Last diary, I spoke about 10 important wet loving herbs and plants for survival. You could wild craft them or grow them, and I felt all 10 had important attributes to further a person's comfort and survivability.
This diary starts with #11 and lists 15 herbs and plants that love the sun and prefer well drained soil - they like moisture but not damp roots, let alone the soggy roots of the previous group of plants.
If you learn these 25 plants, then you have a head start in being able to take care of yourself and your loved ones in the event of any number of disasters, either acute or chronic.
These plants like sun to partial (lightly filtered) shade, and well drained to dry areas.
11. Aloe vera. This is a succulent plant that prefers growing all across the southern edge of the US. It is, bar none, the best ever burn remedy for any degree of burn. NASA uses it for radiation burns. It will grow well as an indoor houseplant and many people grow one in their kitchens. For grease burns, burns from hot skillets and ovens, for sunburns, for any kind of burn, the gel inside the leaves of the aloe vera plant is exceptional. To use it, simply pluck a leave or part of a larger leaf (it will seal itself off and continue to grow), split it open and press the gel side against the burn. It relieves the pain and speeds the healing. It’s also good for skin rashes, and softens rough skin. The same gel will ease and speed heal bruises, takes the sting out of many insect bites, ease skin rashes and skin allergy reactions, moisturizes skin, treats acne, reduces stretch marks and dandruff, and aloe vera juice can ease stomach upsets, act as a laxative, and strewngthen gums and teeth when used as a mouth rinse or added to toothpastes.
12. Lemon Balm. Lemon balm is in the mint family and grows like mint, which means it needs to be grown in a confined area so it doesn’t spread and interbreed with other mints. All your mints should be grown in confined areas so they don’t mix and lose their distinctive characteristics. Lemon balm’s distinctive characteristics are its strong lemon scent. Bees adore it and will make lots of honey when they visit lemon balm. If you keep bees, grow lemon balm around the hives. It helps make a very tasty honey. Crushed leaves soothe garden wounds and insect bites. Teas made from the leaves ease colds and feverish headaches and calms nervous stomachs. In a tonic, it relieves SAD and eases anxiety. It also flavors soups, stews, egg dishes, fish dishes, and salads. It’s a favorite ingredient for perfumes and soaps.
13. Basil. This is most familiar as the primary ingredient in pesto and to season Italian and tomato dishes. A tea made from basil alleviates gas and nausea and recent research shows it inhibits the growth of organisms that cause dysentery. Grown as a border plant or in pots, it deters flies. A drop of basil oil will counter mental fatigue. Camphor basil can ward off moths and is less overwhelming than camphor balls. Tree basil can be burned to deter mosquitoes and can be gargled for sore throats and mashed into a poultice for healing wounds.
14. Coneflower. Also known as echinacea. A decoction of the rhizomes and roots can help with upper respiratory infections and makes a very good topical antiseptic and antimicrobial. A juice of the entire plant is good for skin problems, small wounds, and sore throats. It’s a pretty ornamental, too. It grows mostly in the east and central portions of the US, but it can grow all the way to the west coast. It’s drought tolerant, making it good for the desert areas. An extract is used as an immune-system booster and a cream made of it has been used as a treatment for skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis, boils and wounds, burns, and cold sores. A strong tea is used to treat bronchitis, tonsillitis, meningitis, tuberculosis, abscesses, whooping cough, arthritis and ear infections.
15. Dill. Oil extracted from the seeds and diluted in water is one of the best remedies for colicky babies and digestive disorders in older people. This alone makes it worth growing, but dill is also an outstanding culinary herb, used in making pickles, and seasoning potatoes, bread, salads, sauces, and fish. A tea of the seeds is a sleep aid, and as a breath sweetener.
16. Fennel. Fennel seeds, like dill seeds, acts to relieve gas. A syrup made of fennel juice eases coughs. One of the best uses for dried and powdered fennel is to repel fleas. Scatter the dried powder around the residence, kennels, or stables. Aside from medicinal used, fennel has many culinary uses – eggs, fish, rice, avocados, sausages, and breads all benefit from the flavor of fennel. The bulb is a delicious vegetable, sauteed, braised, stewed, grilled, pickled, or eaten raw.
17. Garlic. Aside from its many culinary uses, garlic provides a few specific health benefits. Garlic is very useful in chest colds, both internally and mixed with fats as a chest rub. In a syrup, it eases sore throats. Although it gives serious halitosis, garlic is a strong antimicrobial for gum diseases and fungal diseases like thrush. Powdered and sprinkled in wounds it can help prevent gangrene. Clinical studies show that garlic helps regulate blood sugar, but if you’re taking insulin, you need to clear this with a doctor first. Garlic interacts negatively with warfarin (used to treat MSREs), antiplatelet drugs, antihypertensive drugs, hypoglycemic drugs, and calcium channel blockers. Strong garlic oils can cause burns when applied raw to the skin or in oil extracts.
18. German Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla as opposed to Anthemis nobilis, or Roman Chamomile). Chamomile helps other plants like basil, mints, and sage grow better and stronger, so growing it just for that alone is worth planting it. However, chamomile makes a lovely mild apple flavored tea that acts as a sleep aid for children (cambric tea is composed of equal parts warm milk and chamomile tea). It soothes upset stomachs, makes a good eyewash and mouthwash, and kills ear mites. An extract acts as an anti-histamine and to counter GAD (General Anxiety Disorder). As a skin wash, it's antibacterial. As a hair rinse, it keeps light brown and blonde hair bright and brings out the golden highlights. Too much of it can interfere with warfarin, so let your doctor know if you are taking a warfarin drug.
19. Sage. Sage, besides its culinary uses, acts as an antiperspirant, whitens teeth, sweetens breath, combats mouth diseases, and can help manage mild Alzheimer’s (in double blind clinical studies). Externally, it helps heal insect bites, skin infections, and vaginal discharges.
20. Rosemary. Rosemary is very high in iron, calcium and vitamin B6, making it a nutritious herb to use. Rosemary tea causes drowsiness, The scent of rosemary does stimulate memory and slows some of the signs of aging. It has shown promise in clinical studies in protecting the brain from the effects of Alzheimer’s and Lou Gehrig’s, and a cologne made of it stimulates circulation. It is also a favorite culinary herb, and a favorite ingredient in perfumery and soap making. Added to dishwashing and laundry, it is both anti-bacterial and mildly anti-viral.
21. Licorice. Powdered licorice root is one of the best cough medicines to be grown. Topically, it relieves the pain of shingles and herpes sores. It helps heal mouth ulcers and peptic ulcers. In powdered form, it makes an outstanding toothpowder/paste. Aside from the medical uses, licorice is a popular flavoring for many beverages like rootbeer and flavored water, for seasoning broths, and it makes a delicious candy, and especially throat lozenges.
22. Thyme. Thyme is one of the primary ingredients in Listerine, so it makes sense that you can use it for a mouthwash or in toothpastes/powders. It is a strong antiseptic and was used during the World Wars to medicate bandages. Tisanes of thyme are good for coughs and bronchitis, as a gargle for sore throats, as a steam inhalant for sinus problems, and as a topical to kill off toenail fungus. Plus, it makes a very good culinary herb, in soups and stews, to flavor cheese, tomatoes, lamb, and eggs. It’s a common herb in French and Middle Eastern cuisines.
23. Yarrow. Steam distilling the flowers gives a blue oil that is very good as a chest rub for colds and flu, and to massage into inflamed joints to ease the swelling and pain. A tea made from the flowers helps reduce allergic mucus reactions like hay fever. Externally, the tea helps reduce eczema. A steam inhalant helps ease asthma and allergies. A tincture helps relieve menstrual problems and urinary disorders. Planting yarrow improves soil quality and repels some of the predatory bugs that can afflict a garden. It attracts ladybugs and predatory wasps which will use insect pests as food for their larvae. The purple portion of the root contains a numbing agent, chewing it will ease tooth pains and open sores in the mouth. Many birds use yarrow to line their nests. The very young leaves can be used as a potherb and as a flavoring for beers.
24. Winter Savory. Winter savory not only flavors beans nicely, it counteracts the gas-producing compounds in them. Summer savory has the same properties, but not as strongly as winter savory. A mix of salt, paprika, and dried savory is called “colorful salt” and is a popular seasoning in some parts of the world. The fresh leaves, crushed, will provide near instant relief from bee or wasp stings. As a tea, it is used for stomach upsets and sore throats. As an ointment, it helps relieve joint aches.
25. Hops. The primary use for hops is to flavor beers and other beverages. The young shoots, however, have a sweet, almost asparagus-like flavor and is a nutritious vegetable. That was its first known use, as a vegetable and a potherb. The leaves and flowerheads produce a brown dye. Dried hops are used to make sleep pillows. These pillows, heated, can relieve earaches. An infusion of hops with chamomile relieves applied to the skin relieves bruises, boils, and rheumatic pains. A tincture of hops can end a long bout of insomnia caused by stress.
Armed with these 25 herbs, you can have a tasty, fragrant, and comfortable life. You don't have to be in a survival situation to enjoy them. But if you are in a survival situation, knowing about these herbs will make it that much more comfortable and easier.