In Our Forest Now...

Plants of Deep Winter

Even as the temperatures drop into the low teens a few medicinal herbs are still visible: mostly those with evergreen foliage.

Patricia and Dock, our German shepherd, on a winter walk.

Wild Ginger

(Hexastylis arifolia)

The aromatic roots of this woodland native have a mild ginger flavor. Another plant, Asarum canadense, is also known as Wild Ginger, but its leaves are not evergreen. The root of both plants is used as a carminative to settle the stomach.

Rattlesnake Plantain

(Goodyera pubens)

This native orchid has white flowers that bloom from mid July to August. In winter, look for leathery leaves growing in a basal rosette. Each leaf has distinctive white net-like markings that resemble the scales on the head of a ratttlesnake.

Trailing Arbutus

(Epigaea repens)

An inconspicuous mass of low growing leaves that are often unnoticed in summer, this herb is used in decoctions to dissolve kidney stones. Here are its tiny white flowers that bloom in May.

Crane-fly Orchid leaf

(Tipularia discolor)

The winter leaf of the Crane-fly Orchid is distinctive now. Look on the forest floor for a single leaf with purple veins. Flip the leaf over to see the beet red color on the underside (hence the species name di-color or two color). Keep track of where you see the winter leaves of Crane-fly orchids, so you can check back in late summer to enjoy their beautiful, but tiny flowers.

Partridgeberry

(Mitchella repens)

A tiny vine found in growing in masses. Look for opposite leaves with a single white line that divides the leaf in half. The leaves are used as a tonic to balance and strengthen the female reproductive system.

Witch Hazel seed pods

(Hamamelis virginica)

The late-blooming yellow flowers of witch hazel have all dropped, leaving behind seed pods that look like small flowers themselves.

Usnea lichen

(Usnea spp.)

We're still collecting usnea for winter remedies. After a windy night, the forest floor is littered with branches covered with this dry grey-green lichen. The antiviral properties of Usnea are an important part of the respiratory formulas we use to treat colds and flu.

The pond in winter.

For more information on harvesting, medicine making, and the uses of these and many other herbs, consult my book, Medicinal Plants of the Southern Appalachians or join me for a class.

All photos by Patricia Kyritsi Howell