Herbs with Rosalee

From opening the lungs to easing grief, pine offers both physical and emotional medicine.In this week’s episode I’m joined by herbalist Liz Neves, who shows us how to tap into pine’s gifts through working with its resin, needles, and the simple yet profound medicine of just being in its stately presence.Liz reveals the many ways she works with pine (Pinus spp.), from crafting pine needle baskets to making medicine with the resin and needles, and even a surprising  use for pine-infused porcupine poop (no, I’m not kidding—that really came up in...

What makes calendula a must-have herb for gardeners and herbalists worldwide?In today’s episode, I’m joined by Helena del Pesco, whose background as a chef and fermentation enthusiast gives her unique insight into the world of herbs. Together we explore the many faces of calendula (Calendula officinalis)—from its glowing orange blossoms and otherworldly seeds to its remarkable gifts for soothing skin, supporting tissue repair, and inspiring generosity in both garden and spirit.Calendula is beloved in herbal oils and salves to heal and protect the skin, but it shines in so many other...

Could the secret to a calmer mind and a healthier gut be hiding in your morning bowl of porridge?In this episode, I sit down with Swedish herbalist and nutritionist Karoline Karttunen to discuss one of my favorite breakfasts — the humble oats (Avena sativa).Grains have gotten a bad rap in recent years — and it’s true that highly processed or sugar-laden versions don’t do us any favors. But as Karoline reminds us, whole-grain oats are a true nutritional powerhouse that also carry the same medicinal gifts as oat straw and milky oats — beloved herbal all...

From easing hot flashes to calming muscle tension, black cohosh has long been a trusted ally for cycles of change.In this episode, I’m joined by herbalist, author, and Appalachian plant steward Patricia Kyritsi Howell for a fascinating deep dive into one of the forest’s most mysterious and misunderstood herbs: black cohosh (Actaea racemosa). Patricia shares how this powerful woodland plant first “brought her back to herself” during a time of personal healing—and how that experience shaped decades of herbal practice and advocacy. Together, we explore the magic, medicine, and conservation of a plant that’s as...

Why have so many herbalists stopped using American ginseng — and what would it mean to welcome it back?In this episode, I sat down with Appalachian herbalist Phyllis Light to discuss American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), an herb that her family has had an intimate relationship with for generations. Wow, what a wealth of information she had to share about this legendary herb! Our conversation wound through the folk history of ginseng’s use in Appalachia, ginseng trade routes, and the many, many ways we can work with it to benefit our health. Phyllis also explored the widespread beli...

What can this velvety, rose-family herb teach us about transformation and healing?In this episode, I’m joined by the luminous Robin Rose Bennett to discuss lady's mantle (Alchemilla spp.), a plant that embodies both strength and tenderness, ancient alchemy and modern healing. Robin Rose shares how this ancient herb supports women through every life stage, from menstruation to menopause, and what its alchemical nature can teach us about transformation, healing, and self-love.Together, we dive into the folklore, magic, and medicine of this lovely herb. Along the way, Robin Rose offers her Lady’s Luxu...

What happens when we follow one plant deeply enough to uncover its stories, traditions, and medicines?In this episode, I sit down with herbalist, artist, and folk magic researcher Rebecca Beyer to talk about her lifelong devotion to spicebush (Lindera benzoin)—a plant rooted in Appalachian folk tradition and brimming with story.Rebecca shares how a difficult illness first led her to herbal medicine, and how she eventually came to see spicebush as her patron plant. We explore its many gifts—from its role in spring tonics and colonial kitchens to its modern uses as a wa...

Can you believe we’ve made it to 200 episodes of the Herbs with Rosalee podcast?! Week after week, I get to sit in the host’s chair—asking the questions, guiding the conversation, and shining the spotlight on other herbalists (and the plants we love). Honestly, it’s one of my favorite things to do.So when we realized the 200th episode was coming up, we knew it had to be something different. At first, someone suggested I should be the one in the hot seat. My reaction? Hard no. Absolutely not.But the...

When I first started studying herbs over two decades ago, I learned herbs (like many people do) by memorizing herbal actions, memorizing lists, and then throwing it all together. But I found that choosing herbs for people using these memorized lists didn’t always work, which was incredibly discouraging!Luckily, I found out about herbal energetics, and that’s what I’ve based my herbal practices on ever since.Instead of a usual podcast this week, I’m inviting you to join my free mini Herbal Energetics Course so that you, too, can begin to experien...

What happens when a playful kid turns dandelion fluff into mischief?Spoiler alert—those days of early herbal mischief may just turn into a lifelong passion for the plant world, as it did for my good friend Mason Hutchison.In this episode, Mason discusses the many virtues of the much-maligned (though not in the herbal world!) dandelion, Taraxacum officinale. From stories of childhood antics to his first taste of this “gateway herb,” Mason shares how dandelion has shaped his path as an herbalist and community builder. Along the way, we taste-test dandelion creations (all delicious, though...

What hidden stories of women are tucked inside this humble herb—linking old folklore, a touch of alchemy, and even today’s healing practices?My guest today, Alyssa Dennis, invites us into the world of lady’s mantle (Alchemilla spp.), a plant whose cloak-shaped leaves hold both practical healing gifts and threads of ancient story. From her experiences in urban herbal sanctuaries to a life-changing encounter on the sacred isle of Iona, Alyssa shares how this humble herb invites us to see plants not just as remedies, but as storytellers and companions on the path of reconnection.A...

Warrior, healer, and protector—could this common roadside plant be nature’s ultimate ally for both body and spirit?In this episode, herbalist and educator Carolyn Jones shares about a plant often called the “mother of all wound healers”—yarrow (Achillea millefolium). I was so excited that she chose to discuss this plant, as it’s my herbal ally for the year and one I hold close to my heart. Although I’ve worked with yarrow for many years and already know it well, it’s such a multifaceted herb that, like a dear friend, there’s always more to lea...

What if the “ordinary” marigold in your garden was actually a sacred plant with centuries of healing tradition behind it?In this week’s episode, Texas-based herbalist Lauren Peterson shares how she first learned about the medicine of yauhtli (Tagetes lucida), an herb hiding in plain sight all around her. Commonly referred to as Mexican tarragon or Texas tarragon, this cheery little marigold is a common landscaping plant in Texas, and yet it has so many medicinal gifts (and it is oh so fragrant and delicious, too!).There are many ways you can work with yauhtl...

Have you been missing this amazing and underrated mushroom? Chances are if you’ve ever gone out in the woods in North America, you’ve walked past the mushroom red-belted conk (Fomitopsis pinicola)—though you may not have noticed it. This ubiquitous, yet often-overlooked mushroom may not be well known among herbalists, but it certainly deserves to be! As this week’s podcast guest, Logan Keister, describes, there are so many benefits to working with red-belted conk, from aiding digestion to reducing inflammation, and so much more.Logan also explains in detail one of his favorite ways of worki...

Once beloved in root beer and medicine cabinets, sassafras was later banned as dangerous. So...is it poison or a powerful plant ally?In this episode, we’re diving into the wild and winding story of Sassafras albidum—a tree deeply rooted in Southern culture, traditional herbalism, and kitchen magic. From thickening gumbo to flavoring root beer (before it was pulled from shelves in the 1970s), sassafras has played many roles—and stirred up plenty of controversy.Herbalist Matthew Hunter joins me today to shine a light on this misunderstood tree. He shares his favorite ways t...

I am so excited to share this conversation with Dana Hutchinson! I really identified with her herbal path – like me, as a young person she suffered from a debilitating autoimmune condition, and it was through her search for healing that she found herbalism. As a clinical herbalist herself now, she offers so much hope for others in similar situations.  Dana had so much to share about one of the first herbs that she worked with to help her overcome her illness, jujube dates (Ziziphus jujuba). This delicious, nourishing herb has so many gifts! Here are just a few...

I’ve been looking forward to this interview with Lorna Trigg for a while now! Lorna’s herbal path was strongly influenced by the practices of the indigenous people who lived near her childhood family farm in South Africa, and she has such a creative and unique perspective that I just had to learn more from her.Lorna shared about a plant that she has known since childhood, the beautiful passionflower (both the Passiflora edulis she grew up with in South Africa, and the Passiflora incarnata that called to her as an adult here in the United Stat...

I was so excited to talk about St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) with this week’s podcast guest, Kyle Denton. St. John’s wort is one of my all-time favorite herbs, and Kyle told me he’d be sharing a few things about it that you don’t commonly hear. He certainly didn’t disappoint! Kyle discussed mythological and poetic aspects of the plant, how he understands it via the lens of the doctrine of signatures, and the science behind potential contraindications of St. John’s wort (hint: how you take the plant matters!). His enthusiasm and love for this plant...

I had such a lovely time chatting with this week’s podcast guest, Josh Williams, about one of my favorite tree medicines, and one that is often found in urban landscapes – the lovely linden (Tilia spp.). Josh shared so many gems about this beloved tree, from harvesting tips to how to make the most of its medicine, and he even told a beautiful story about linden from Roman mythology.Every year during linden bloom time, Josh gathers its sweetly-scented flowers and prepares a syrup with them, for use in beverages, to drizzle over food, in baking, and more...

In this week’s episode, I sat down with the lovely Yemaya Kimmel to discuss milky oats (Avena sativa). Yemaya is not only a wonderful herbalist, but as you’ll see in this episode, she’s also an amazing singer! She shared so many deep insights about the benefits of milky oats – an herb that most people these days could probably benefit from – plus a beautiful song to cap off the episode.Yemaya mentioned during our chat that she enjoys naming tincture formulas after songs (and I may have had a little too much fun coming up with Tori...