Plantain was the first herb I ever learned, almost twenty years ago, and it still amazes me. It grows in sidewalk cracks, driveways, trails, and other disturbed places, which makes it incredibly easy to overlook.

But once you understand plantain through the lens of herbal energetics, this humble plant starts to look very different.

In this episode, I’m busting three common myths about plantain and showing you how its cooling and moistening qualities connect its many uses.

► Why calling plantain “just a weed” misses the incredible herbal ally that may be growing right at your feet

► What research into plantain extract and oral mucositis can teach us about this often-overlooked plant

► Why plantain is useful for so much more than bug bites, and how its cooling, moistening energetics help explain its affinity for hot, irritated tissues

► How the same qualities herbalists appreciate for bites, burns, and irritated skin can also be useful inside the body

► Why herbalists reach for plantain tea for everything from an irritated digestive tract to hot, dry, lingering coughs

Here’s what I love about plantain: these uses don’t have to be a random list you memorize. Cooling and moistening is the thread that connects them.

That’s what herbal energetics gives you. Instead of memorizing a hundred herbs for a hundred different conditions, you begin to understand how a plant actually works and recognize when its qualities might be a good match.

This is exactly what I teach in my Herbal Energetics Course, and I’d love to give you a sneak peek.

I’ve created a free Plantain Monograph that goes deeper into its energetics, research, preparations, and safety. It’s one of more than 60 herbal monographs included in the course.

When you get your free Plantain Monograph, I’ll also let you know when enrollment for my Herbal Energetics Course opens.

Get your free Plantain Monograph here.

Rosemary is probably best known as a culinary herb, but there’s so much more to this familiar plant. Once you understand its warming, stimulating energetics, many of rosemary’s seemingly unrelated uses start to make sense.

In this short episode, I’m sharing three surprising ways to work with rosemary as medicine and showing you how herbal energetics can help you understand why a plant works the way it does.

► How rosemary’s warming and stimulating qualities can support circulation and help cold hands feel warmer

► Why rosemary is known for its impressive antioxidant qualities, and how research has explored its ability to reduce potentially harmful compounds formed when cooking meat at high temperatures

► Rosemary’s long association with remembrance and what modern research says about its effects on memory and cognitive function

► How rosemary’s aromatic qualities connect its traditional uses with what we now know about its chemistry

► Why understanding an herb’s energetics can help you see the connections between seemingly different uses instead of memorizing endless lists

That’s what I love about herbal energetics. When you understand that rosemary is warming, stimulating, and gently moving, its uses for cold hands, sluggish digestion, and a foggy mind no longer feel disconnected. You begin to see the pattern of the plant.

This is exactly what I teach in my Herbal Energetics Course, and I’d love to give you a sneak peek.

I’ve created a free Rosemary Monograph that goes deeper into rosemary’s energetics, research, preparations, dosage, and safety. It’s one of more than 60 herbal monographs included in the course.

When you get your free Rosemary Monograph, I’ll also let you know when enrollment for my Herbal Energetics Course opens.

Get your free Rosemary Monograph here.

Pokeweed is poisonous—but that’s not the whole story. What if knowing how to work with this potent plant could turn fear into respect, and even put a delicious wild green on your dinner table?

As many of us learned growing up, poke (Phytolacca americana) is a plant that deserves a healthy amount of caution. It is poisonous, after all! But AC and Isaac Hill have spent years learning how to work with poke as food, medicine, and more, and they joined me in this episode to dispel some of the fear surrounding this generous and abundant plant.

During our conversation, AC and Isaac explore the many faces of poke: a powerful lymphatic herb, an expectorant and immune stimulant, a traditional wild food, a striking dye plant, and a plant with a fascinating history of magical use. And perhaps most importantly, they share the practical knowledge that makes all the difference in preparing and working with pokeweed safely.

Curious about bringing poke into your own kitchen? Be sure to download the beautifully illustrated recipe card for AC and Isaac’s Poke Salad here.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► How poke differs from other lymphatic herbs like cleavers and chickweed

► Which part of the poke plant to harvest for food (and the physical clues that tell you when it’s ready)

► Tips for growing, harvesting, and extending the season for poke

► The simple method that AC and Isaac use to turn this poisonous plant into a delicious spring green

► How Isaac views the botany and actions of poke through an astrological lens

► A clever way to make your tinctures more potent (for many plants, not just poke!)

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know them, AC & Isaac Hill are the hosts of the Plant Cunning Podcast, where they have interviewed some of the most influential herbalists, permaculturists, astrologers and spiritual practitioners in the world.

AC is a community herbalist, product maker, and co-director of the Actaea Institute for Herbal Medicine and Aromatherapy. Isaac is a permaculture gardener, astrologer, and author of The Zodiac Garden Guide. They are married and live on a small herb farm in Central NY.

I’m excited to share our conversation with you today!

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Get full show notes, transcript, and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

Would you prefer watching this episode? If so, click here for the video.

You can find AC and Isaac on Instagram.

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

Working successfully with herbs requires three essential skills. Get introduced to them by taking my free herbal jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.

Butterfly pea is beautiful enough to steal the show—but what if its real magic has nothing to do with its color?

In this episode, I’m joined by Clarenda Stanley (aka Farmer Cee), who completely changed the way I think about butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea).

I’ll admit that before this conversation, I mostly thought of butterfly pea as the plant that turns your tea an incredible cobalt blue. But Cee makes a compelling case for looking beyond the color. She shares why she loves butterfly pea for mood support, nourishment, and as a surprisingly versatile ally during the transitions of perimenopause and menopause. We also talk about its role as a nitrogen-fixing plant, its beautiful relationship with bees, and so many delicious ways to enjoy those vibrant flowers.

During our conversation, Cee also takes us inside Green Heffa Farms and her philosophy of boutique farming, where quality, sustainability, and the well-being of the farmer come first. Along the way, she offers a fresh perspective on what it means to be an herbalist—and to build a life that sustains rather than drains.

Cee shares her recipe for Herbal Cool Aid, a refreshing, vibrant blend of butterfly pea flower along with other cooling herbs. You can download your beautifully illustrated recipe card here.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► Three reasons butterfly pea can be so helpful during perimenopause

► How to include butterfly pea in your diet—from teas to syrups to the most gorgeous ice cubes, and more!

► What makes butterfly pea such a wonderful plant for the garden

► Why Clarenda believes that herbal remedies should be beautiful and delicious (not just functional!)

► Tips for running a thriving herbal business

► And so much more…

For those of you who don’t know her, Clarenda “Farmer Cee” Stanley is the founder and CEO of Green Heffa Farms, a regenerative farm and natural wellness brand based in Liberty, North Carolina. Since launching the company in 2018, Farmer Cee has become a nationally recognized voice at the intersection of regenerative agriculture, climate resilience, and values-driven entrepreneurship. Green Heffa Farms is one of few farms in the United States to earn Certified B Corporation status, with several products also carrying Soil & Climate Health verification.

Farmer Cee is also an award-winning fundraising and marketing executive. She has earned degrees in Marketing and Education, is a graduate of NC State Extension’s Farm School, serves on the Southern SARE Advisory Council, and is the author of the book Black Girl’s Guide to Building a Boutique Farm, which blends practical strategy with cultural insight for the next generation of farm entrepreneurs.

I’m so grateful Cee shared her passion, wisdom, and very honest perspective with us. And I’m glad to say that for me, butterfly pea has officially graduated from “pretty blue tea” to a plant I want to get to know much better!

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Get full show notes, transcript, and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

Would you prefer watching this episode? If so, click here for the video.

You can find Clarenda at GreenHeffaFarms.com.

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

Working successfully with herbs requires three essential skills. Get introduced to them by taking my free herbal jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.

There’s something almost impossible to ignore about bee balm (Monarda spp.). Its flowers burst open like fireworks, its aroma is unmistakably spicy, and when you taste it, you can feel its warmth almost immediately. But this is where bee balm gets especially interesting: despite its intense hotness, it can be an excellent herb for actually dispersing heat.

In this episode, Ashley Elenbaas and I explore this beautiful contradiction and the many ways it shows up in bee balm’s medicine. We talk about why she keeps dried bee balm right alongside her cooking spices, how a late-night burn led her to reach for this plant, and why she considers small, regular amounts of bee balm to be a great way to support a nervous system that’s prone to overwhelm.

Ashley also shares her recipe for Bee Balm Honey, a super simple (and delicious!) way to bring bee balm’s spiciness into your own kitchen. Download your beautifully illustrated recipe card here!

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► The clues to bee balm’s medicine that are hidden in its dragon-shaped flowers

► Why bee balm is particularly suited for situations where you need to release excess heat (whether that means fevers, burns, tension, or even those “big feelings” that can build up!)

► What “diffusive” means in herbal energetics—and what makes bee balm an amazing herb for understanding it

► Six herbal preparations for working with bee balm, from tea to culinary use and more!

► How Ashley works with bee balm as an aromatic ally for sleep

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know her, Ashley Elenbaas, M.Sc., RH (AHG), is a clinical herbalist, educator, and founder of Sky House Herb School. With over 20 years of experience teaching herbal medicine, yoga, and the healing arts, she weaves together traditional Western herbalism, plant energetics, nature-based spirituality, and community care. Ashley is passionate about helping people deepen their relationship with medicinal plants while cultivating thoughtful, heart centered practice. She teaches online and in person, hosts the Sky House Herbs YouTube channel, and lives in Minnesota with her family.

Some plants ask us to slow down and listen. Bee balm practically grabs us by the shoulders and says, “Pay attention!” I hope this conversation inspires you to spend some time with this fiery, exuberant plant and discover its many gifts for yourself.

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Get full show notes, transcript, and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

Would you prefer watching this episode? If so, click here for the video.

You can find Ashley at SkyHouseHerbs.com.

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

Working successfully with herbs requires three essential skills. Get introduced to them by taking my free herbal jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.

Hibiscus is tart, cooling, beautiful—and so much more than just a refreshing summer drink.

Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) may be best known as the star ingredient in the tart, ruby-red beverage called jamaica or sorrel, but there is so much more to this beautiful plant! In this episode, Rebecca Fils-Aimé takes us beyond the familiar drink to explore hibiscus as food, medicine, and cultural tradition. Drawing on her Haitian heritage as well as her own herbal studies, Rebecca shares why she loves hibiscus for its cooling, soothing, mucilaginous qualities, how she works with it for cardiovascular and respiratory support, and so many ways to work with the flowers (well, the calyxes to be exact!) and leaves in both the kitchen and the apothecary.

Rebecca also shares her recipe for Sorrel Cough Syrup, a simple combination of hibiscus and warming Caribbean spices designed to soothe that irritating, dry cough. (Or if you don’t have a cough, just add it to sparkling water for a tasty, refreshing treat!) You can download your beautifully illustrated copy here.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► Why hibiscus is particularly beneficial for dry, irritated respiratory tissues

► Several ways to weave hibiscus into your diet—both sweet and savory!

► What makes hibiscus so supportive for the heart and cardiovascular system

► How this gorgeous flower became such an integral part of Caribbean culture

► Surprising ways to include hibiscus in your beauty routine

► …and so many more ways to work with hibiscus beyond just a pretty pink drink!

For those of you who don’t know her, Rebecca Fils-Aimè is a community herbalist, public health practitioner, and health and wellness coach whose practice lies at the intersection of food, kitchen remedies for health, and Black culinary herbalism history. Through her herbalism practice and research, she shares traditions from Black and Indigenous Caribbean people to highlight their contributions to herbalism and food history. Her practice is also guided by the seasons, her Haitian culture, and her Southeastern upbringing. She has a passion for educating communities about herbs as preventative medicine, herbs as self-care, and herbs in food as an accessible way to engage in herbalism.

Hibiscus is one of those plants that reminds us that food and medicine don’t have to be separate. Sometimes the most nourishing herbal allies are the ones we already know and love—and sometimes, they’re hiding in a tall glass of ruby-red refreshment, so perfect on a hot summer day.

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Get full show notes, transcript, and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

Would you prefer watching this episode? If so, click here for the video.

You can find Rebecca at TheHerbalDiaries.com.

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

Working successfully with herbs requires three essential skills. Get introduced to them by taking my free herbal jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.

Some herbal blends become such a regular part of my life that I honestly don’t know what I’d do without them. Take Heart Tea is one of those blends.

Here, I share a beautiful tea that nourishes both the heart and the nervous system, especially during rough or stressful times.

► Why tulsi is the backbone of this blend and how I think about its ability to bring both clarity and steadiness

► How hawthorn leaf and flower support not only the physical heart, but the emotional heart too

► Why I reach for linden when stress shows up as tightness, restlessness, or shallow breathing

► How lemon verbena and cornflower bring flavor, beauty, and their own supportive qualities to the blend

I’ll also share how I prepare Take Heart Tea so you can easily make it part of your own daily herbal practice.

This isn’t a tea meant to fix anything. It’s about support, helping the body and the heart find a little more balance and ease.

Get the Take Heart Tea recipe here.

What if a plant we spend so much time pulling off our trees and walls is actually a forgotten medicinal ally?

Common ivy (Hedera helix) has a complicated reputation. It’s abundant, beautiful, and deeply woven into the European landscape, yet many people think of it as an invasive to eradicate rather than something to learn from. In this episode, herbalist Luke Ó hErodáin reveals the forgotten medicinal traditions surrounding common ivy and why he believes this plant deserves a second look. He shares how ivy became one of his most trusted lung herbs, the traditional preparations that caught his attention, and the fascinating history behind its use in European medicine.

Luke also shares the story behind the research project that has become one of his major passions: uncovering and translating the work of the French eclectic herbalists. These forgotten practitioners were exploring whole-plant medicine, sophisticated preparations, and local substitutes for exotic herbs at a time when the medical world was rapidly changing. Their work raises some fascinating questions about what we’ve lost—and what we might rediscover by looking backward.

Ready to explore ivy beyond the garden wall? Luke has shared not one, but four recipes for working with this remarkable plant! You can download your beautifully illustrated recipe card here.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► What makes ivy such a powerful herbal ally for people with deep congestion in the lungs

► How Luke works with ivy for burns, scars, cellulite, and other skin concerns

► Important cautions to consider before using ivy internally

► Surprising ways French herbalists used phytochemistry to inform their herbal practice in the early 1900’s

► How the rise of modern industrial medicine changed the herbalism landscape practically overnight

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know him, Luke Ó hErodáin (Luke Heron), Dip Herb Med, is a medical herbalist based in Ireland and operating his clinic in Cork. He is the current lead of the Herbal Alliance and is actively engaging with professional herbalists in the UK and Ireland to navigate through this digital age through the Herbal Alliance.

Before becoming a herbalist, Luke spent a decade in the media and technology industry working in film production, digital marketing and tech deployment, a background that informs his critical perspective on AI and digital ethics. He is an independent researcher focusing on the French Eclectic Doctors, led by Dr. Henri Leclerc (who likely coined the term ‘phytotherapy’) and is actively preserving and translating their works. Luke is a foraging instructor dedicated to bridging traditional local and indigenous Irish plant wisdom with modern insights.

I hope this conversation leaves you looking a little differently at the plants you pass every day—and perhaps a little more curious about the herbal wisdom hiding in old books, forgotten traditions, and even the plants we’ve learned to overlook.

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Get full show notes, transcript, and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

Would you prefer watching this episode? If so, click here for the video.

You can find Luke at CelticFoxHerbal.com.

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

Working successfully with herbs requires three essential skills. Get introduced to them by taking my free herbal jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.

When wildfire smoke fills the air, supporting the lungs is only part of the picture.

Here, I share the three-part strategy I use when formulating an herbal tea for smoky days.

► Support the lungs. Learn why I turn to plantain, a soothing demulcent herb, to help calm irritated respiratory tissues and why recent clinical research supports its traditional use.

► Support the heart. Wildfire smoke has been linked to increased risks of cardiovascular problems through inflammation and oxidative stress. I explain why herbs like hawthorn and linden are part of my approach.

► Support the nervous system. The smoke isn't the only challenge. The worry and fear that accompany wildfire season deserve care too, which is why calming herbs are an important part of the blend.

I also share the herbal tea I formulated with hawthorn, hibiscus, plantain, linden, and holy basil to support all three systems together. You can get the recipe here.

Important note: No herbal tea is protective against hazardous air quality. During severe smoke events, reducing your exposure and using clean indoor air remain the most effective ways to protect your health.

Kava has been praised, feared, celebrated, and misunderstood. So what's the real story behind this remarkable plant?

Kava (Piper methysticum) has a reputation that's hard to ignore. Some people swear by it for easing tension and helping them unwind, while others know it only through headlines about safety concerns and controversy. In this episode, herbalist and author Rachelle Robinett joins me to separate fact from fiction and explore why this traditional Pacific Island herb has remained such a beloved ally for thousands of years.

Together, we dive into kava's remarkable ability to relax the body while keeping the mind surprisingly clear, unpack where the concerns about liver toxicity actually came from, and explore thoughtful questions about responsible herbalism, sustainability, and what it really means to work with sacred plants. Along the way, Rachelle reveals how herbalism can become so much more than "an herb for a symptom"—it can fundamentally change how we relate to the natural world.

Rachelle also shares her recipe for Kava “Old-Fashioned” Mocktail, a sophisticated herbal drink that’s perfect for winding down at the end of the day. You can download your beautifully illustrated recipe card here.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► Why kava has earned a permanent place in Rachelle's travel bag, evening routine, and herbal toolkit

► The controversy behind kava use—and the real story behind claims of toxicity and rarity

► Why traditional preparation methods for kava matter more than most people realize

► What makes kava such a great herbal ally for people reducing or avoiding alcohol

► One remarkable botanical fact that has shaped kava’s relationship with humans for thousands of years

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know her, Rachelle Robinett, RH (AHG), is a writer, herbalist, and lifelong naturalist devoted to the art and science of real health. Founder of multidisciplinary wellness companies, she combines traditional medicine, modern insight, and behavior change to help people live more naturally. Her work encourages a return—to self, to nature, and to independent thinking—often challenging the life we’ve been taught to want. Called “a philosophical voice at the vanguard of natural living,” she is based in New York and Costa Rica and is the author of Naturally: the Herbalist’s Guide to Health and Transformation.

This conversation with Rachelle is an invitation to look beyond headlines and assumptions, and instead meet kava—and herbalism itself—with greater curiosity, discernment, and wonder.

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Get full show notes, transcript, and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

Would you prefer watching this episode? If so, click here for the video.

You can find Rachelle at RachelleRobinett.com.

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

Working successfully with herbs requires three essential skills. Get introduced to them by taking my free herbal jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.