Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

Andrographis, commonly known as Green Chiretta or King of Bitters, is an upright annual herb reaching approximately 3 feet in height. Native to India and cultivated throughout northern regions of India and China, this bitter medicinal plant has been valued in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. MSK notes that it has been studied mostly for colds, flu and upper respiratory infections. The plant thrives on plains and in forest undergrowth, where its spotted pale brown or purple flowers and long seed capsules distinguish it from other medicinal herbs.

Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) has traditionally been used for conditions related to vision, and NCCIH says its anthocyanins and other substances may be of interest for further research. NCCIH says bilberry has not been clearly shown to help any health condition, and the most rigorous studies did not find that it improved night vision in healthy people. It is closely related to the blueberry.

Goldenrod is a perennial plant growing to 28 inches with toothed leaves and branched spikes of golden-yellow flowers. Native to Europe and Asia and naturalized in North America, it prefers open areas and hillsides and is gathered in summer while in flower. The herbalist John Gerard commented wryly in 1597 about how goldenrod's value plummeted once it was discovered growing locally in Hampstead wood, London, noting society's tendency to esteem things only while they remain rare and foreign. Four hundred years later, this observation still rings true.

Irish moss is a reddish-brown seaweed growing to 10 inches, with a flat, forked plant body and fan-shaped outline. Found on the Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America, it grows just below the waterline, attached to rocks and stones. In summer in North America and in autumn in Ireland, it is pulled up by hand or with a rake at low tide and dried in the sun. This seaweed is used extensively in the food and pharmaceutical industries as an emulsifying and binding agent, appearing in products such as toothpastes. Its polysaccharides become jelly-like when immersed in water, which makes it useful as a food ingredient.

Lungwort is a perennial herb growing to 1 foot with broad oval basal leaves, smaller upper leaves mottled with white spots, and clusters of pink-purple flowers. Native to Europe and the Caucasus, it flourishes in mountain pastures and damp sites. The leaves are gathered in late spring. According to the medieval Doctrine of Signatures, which held that a plant's appearance pointed to the ailment it treated, lungwort got its name because its leaves were said to resemble lung tissue. This folk belief is not scientifically founded.

White mulberry is a deciduous tree cultivated for over 5,000 years, primarily known as the preferred food source for silkworms. The leaves contain flavonoids along with vitamins A, B1, B2 and C.

Osha has been overharvested in the wild and is extremely difficult to cultivate. It is listed on the United Plant Savers at-risk list. Until wild populations stabilize, its use should be limited.

Pau d'arco is an evergreen tree that can reach 100 feet in height, producing pink flowers. The bark of this South American tree is used as a tea in traditional medicine for a wide range of ailments; MSK says its antibacterial and anticancer effects in laboratory studies have not been shown in humans. The tree grows in both mountainous terrains high in the Andes and in low-lying areas of Paraguay and Brazil. The prized inner bark is collected from wild-growing trees throughout the year.