11 Highly Medicinal Plants You Can Grow At Home

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Plants are natures way of taking care of us and all living creatures on this earth. Plants are powerful and many different species offer many different health benefits.

Here are eleven different plants that have a medicinal benefit, that you can grow at home!

1. Great yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea)

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Many chronic diseases cannot be overcome with ineffective and expensive treatment with pharmaceutical substances. The great yellow gentian root is a bitter herb used to treat chronic digestive disorders and states of exhaustion due to various ailments. It stimulates the liver, gall bladder and digestive system, strengthening the overall human body. When taken internally, it treats:

  • poor digestion
  • liver disorders
  • gastric infections
  • anorexia

2. Marshmallow    (Althaea officinalis) 

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The traditional medicinal uses of the plant are reflected in the name of the genus, which comes from the word althainein, meaning “to heal”. The root of the plant is taken internally to treat:

  • inflammations and irritations of the urinary and respiratory mucus membranes
  • counter excess stomach acid
  • peptic ulceration
  • gastritis

Externally, the root is applied to treat:

  • sprains
  • bruises
  • aching muscles
  • insect bites
  • skin inflammations
  • splinters

The leaves are very edible, unlike the aloe vera ones. They can be added to salad mixes, boiled, or fried. It is also known to be quite helpful with cystitis and frequent urination. The Roman poet Horace refers to his own diet in his Odes, which he describes as very simple:
As for me, olives, endives, and smooth mallows provide sustenance.”

3. Great burdock (Arctium lappa)

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This plant requires moist soil and can grow shade less. The great burdock is pretty famous in the practices of detoxification in both Chinese and Western herbal medicine. The root is used to treat ‘toxic overload’ that results in throat infections and skin diseases like:

  • boils
  • rashes
  • burns
  • bruises
  • herpes
  • eczema
  • acne
  • impetigo
  • ringworm
  • bites

The leaves and seeds can be crushed to apply them to bruises, burns, ulcers and sores.

4. Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis)

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This plant is widely cultivated and can be grown easily in sunny locations in most kinds of soil. It has no problem with nutritionally poor, very acidic or very alkaline soil, just as long as it’s moist. Well known as a remedy for skin problems, the deep-orange flowered pot marigold variety is applied externally to:

  • varicose veins
  • stings
  • sprains
  • wounds
  • sore eyes

Internally it is used to treat fevers and chronic infections. The tea of the petals tones up circulation and, taken regularly, eases varicose veins pain. Applying the crushed stems of the pot marigold to corns and warts will soon have them easily removable.

5. Gotu kola (Centella asiatica)

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Being a potent medicinal herb, the plant has been used to treat many conditions for thousands of years in India, China, and Indonesia.  Gotu kola is a rejuvenative nervine recommended for nervous disorders, epilepsy, senility and premature aging. As a brain tonic, it is said to aid intelligence (it increases attention span and concentration) and memory. It strengthens the adrenal glands and cleanses the blood to treat skin impurities. It is said to combat stress and depression, increase libido and improve reflexes.

The gotu kola acts on various phases of connective tissue development and stimulates the healing of:

  • skin injuries
  • decreasing capillary fragility
  • stimulation of the lipids and protein necessary for healthy skin
  • ulcers

Leaves are thought to maintain youthfulness. Crushed leaves are poulticed to treat open sores.

6. Chamomile (Chamomile)

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Airing a sweet, crisp, fruity and herbaceous fragrance, this plant has long been used medicinally as a remedy for problems regarding the digestive system. It has a soothing and calming effect when used in aromatherapy, or when used to end stress and sleep disorders. The entire herb is used to treat common aches like toothache, earache, shoulder pain and neuralgia.

7. Globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus)

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Globe artichoke is architectural and detoxifying, with a pleasantly bitter aftertaste. It requires a lot of sunshine to grow properly. The cardoon has become important as a medicinal herb in recent years following the discovery of cynarin. The cardoon leaves, which are best harvested before flowering, help to:

  • improve liver and gall bladder function
  • stimulate the secretion of digestive juices
  • lower blood cholesterol levels
  • treat chronic liver and gall bladder diseases
  • treat jaundice
  • treat hepatitis
  • treat arteriosclerosis
  • treat early stages of late-onset diabetes

Some side effects reported with the use of globe artichoke are diarrhea and gallstones, so you should consult your health care provider before using globe artichoke.

8. Chinese yam (Dioscorea opposite)

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It mainly refers to the roots of  Dioscorea opposita. It is a type of yam that can be eaten raw. The Chinese yam can be easily grown in fertile, well-drained soil in a sunny position. People with conditions related to the stomach and spleen may benefit a lot from Chinese yam. It also has a tonic effect on the kidneys, lungs or skin. It is used internally to treat:

  • asthma
  • tiredness
  • weight loss
  • loss of appetite
  • poor digestion
  • chronic diarrhea
  • dry coughs
  • uncontrollable urination
  • diabetes
  • emotional instability

It is also good for:

  • ulcers and abscesses
  • boils
  • snake bites and scorpion stings (the leaf)
  • women who are suffering from hands and feet, cold all the time, due to Qi deficiency

9. Purple cone flower (Echinacea)

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One of the world’s most important medicinal herbs, the Echinacea has the capacity to raise the body’s resistance to bacterial and viral infections by stimulating the immune system. It also has antibiotic properties that helps relieve allergies. Basically, the roots are beneficial in the treatment of sores, wounds and burns. It was once used by the Native Americans as an application for insect bites, stings and snake bites. The Echinacea grows on any-well drained soil, as long as it gets sufficient sunlight.

10. Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus)

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The Siberian ginseng possesses a wide range of health benefits, mostly as a powerful tonic that maintains good health. Its medicinal uses are numerous. Here are some of them:

  • menopausal problems
  • geriatric debility
  • physical and mental stress
  • treat bone marrow suppression caused by chemotherapy or radiation
  • angina
  • hypercholesterolemia and neurasthenia with headache
  • insomnia
  • poor appetite
  • increasing endurance
  • memory improvement
  • anti-inflammatory purposes
  • immunogenic purposes
  • chemo-protective purposes
  • radiological protection

11. Aloe Vera (Aloe)

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There’s a reason why aloe vera gel is trusted in products you see every day. And that reason dates back thousands of years. The aloe vera grows only under the sun with well-drained dry or moist soil. Although the plant tastes like turd, it’s still edible. The sap from aloe vera is extremely useful to speed up the healing and reducing the risk of infections from:

  • wounds
  • cuts
  • burns
  • eczema
  • reducing inflammation
Apart from its topical use on the skin, aloe vera is also taken internally for the treatment of:

  • ulcerative colitis (the aloe vera juice)
  • chronic constipation
  • poor appetite
  • digestive problems