The most common expression I hear when people try to make sense of gardening in Texas is: “Texas is weird”. It is! Its unpredictable and extreme. When its hot, it gets really hot. When its dry it gets really dry. If and when we get water, many times its a flood. If and when it gets cold, the temperatures can swing far below zero if they want. Our landscape is one of big wide open vistas, gorgeous expanses of wildflowers covering 100s of acres of open land in the spring pockmarked by hidden springs, limestone caverns and shrubby trees. There isnt much elevation change but the stars and sunsets are as extreme as the weather. We suffer through 8 months of heat for 4 months of nice weather in winters, so the plants we align with as herbalists need to be able to ride the same seasonal shifts. The plants and the people here are tough and have multiple ways to protect or prepare themselves for the terrain. Plants withstand extremes with adaptive techniques like thorns, being succulent and hydroscopic, growing close to the ground, hairy leaves, and dying back when needed. Trying to use herb books from other bioregions can be frustrating and to put it simply, they dont work. Please enjoy this selection of some of our wild and weedy Central Texas herbal allies. I have included a free download of this selection for you to get started with!
If you want more, you can check out my book at the link with over 140 central texas allies, The Medicinal Plants of Texas
AGARITA Berberis/Mahonia trifoliolata
Native Shrub- harvest from fencerows and as rescues. Great to grow for wildscapes, xeriscapes. Prickly! Use woody parts and leaves.
Energetics: Cooling and Drying
Actions: Anti-microbial, bitter, liver stimulant, astringent
Uses: Disinfectant topically for wounds and used internally to kill gut infections, relieve spasms and constipation.
Reminds us: Its not whats on the outside, its whats on the inside
BEE BALM
Monarda citriodora et al
Drought tolerant Native annual wildflower that blooms in early summer. Seed in your garden in late fall, full sun good for wildscape or garden to repel bugs.
Energetics: Warming and drying relaxant
Actions: Aromatic, topical disinfectant,antifungal, Astringent and drawing
Uses: In honey for sore throats, topically for fungal infections, especially genital. Teas to draw heat out of body, help break a fever.
Reminds us: flow with it and let it out. Suppressing things only leads to more problems
CHICKWEED
Stellaria media
Invasive annual weed in late winter and early spring, collect around edges of pesticide free yards and fields. Not recommended to plant, it generally can do fine on its own.
Energetics: Cooling and moistening
Actions: Nutritive, Anti-inflammatory, Astringent
Uses: As a food in salads, smoothies, and pestos. In oil, wilted, for inflammatory conditions.
Reminds us: The littlest bird has the prettiest song…Jolie Holland’s words
CLEAVERS Gallium spp
Herbaceous vining annual weed, comes out in early spring all over fencerows and garden beds.
Energetics: Cooling and Drying
Actions: lymphagogue, urinary tonic, astringent
Uses: Urinary tract infections, bogginess in lymph from allergies or infections, allergies
Reminds us: dont get wrapped up with what you think you know, open your mind to possibility
JUNIPER Juniperus ashei et al.
Native shrubby trees. Better to harvest from wild than plant due to males being allergens. Harvest berries in early spring as they fall, or branches throughout the year.
Energetics: Warming and drying
Actions: Aromatic, urinary tract astringent, digestive, rubefacient, circulatory stimulant, antimicrobial
Uses: Urinary tract infections, protein digestion, aches and pains topically, fungal infections
Reminds us: Hold tight, hunker down, trust yourself and you will get through it
PASSIONFLOWER
Passiflora spp
Native and weedy vines for arbors/trellises, fences with gorgeous flowers. Perennial that blooms in midsummer to fall and dies back in freezes.
Energetics: Cooling and Drying relaxant
Actions: Calming, and hypnotic affects the cardiovascular system, glands, and nervous system.
Uses: Anxiety, insomnia, heart palpitations
Reminds us: Be patient, and move slowly through complications and you will find the path out
PRICKLY PEAR
Opuntia spp
Native shrubby weed and will spread as one, contain in wildscapes/xeriscapes. Harvest pads, fruits, and flowers.
Energetics: Cooling and moistening
Actions:Regulates blood sugar, Demulcent, Astringent
Uses: Balancing blood sugar, wounds, indigestion
Reminds us to protect our tenderness but also use it when its needed
RAGWEED Ambrosia trifida et al
Native herbaceous wildflower. Weedy and invasive, better to collect in the wild than plant. Pollen is a Allergen!
Energetics: Warming and Drying
Actions: Antimicrobial, antihistamine, decongestant
Uses: For seasonal allergies, opens sinuses and helps prevent allergic response
Reminds us: The problem can also be the solution.
VERVAIN
Verbena sp/Glandularia bipinnatifida
Native wildflowers with one invasive species. Great addition to xeriscape/wildscape- flowers thruout year
Energetics: Warming and drying relaxant
Actions: Diaphoretic, bitter, calming sedative to the nervous, glandular, and digestive systems
Uses: Feelings of overwhelm, irritation, heat, hot flashes, anxiety
Reminds us: go where your heart needs to be not where you are told to be
YARROW Achillea millefolium :
Weedy perennial wildflower Grows well in garden or xeriscape no help needed but should be contained from taking over a garden bed!
Energetics: Cooling, and Drying
Actions: styptic, antinflammatory, diaphoretic, aromatic, analgesic, circulatory tonic
Uses: toothaches, menstrual cramps, excess bleeding, bruising, bleeding and inflamed wounds, radiation treatment
Reminds us: solutions can be gotten to from seemingly contradictory paths
Want more? Buy my book on the Medicinal Plants of Texas
