Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine

Making field tinctures!! Anyone else travel with medicine making supplies?

Our dear friends at Rootwork Herbals need our help!

Rootwork Herbals needs to leave their beloved land due to 3.5 years of ongoing racial harassment, violent threats, and intimidation. They urgently need to find a safe home for their family, gardens, teaching and gathering space.

They are hoping the larger community can help make their relocation possible through fundraising. This is to help offset some of their major expenses and income loss they are facing due to this forced relocation.

For anyone who is willing and/or able to donate, they have started a Go Fund Me page. https://bit.ly/4fX2ieG

The final Reishi post this month is a story about change, about death, regeneration, & finding the silver lining in the cloud of ecological damage of the modern world. It is the story of the dying Hemlock trees & the explosion of Appalachian Reishi mushrooms.

Most of what we know about Reishi comes from the Asian species – classically called & lucidum, but there are now recognized several species including Ganoderma lingzhi, G. sichuanense, & G. sinense. What’s interesting is that there are several species in this genus in North America, including Ganoderma curtisii, G. oregonense, G. sessile, & today’s mushroom, G. tsugae. The easiest way to tell them apart is by what tree they grow on, & the Appalachian Reishi grows on Hemlock trees (Tsuga canadensis and T. caroliniana), thus the species name.

When I first moved to the Southeast in the mid-90s, hemlocks still dominated many landscapes as one of the most recognizable and abundant plants. Within 20 years most of those trees had died after infestation with the non-native Wooly Adelgid insect. The whole landscape changed & places that were shady year-round now see sunlight, and the forests just look different. This is the latest in a round of devastating insect or fungal tree infections such as the Dutch elm disease, the chestnut blight, and pine beetles among others.

From this sad occurrence comes a flush of this amazing mushroom. Though we can’t be sure this mushroom does the same thing as the Asian species, many herbalists in the Southeast have been using the Appalachian Reishi as an abundant local substitute with great success. It seems to have the same mind-calming and adaptogenic properties as its Asian relative, and I have also seen it help with allergies and some auto-immune conditions. For a really serious immune deficiency such as HIV or cancer I still might go with the well-researched traditional species, it is the local Reishi that I use on a regular basis.

As the older hemlocks die out eventually this flush of Reishi will taper off too. Since hemlocks are found further north too and it seems extreme cold kills off some of the wooly adelgid, hemlocks up north have a better chance. Though who knows what could happen with climate change and our warming winters. In the meantime, those of us in eastern North America might as well take advantage of this abundance and use local while we can. It is a beautiful gift arising from the death of our companion trees that can nevertheless give us visions of new life.

Our Wild Medicine Internship students learning about Spikenard! 📗🌿

Our Wild Medicine Internship (starting in September 2024) has a couple of spots left for anyone interested in learning how to identify, harvest, and make your own herbal medicine in this 4-week series. Our programs are intimate and affordable. Follow the link in the bio or go to https://bit.ly/48jSPcG to apply.

Making Herbal salves and vinegars in class with .apotheca . Our students love learning how to make these herbal remedies for both them and for their loved ones.

We have horsetail, nettle, and oat straw being prepped for herbal vinegars along with fresh plantain that will be used in an herbal salve. 📗🌿✨

Follow the link in our bio or go to www.blueridgeschool.org for more information about our programs.

Summer vibes harvesting Mimosa with Rebecca Van.

Better known in Chinese medicine for its ability to settle the spirit, Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) is used more in the west for its beneficial effect on the immune system. It’s not called an immune tonic but an immuno-modulator, meaning it can both nourish a weak immune system or down-regulate an overactive immune system.

Reishi, like shiitake, maitake, turkey tail and other medicinal mushrooms high in immuno-polysaccharides, will stimulate the bone marrow to produce more white blood cells including T and B cells, and improve their function. They have a long history of use in cancer, though the exact mechanism isn’t clear. But remember that there is no one herb or mushroom that can treat cancer – every human is different and every cancer is different.

Reishi must have some beneficial effect on cytokines too - the chemical messengers of the immune system that can either amp up or calm down an immune reaction. I have seen beneficial effects when people with auto-immune conditions take this over time, and also seen it help people reduce allergic reactions.

Though it can be used as a capsule or an activated powder, my favorite way to use Resihi is a double extract – which I will give you the recipe for this month too! But you can also just throw a couple pieces in soup or bone broth, to be strained out before eating. Why not nourish your immunity all the time?!

Known as the “mushroom of immortality” and the “mushroom of spiritual potency” in Asia, our herb of the month for August is Reishi (Ganoderma spp.). Medicinal mushrooms might be all the rage lately, but if I had to pick a favorite, Reishi takes the cake.

It is in the Chinese herbal category “Herbs to Settle the Spirit”. It does this by nourishing the Heart, where consciousness is based. This makes it an excellent medicine for those who are depleted from shock or trauma or are having a hard time settling back into their bodies after trauma. The most common symptoms are palpitations, forgetfulness, and especially waking up during the night from disturbing dreams. Reishi helps settle our minds so that we have the groundedness to work through our emotional issues.

This is probably the reason it was considered a sacred Taoist medicine for millennia – its ability to quiet the mind, settle the spirit, and allow us to be present with whatever arises is a special gift. And in this chaotic and unsettled world we live in, who couldn’t use more of this herb?

In Western herbalism we might call it an adaptogen and a nervine, because it is calming and centering while at the same time nourishing our basic energy and helping us deal with stress better. Not only that but it is also an immune modulator with powerful effects on the immune system, that will be a separate post next Monday. So much to say about this deep and powerful medicine that I can’t say it all in one post!!

How do you use Reishi? Let us know in the comments.

A big thank you to and .apotheca for organizing this field trip for some of our students to learn how to harvest and process milky oats! What a wonderful day it was!

Milky oats (Avena sativa) are the unripe seed pods of the oat plant, harvested when they are filled with a milky sap. They are highly valued in herbalism for their numerous health benefits, particularly for the nervous system.

Are you interested in learning how to ethically harvest and make herbal medicine changing the lives of yourself and your loved ones? We have a couple spots left for our Wild Medicine Internship starting this September 2024! Applications for our Holistic Herbalism and Essentials of Herbalism program recently opened. Follow the link in our bio or go to https://bit.ly/48jSPcG to apply! ✨🌿📗

Gladiolus is a genus of perennial cormous flowering plants in the iris family (Iridaceae). These striking flowers are sometimes called the “sword lilies”.

Gladiolus flowers are edible, but there’s a caveat: remove the anthers (the pollen-bearing structures) before consuming them. The petals themselves are the edible part.

Gladiolus blossoms work well as a garnish or as a creative container for dips or spreads. Enjoy their mild, lettuce like flavor!! 🍥

Bee Balm is known and loved by many Native American nations. Today’s focus is on the Native use of Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) and Scarlet Bee Balm / Oswego Tea (Monarda didyma), with the Wild Bergamot being the more used species.

There are dozens of different uses of this plant but here are some of the more noteworthy historical uses, keeping in mind the plant may or may not be used the same way by these people now. The Lakota and Dakota (Sioux) used the plant for fevers and colds, as well as a stimulant, even being used for whooping cough and Asiatic cholera. The Blackfeet used the plant to control coughs and soothe the kidneys. Cherokee people used it for colds, to sweat out fevers, and as a digestive aid. (Sources: “Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie” by Kelly Kindscher, and “Native American Ethnobotany” by Daniel Moerman)

Tis Mal Crow, in his book “Native Plants, Native Healing,” calls it Sweet Leaf and says it is one of the seven sacred medicines of the Muskogee, where it’s used for a wide variety of problems. He writes that it is used to draw out fire, so it is used topically for skin rashes, stings, bites, and burns - though don’t leave it on too long or it could make things worse. He also uses the plant as a nervine for anxiety and depression, as well as calming anger and a tendency to violence.

This powerful plant has a lot to still offer us, and deserves to be brought back into everyday herbal use. If you want to learn more, check out the books referenced here and the four other posts on July’s “Herb of the Month.”

Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine Student Graduate Highlight. Here we highlight some of our graduates to show you the cool things they are doing in the world with their herbal knowledge. Today we would like to introduce you to Emma Meyers, a 2023 graduate of our Holistic Herbalism Program. Emma might seem familiar to you as she is also our beloved production assistant for We welcome you to learn more about Emma and her new business below.

Warm Greetings! My name is Emma Meyers and I am a 2023 graduate of the Holistic Herbalism Program at the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine. The education & caring teachers have been significant support on my path as an herbalist. The program provided me with inner confidence and a strong foundation, with an arsenal of resources. I am grateful for the school’s emphasis on ethics, as being an herbalist is so much more than herbs— it is being a safe place for all individuals and being a steward to the plant kingdom.

Currently, I am developing my herbal business, Leaves of Luminescence, which offers herbal infused oils, electuaries, and herbal smoking blends. It is passion project that began years ago, and now I feel better equipped to offer well formulated and high integrity products. I look forward to the evolution of Leaves of Luminescence, the apothecary is expanding each week this time of year! It’s my life’s work— a mix of plants, the poetry of life and connecting to spirit. I’d be honored if you followed along on Instagram,

I am also currently the production assistant at Pine’s Herbals and in a clinical mentorship with CoreyPine. My reverence for herbalism grows each time I go to make tinctures or bottle up formulas for Pine’s Herbals/BRSHM apothecary. There are 100+ tinctures on the shelves, and each bottle tells a story— a time, a place, the people. I am learning how to have this scale of production in a G&P manner. I’ve begun working with clients for the first time, and I am excited to be on this clinical journey working one on one with folks!

As many herb schools have gone online, we are excited to continue to offer a variety of life changing IN-PERSON classes.

Wild Medicine Internship
Holistic Herbalism Program
Essentials of Herbalism Program

Follow the link in our bio or go to https://bit.ly/48jSPcG for more information/to apply.

We had a guest teacher at the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine.....meet Li'l Rue.

Li'l Rue will be teaching advanced Crow-nology: Mastering the Art of Cock-a-Doodle-Doo.

😅🐓

I’ve seen big stands of Horsemint or Spotted Bee Balm (Monarda punctata) along the South Carolina coast, but it can be seen in the coastal plain and piedmont of the Southeast down to Florida, and east through Louisiana to east Texas and north through the upper midwest. It has the highest thymol content in the genus, thymol being the antiseptic essential oil that is responsible for the antimicrobial action of the plant.

Horsemint, as it’s known in the South, is one of the major herbs of the Gullah Geechee people – formerly enslaved people who settled on the South Carolina coast after emancipation. It is used for colds, congestion, and to sweat out a fever. (Always grateful to the people living close to the land who keep the plantways alive!)

It can be a little hard to spot at first because they look like dead stalks at first, but once your eye is attuned, it is everywhere along the coast. The flower heads are smaller than the other Monardas and purplish bracts with yellow flowers. Instead of the one big flower head this Monarda has several whorls of flowers up the stalk.

This is one of the herbs I’ll be teaching about at the this November outside of Wilmington NC, so check that out too!!

Side Note: Do you want to learn more about plants and their medicinal uses? Applications for our 2025 Holistic Herbalism and Essentials of Herbalism Programs open today! Follow the link in our bio or go to https://bit.ly/48jSPcG for more information/to apply.

There are only a couple spots left for our Fall Wild Medicine Internship Program!

Come learn how to identify, harvest, and practically use medicinal plants and mushrooms from around the Blue Ridge mountains on four full-day plant walks. This is like the in-person version of CoreyPine's book "Southeast Medicinal Plants."

If you want to immerse yourself in the world of wild plants, go to https://bit.ly/48jSPcG

Morel mushrooms - known for their distinct honeycomb appearance are highly valued in culinary circles. Drying morel mushrooms is a great way to preserve their unique flavor and enjoy them year-round. There are countless dishes one can showcase the nutty, meaty flavor of these prized fungi.

Come on everyone, share your mushroom recipes/ideas!! 👇🍄🍴

Bee balm honey is my favorite way to use the Monarda species for medicine. Pretty much any species will work and if you live in North America, there’s probably a Monarda species growing in your area that you can use. Just harvest the flower heads in full flower, stuff them fairly tightly into a jar, then slowly pour in honey until everything is covered. Let sit for a week or two, then strain out.

Last year I trimmed the light purple flowers of Monarda fistulosa and made this as a home remedy (process pictured above from harvest to medicine). And it came in handy when I got a bad sore throat that winter – I took it by the spoonful several times a day and not only did it soothe my throat it also helped to fight off the infection through its antibacterial action. Just like I learned from Michael Moore all those years ago!

Bee balm honey is an easy to make home remedy, and if you can’t find it in the wild it is an easy (and beautiful) plant to grow in your garden.

What's your favorite way to use Bee Balm for medicine?

Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine Student Graduate Highlight. Here we highlight some of our graduates to show you all of the cool things they are doing in the world with all of their herbal knowledge.

Meet Eileen Schaeffer, NTP with Herb Girls www.herbgirlsathens.com. We want you to hear directly from Eileen below:

"Hi! I'm Eileen Brantley, 2016 apprentice & graduate of the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine Holistic Herbalism program. To this day, I remember receiving my acceptance into the apprenticeship program so vividly because attending BRHSM marked the beginning of a life dedicated to my vocation in herbalism.

It's hard to summarize my experience in the Holistic Herbalism program - all I know is that it awakened a space deep inside that was yearning for attention. The quality of education and the experience of meeting and working with plants face-to-face is a rare find in this day and age, but the hands-on nature of the program allowed the lessons to resonate on an impactful level.

Currently, I use the skills I acquired here to run multiple herbal businesses, support family & friends, and foster my own homestead apothecary. I honestly feel like I’m still uncovering the wisdom revealed in this course!"

To see all of the wonderful things Eileen is up to, you can follow her on Instagram and

You can also listen to her newly launched podcast, The Wu Way, on any streaming platform!

Website: https://bit.ly/3yOO0eU

Mostly I teach in-person classes, but did you know that I have THREE online classes about specific health issues?
- Herbs for Pain
- Herbs for Anxiety
- Herbs for Insomnia

They are each about 1.5 long video and come with an additional booklet of supportive information. You can find them at: https://brshm.podia.com/

Please like this post and share so that even if you don't need these classes that those who would most benefit from this teaching can see it. Thanks for supporting small businesses!

If you think we chose Bee Balm (Monarda spp.) as our herb of the month just for the beauty of the flowers… well, you wouldn’t be completely wrong. It is a gorgeous wildflower that attracts pollinators, but it is also an effective home remedy and a great culinary herb. I have been captivated by this plant since I first met it 30 years ago.

There are over a dozen native Monarda species growing across North America that are generally called Bee Balm, though some have other common names like Wild Bergamot, Horsemint, Sweet leaf, and Oswego tea. All have a ring of long tubular flowers sitting like a crown atop the plant and some, like the Horsemint (Monarda punctata), have several rings of flowers. All have square stems and opposite leaves like all the plants in the mint family.

If you rub a leaf you’ll smell something like oregano combined with a touch of citrus. The oregano smell is because of the aromatic oil thymol, which is a powerful anti-bacterial. The leaves and flowers can be used as a tea, gargle, or steam for a sore throat or other acute respiratory infections. Last year I made a Monarda flower honey that I used as a cough syrup that winter. But that recipe and food recipes will be in a future post.

How many of you know and love this plant? Let us know in the comments.

Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine Teacher Highlight! Meet Beryl Fulford (Pronouns She/they).

Beryl is a guest lecturer at The Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine's Holistic Herbalism Programing, teaching Gender Dynamics. They spend most of their time engaged in grad school for Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She is passionate about advocacy, accessibility, and questioning the status quo. Beryl is deeply moved to making authentic connections and starting hard conversations necessary for healing on an individual and group level. Those who know them describe her style as straightforward, approachable, and engaging. Beryl believes everyone should have access to safe spaces to express themselves and strives to create that in her work. Beryl says they will never be an expert in anything but is eager to engage in a little bit of everything.

For questions or access to previous workshop materials, you can contact Beryl at:

[email protected]

Ah, pierogies! A delightful dish with Eastern European origins. 🥟 Pairing these pillowy dumplings with wild greens makes for a more wholesome meal. Who else adds touches of wild goodness to their meals?!! 🌿🌱

Marc Williams leading our Holistic Herbalism students on one of their many plant walks! Our students get to learn all about botany from plant identification to plant families and everything in between on these walks. Extra bonus: our students have the privilege of learning botany in the stunning landscapes of Western North Carolina.

As the sun reaches its zenith, casting golden rays upon the earth, we celebrate the Summer Solstice tomorrow—a time of abundant light, warmth, and vibrant energy.

Mimosa flower (Albizia julibrissin) gives off those radiant, positive summer vibes. It is an uplifting herb that improves mood. In Chinese medicine, it is called He Huan Hua (Collective Happiness Flower).

So, if you spot those fuzzy Mimosa flowers around the solstice, consider celebrating this happy flower while channeling your own inner radiance. ☀️☀️