Gravel Root (Eupatorium purpureum)

Couch grass is a vigorous perennial growing to 32 inches with a long, creeping rhizome, slender leaves, and erect spikes bearing green flowers aligned in two rows. Found in Europe, the Americas, northern Asia, and Australia, it is an invasive weed harvested throughout the year. In classical times, both Dioscorides (40-90 CE) and Pliny (23-79 CE) recommended couch grass root for poor urine flow and kidney stones. The herbalist John Gerard wrote in 1597 that 'Couch-grasse be an unwelcome guest to fields and gardens, yet his physicke virtues do recompense those hurts; for it openeth the stoppings of the liver and reins [ureters] without heat.' In times of famine, the root was roasted and ground as a substitute for coffee and flour.

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, though the herb's genuine therapeutic value remains unchanged.

Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata) is an evergreen plant about 8 in (20 cm) tall, with glossy, wedge-shaped leaves and small, pinkish-white flowers in flat-topped clusters. A close relative of uva ursi, pipsissewa shares urinary antiseptic properties and is notably gentler on the kidneys.

Buchu is a strongly aromatic, bushy shrub reaching about 6½ ft (2 m), with slightly leathery, dotted leaves that release a distinctive scent. Indigenous peoples of South Africa have long valued buchu as a general stimulant, diuretic, and digestive aid. In contemporary Western herbal medicine, it is prized mainly as a urinary antiseptic and diuretic, traditionally employed for cystitis, bladder infections, irritable bladder, and sometimes prostatitis.

Cleavers is a straggling, square-stemmed annual growing to 4 feet with whorls of lance-shaped leaves, clusters of small white flowers, and small round green fruits covered with hooked prickles. The name refers to the plant's ability to cling (or cleave) to fur or clothing. Common throughout Europe and North America and found in many other temperate regions including Australia, it grows prolifically in gardens and along roadsides. The Greek physician Dioscorides in the 1st century CE considered it useful for countering weariness and noted that shepherds used the stems to make sieves for straining milk.

Devil’s claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) is a trailing perennial native to southern Africa, named for its hooked, woody fruits. For millennia, indigenous peoples have relied on its tuber to treat pain, fever, and digestive ailments. In modern herbalism, devil’s claw is best known for its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, frequently employed to support joint health and reduce arthritic or lower back pain. It also acts as a bitter tonic to stimulate digestion.

Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) is a downy perennial up to about 7 ft (2.2 m), with thick white roots, heart-shaped leaves, and pink flowers. Known for its high mucilage content, marshmallow soothes inflamed mucous membranes, including those in the respiratory, urinary, and digestive systems.

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is a perennial growing up to about 5 ft (1.5 m), recognized by its lance-shaped, serrated leaves and tiny greenish flowers. Though capable of “stinging,” nettle leaves and seeds are rich in protein, minerals, vitamins, and have a broad range of therapeutic effects, from anti-allergenic to diuretic.