people (especially young people) are being detrimentally impacted by the various experimental injections being pushed on the global population right now and one of the most common injuries being inflicted on the injected is damage to the heart tissue (myocarditis and pericarditis). There is hope for regenerating even those cells which are typically thought of as irreversibly damaged once an injury occurs via the pathway of stimulating the differentiation of Endogenous Adult Stem Cells.
There is now a significant amount of research indicating that (given the proper stimulus) adult stem cells can differentiate into cardiomyocytes and replace damaged heart cells. If one takes a nutritional (herbalist) approach to stimulate increased levels of Myelopoiesis (the production of bone marrow and of all cells that arise from it, such as mesenchymal stem cells) and haematopoiesis (the formation of blood cellular components such as haematopoietic stem cells) while also eating medicinal herbs that encourage Cardiac Stem Cell Activation it may be possible to initiate some degree of Endogenous Myocardial Regeneration.
One study found that compounds found in Echinacea purpurea root aided in the Activation of endogenous stem cell mobilization and contributed to myocardial regeneration after injury. The study aimed to evaluate the Echinacea extracts in inducing mobilization and homing of CD34(+) stem cells in relation to the inflammatory and hematopoietic cytokines in those suffering from acute myocardial infarction. Another study found that Echinacea extract can enhance the activities of human dendritic cells (which are capable of playing a role in cardiac regeneration.
Studies Relating The Potentially Cardioprotective and Cardio-Regenerative Mechanisms of Echinacea:
– https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26369808/
– https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0888754306002461?via%3Dihub
– https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4833461/
– https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0944711321001148#!
– https://stemcellres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13287-015-0171-5
– https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7663822/
– https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21312240/
– https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Studies-on-phytochemical%2C-antioxidant%2C-and-of-and-Aarland-Ba%C3%B1uelos-Hern%C3%A1ndez/cf07386f16a7774be31e2151ea5779b236915021Researchers have recently sought to answer this question: How can myocardial regeneration be stimulated?
There is a decent amount of research that indicates natural compounds from plant extracts can play a particularly promising role.
For those interested in learning about other herbs and fungi that offer cardioregenerative benefits, Here is a link to a list of research articles and a list of medicinal herbs/natural compounds which have been proven to be cardioprotective and/or assist in stimulating and activating adult stem cells for myocardial regeneration.
Habitat in the wild:
Scientific Name: Echinacea
Family: Asteraceae (the Aster, Daisy, or Sunflower family)
Species:
Narrow-leaf Coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia) – native to central and eastern North America, commonly used in gardens and medicinals
Topeka Purple Coneflower (Echinacea atrorubens) – native to Kansas, parts of Oklahoma and Texas
Smooth Coneflower, Smooth Purple Coneflower (Echinacea laevigata) – endangered, living in Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia
Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida) – native to south-central North America, commonly used in gardens and medicinals
Yellow Coneflower, Bush’s Purple Coneflower (Echinacea paradoxa) – native to Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas
Purple Coneflower, Eastern Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) – native to central and eastern North America, the most common Echinacea used in gardens and medicinals
Sanguine purple Coneflower (Echinacea sanguinea) – native to Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana
Wavyleaf Purple Coneflower (Echinacea simulata) – native to Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, and Tennessee
Tennessee Coneflower (Echinacea tennesseensis) – endangered and only found in central Tennessee
The nine species of Echinacea listed above are native to the United States and southern Canada. These species are perennial members of the sunflower, or Asteraceae, family and mostly prefer rocky, disturbed soils in open fields, prairies, and along railroad tracks.
Distinguishing Features:
This heat and drought resistance plant is very unique with its daisy-like purple/pink flowers that sport a prickly seed cone. The leaves are rough to the touch.
Flowers:
The flowers are rich purple to pink in colour and the florets grow round a high seed cone. This cone has sharp spines. Echinacea blooms about mid-summer and lasts about a month, after which there is a temporary dormancy. Some plants may bloom again during early autumn.
Leaves:
The leaf shapes are generally narrow, lance-shaped (or ovate) and toothed. The upper surface of the leaves is often dark green and has sparse white hairs.
Typical Habitat:
Dry open woods, fields, barrens and prairies.
Harvest Tips:
Most people don’t realize that the chemicals contained in the root differ significantly from those in the upper part of the plant. If we analyze the roots, we can see that they have high concentrations of volatile oils, while the parts that grow above the soil tend to contain more polysaccharides that are known to trigger immune function. Echinacea extract is essentially a tincture from this upper part of the plant.
Echinacea tea can be made using a variety of plant parts from the echinacea plant including the roots, leaves, flowers, and stems. The purple flowers and roots are most commonly used to brew teas.
Echinacea flowers should be harvested just after blooming season has begun. Trim the blossoms at the base of the stem just above the first set of leaves. This will encourage new growth, amplifying your harvest each year. Don't use seed heads as they won't provide proper flavor when infused in hot water.
If you want, you can use the freshly harvested flowers to make tea. If you prefer, you can also dry the echinacea flowers. Simply lay them flat on a bamboo mat or hang them from a clothesline. If you choose to hang the flowers, place a table or blanket underneath the catch the petals as the fall off the stems. The same can be down using the roots and leaves of the echinacea plant.
Whether you are harvesting Echinacea from your garden or the wild and for making your own medicine, I implore you to practice the principles of the Honorable Harvest so we are reciprocating the gifts this amazing plant offers and not just taking from it. You can learn more about the principles of "The Honorable Harvest" here:
Once the flowers petals, roots, or leaves have dried it's time to store them in an airtight container. Store in a glass jar or other non-reactive container and keep in a dry place. A dark place such as a cabinet or drawer is the best option to prevent the plant material from losing flavor.
Basic Echinacea Tea Recipe:
Ingredients:
• 1 tablespoon dried echinacea (or 2 tablespoons of fresh echinacea)
• 10 ounces of water
• Sweetener (OPTIONAL)
Instructions:
1. Bring water to a boil using a stove-top pan or a tea kettle.
2. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium and add in the echinacea.
3. Place a lid on the pot and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. If using a tea kettle, simply pour the boiling water into a teacup and add the echinacea to a tea ball or tea infuser. Steep for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Strain the loose flowers, roots, or leaves from the pot and pour into a teacup. It using a tea ball, simply remove and discard the echinacea.
5. Add flavorings or sweeteners such as honey and lemon if desired. Enjoy!
Other uses for Echinacea in the kitchen and in the medicine cabinet:
Immunity Boosting Tea: https://amandanicolesmith.com/immunity-boosting-tea/
You could make a soup like this Astragalus Miso Immunity Soup (and then add Echinacea when making the broth to add its beneficial properties to the soup) : https://www.traditionalmedicinals.com/blogs/ppj/astragalus-miso-immunity-soup/?fbclid=IwAR2ltrxN5ZsQIXrcrXgj62K49Gc1mo0snJVH6dqg9awE-cZYeQH4x8aITNk
How to Make a Tincture: Elderberry & Echinacea : https://www.growforagecookferment.com/how-to-make-a-tincture-elderberry-echinacea/
HOW TO MAKE ECHINACEA TINCTURE ~ DIY RECIPE : https://practicalselfreliance.com/echinacea-tincture/
HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT CUP OF ECHINACEA TEA : https://practicalselfreliance.com/echinacea-tea/
Echinacea in the Garden
Commonly known as coneflower, echinacea is a delightful addition to any garden in USDA zones 3-8.
Echinacea has a long blooming season in summer that stretches into fall. The central disc florets of echinacea flowers produce plenty of nectar that attracts bees, butterflies, and other insects into your garden.
It is a visual feast watching colorful butterflies fluttering over coneflower beds in full bloom.
Attracting bees and butterflies into the garden benefits other crops growing there.
These pollinators help increase the yield of vegetable and fruit crops that favor cross-pollination.
As the flowers fade and the nectar dries up, the flower heads of echinacea continue to attract winged beauties, but it is time for the birds now.
Goldfinches and other birds are particularly fond of echinacea seeds.
Echinacea is a native wild plant that self-seeds readily. It is easy to grow from seeds, cuttings, and divisions and easily adapts to a wide range of climatic and cultural conditions. It does not demand much attention or pampering from you, so it is a great choice for novice gardeners.
There are many new varieties of echinacea available now, so you can choose the ones that are best for your garden. Most species of echinacea grow up to 4 feet, but you can choose dwarf varieties that barely reach knee height.
Echinacea are Perennial plants that can live over 100 years!
Perennials should be treasured in gardens because they spare you the trouble of starting new plants every year. Perennials generally die down in winter and then magically resurrect in spring, putting out vigorous growth from their underground parts. You don’t have to start seeds early, harden off the seedlings, and then transplant them in their target sites.
Primary Garden Functions:
Ornamental Plant – this is one of its primary uses around the world
Medicinal Plant – Echinacea has a long history of being used as a medicine.
Secondary Garden Functions:
General insect (especially bees) nectar plant
Butterfly nectar plant
Shelter plant for beneficial insects
Parasitic Wasps prefer to rest and hide on this plant
Wildlife Food – seed-eating birds will feed on the seeds in the dried cones (a favorite of the American Goldfinch)
Pioneer Plant – helps reestablish overused or damaged land
Drought Plant – this species can tolerate prolonged dry conditions once established
Dynamic Accumulator Species – Most species have taproots. When the herbacous above-ground portions of this plant dies back each year, it is bound to release the nutrients it has mined with its taproots
I find that my tomatoes, peppers and berries are much happier and more productive when i grow echinacea within 10 feet (as it invites more bees to visit their blossoms as well). We have about 6 varieties of echinacea in our garden and will continue to add more as space and availability allows.
One of the thing I love to do with Echinacea is closely watching all the different stages of a developing Echinacea bud and flower head (and taking close up pictures to explore it’s elegant geometrical form(s) ). One of my favorite varieties (for it’s visual features) is called Bubblegum. It starts off forming its flower bud looking like a supernova or a galaxy or something, then it starts looking like a crown filled with fractal geometry and then it unfolds into a crazy rainbow of petals and stamen (that the hummingbirds love to visit). I`ll share a series pics below of the stages of that one growing so you can see what I mean.
That was fun wasn’t it!? :) Okay back to the practical stuff..
In our garden as our three year old plus echinacea plants get to large for the area we planted them in (we have a small urban suburban lot) I carefully dig them up in early spring
and divide the root ball into several sections.
I plant some of the divided sections in at least three in new locations in our garden (and/or give some away) and harvest the rest of the roots for making tinctures, herbal teas and adding to broths or fermented medicinal preserves.
Some years (depending on weather) the mature flower heads that are full of seeds are still hanging onto the stalk and I am able to save seeds for planting and sharing at the same time.
Ideally, I harvest Echinacea seeds in late fall, but sometimes I get too busy or miss some and end up saving seeds in the spring as well.
This plant gives so much to us in our garden, from offering beauty (in the forms of visual and tactile appeal and a lovely fragrance) as poetry for the senses as well as inviting native pollinators into our garden. Thus, when I have to to dig up a plant I felt compelled to give back in reciprocity to this plant and the Earth. That is why I carefully dig up the mature plant, separate the root mass into at least four sections with abundant fibrous roots attached and plant three of them in new locations (thus increasing the life of the plant rather than just taking away).
The fourth portion I harvested will be used to make medicine stored for long term so we can help our bodies be prepared for challenges they may face in the months and years ahead. I washed, chopped, and macerated the roots (using a mortar and pestle)
I then put them in a jar to soak in alcohol in order to extract the beneficial compounds into a shelf stable medium. .
I also simmered some of the roots to make a herbal tea (sometimes referred to in herbalism as a "decoction") which surprisingly turned out to be a beautiful forest/emerald green color and tasted pleasant to me).
I also dry some of the roots for using at other times of year so I can combine with fresh ingredients to make fun and potent synergistic medicinal recipes like this quadruple potency Adaptogenic Elderberry Syrup.
It contains the essence of Reishi (dried fruit body, tincture and extract infused tea bags), Tulsi (fresh and dried leaves and flower spikes from three different varieties),Shilajit, Echinacea (roots, leaves and flowers), fresh Ginger rhizome, fresh Eastern White Pine Needles, as well as Lemon Balm, zinc (powder from capsules) cinnamon, cloves, lemon slices and raw honey.
The flavor turned out lovely and it really gives you an uplifting feeling.
It not only serves to optimize immune function (increasing the adaptability of one's innate immune cells, fortifying/cleansing the blood with potent antioxidants and increasing the number of innate immune cells via providing the molecular building blocks for increased rates of mitochondrial biogenesis) but also offers moderately strong nootropic benefits.
I keep it in air tight little jars in the freezer to keep the beneficial myco-nutrients and phytonutrients at peak levels until it is needed.
While my personal experience is rooted in the eastern purple coneflower, as noted above there are a variety of echinacea plants that can be used to brew tea including (the above mentioned Echinacea purpurea) as well as Echinacea angustifolia and Echinacea pallida. The perennial flower is native to eastern and central North America but can be grown in temperate climates where the plants receive at least partial sun.
Today, the plants are commonly grown in gardens in Europe and Asia as well. Echinacea tea can be made using a variety of plant parts from the echinacea plant including the roots, leaves, flowers, and stems. The purple flowers and roots are most commonly used to brew teas.
For more information on Echinacea:
10 Reasons Echinacea Should Grow In Every Garden : https://www.naturallivingideas.com/grow-echinacea/
Permaculture Plants: Echinacea : http://tcpermaculture.com/site/2013/06/24/permaculture-plants-echinacea/
Echinacea (Coneflower) Meaning, Symbolism, and Cultural Significance: https://www.petalrepublic.com/echinacea-coneflower-meaning/
History of a plant: the example of Echinacea: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12808356/
Native American Coneflower Mythology : http://www.native-languages.org/legends-coneflower.htm#:~:text=The%20purple%20coneflower%2C%20also%20known,seek%20them%20out%20as%20medicine.
One Hundred Years of Echinacea angustifolia Harvest in the Smoky Hillss of Kansas: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226337724_One_Hundred_Years_of_Echinacea_angustifolia_Harvest_in_the_Smoky_Hills_sof_Kansas_USA
Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4068831/
I hope you found this information helpful and will try cultivating (or foraging for some) Echinacea and find peace of mind in the knowing that you are surrounded in food, shelter building materials and medicine.
If we learn from Mother Nature and accept her open hand we can thrive and nurture our bodies in any and all situations (while staying guided by integrity and love).
We can align our wealth and health with the health and wealth of the living Earth and through merging with her regenerative capacity and inherent abundance we can become irrepressible.
We can lift ourselves and our communities out of the widespread modern day ‘poverty of plant knowledge’ and in doing so become resilient enough to survive and thrive no matter what life throws our way.
We are the ones we have been waiting for.
Beautiful article. Like your other ones, a saver. I did not realize until maybe last year that black-eyed Susans have an extremely similar plant profile and therefore similar benefits to echinacea.
Thank you! I appreciate your knowledge and love of plant medicine.🌀 I save every one.