Some require fall sowing of fresh seed, such as sweet cicely and angelica, and these become available in August or September. To substitute fresh herbs for dried in cooking, use triple the dried quantity called for in a recipe.Ĭulture: Some herbs are customarily grown from divisions because they cannot come true from seed, such as scented thymes and flavored mints. Whole leaves retain their flavor at least a year. Using herbs: Drying herbs at home is not difficult. Medicinal herbs such as black cohosh, goldenseal, and many more are available as plants, and shipped in the spring with orders from our Trees division. Takinagawa Burdock and Resina Calendula, as well as oats, mammoth red clover and alfalfa in the Farm Seed section, also have medicinal uses. Lemon balm is a commonly grown household remedy with a long tradition as a tonic remedy that increases the spirits and lifts the heart. Lemon balm is used medicinally as an herbal tea, or in extract form. Crushed leaves, when rubbed on the skin, are used as a mosquito repellent. Before using or ingesting any medicinal plant, consult a healthcare practitioner familiar with botanical medicine. Lemon balm essential oil is very popular in aromatherapy. Statements about medicinal use of plants have not been evaluated by the FDA, and should not be used for the diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any ailment. Interest in traditional herbal remedies continues to grow. Fewer than 10% of higher plant species have been investigated for their medicinal components. Studies have shown that the herb is a potential treatment for many issues. 85% of the world’s population employ herbs as medicines, and 40% of pharmaceuticals in the U.S. Lemon balm has been used as medicine for over a thousand years, believed to help with various disorders. See Herb Chart in the sidebar for uses and cultural information.Ībout medicinal herbs: Archeological evidence dates the medicinal use of herbs back 60,000 years to the Neanderthals.