Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata)

Gravel root is an erect perennial growing to 5 feet with whorls of pointed oblong leaves and clusters of purple-pink florets. Native to eastern North America, the root is unearthed in autumn. The plant's alternative name, Joe Pye weed, honors the Native American said to have used it to cure New Englanders of typhus. Native Americans valued the herb as a diuretic and remedy for genitourinary conditions, and the root was listed in the Pharmacopoeia of the United States from 1820 to 1842, attesting to its recognized medicinal importance.

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.

Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) is a tall herbaceous perennial, growing up to about 8 ft (2.5 m) with creamy-white flower spikes. Its thick, knobby root has a bitter, acrid taste and a distinctive odor. Traditionally, the root has been valued as a Native American remedy for women’s health issues, especially painful periods, menopausal problems (such as hot flashes), and uterine discomfort. It also has a history of use for rheumatic complaints, including rheumatoid arthritis, nerve conditions like tinnitus, and even venomous bites or stings. Modern research suggests black cohosh can help alleviate menopausal symptoms and may influence estrogenic activity within the body, although it does not contain estrogen itself.

Blue cohosh is an upright perennial herb reaching 3 feet in height, with large three-lobed leaves, yellow to purple flowers, and striking blue berries. It grows wild in much of eastern North America from Manitoba to Alabama, preferring woodland valleys and damp, north-facing slopes. The name 'cohosh' comes from the Algonquin language, and the plant was a popular remedy among many Native American tribes. Though taken by both sexes for genitourinary issues, it was primarily valued as a women's herb, and that tradition continues in modern herbal practice.

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.

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.

Biennial herb growing to 8 in (20 cm). Has red blotches on stem, crinkled lance-shaped leaves, 4-petaled yellow flowers, and elongated seed capsules. The flowers, leaves, and stem bark of evening primrose have astringent and sedative properties. All three parts have been employed in the treatment of whooping cough. Evening primrose has also been taken for digestive problems and asthma, and used as a poultice to ease the discomfort of rheumatic disorders.

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.