Notice these Plants
With so many plants to learn about, here are a few tips on where to get started.
What plants have you been noticing lately? What keeps turning my head this week are the purply-pink-red plum blossoms and patches of high-lighter yellow oxalis. These two colors are unique and fleeting to this time of the year, so as much as I dislike highlighter yellow, I try to enjoy the moment.
When I was studying at Herb Pharm in 2012, my teacher Mark Disharoon used to tell us that there were three categories of plants that really stood out to him, and encouraged us to take note of. These categories were:
The plants that irritate or bother you
The plants that you dream about
The plants that turn your head
As a beginner plant person it's easy to get overwhelmed at the amount of herbs and plants there are, and to know which ones to pay attention to. Mark's shortlist was a helpful way for me to focus and dive in.
Now that I'm over a decade into following this advice, I've been ruminating on my own short list. The plants I recommend learning more about are:
The plants in your spice cabinet
The plants in your ancestral lineage
The plants that grow near you (and that turn your head)
If you're not sure where to start as far as your personal research or connection with herbs, the answer might be right in front of you. They don't have to be fancy, expensive, exotic or rare. A little research can go a long way to point you in the right direction.
A few tools to get you started is:
Learn about the medicinal, energetic and spiritual uses of your favorite culinary herbs, in any herb book (here are a few of my favorites for beginners)
Do a little research into your family lineage. What plants grow where your people come from? Where do your people come from? Everyone starts where they are -- it's a slow process.
No shame with starting with Wikipedia, a check out a travel guide to the area from your local public library.
Talk to a family member or friend who shares lineage with you.
Ask for a dream from a well ancestor, or ask to dream about herbs in your lineage (keep a dream journal near the bed to take notes upon waking)
Download a plant ID app (I enjoy using Seek by iNaturalist)
I hope you enjoy noticing the plants that show up for you this week, and if you get any insights, I'd love to hear about the plants that resonate with you!
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