The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies Treats Sore Throats: The root is soothing for sore throats. It may have anti-viral properties as well.
Hepatitis B: Tinctured Carolina Geranium root has been shown to have the anti-Hepatitis B (HBV) compounds geraniin and hyperin.
Harvesting: Harvest young leaves and use them fresh or dry them for future use. Dig up roots in the late fall when they are plump with stored starch, or if necessary, in the early spring. Clean the roots, slice them thinly and dry for future use or use them fresh.
Recipes: Carolina Geranium Leaf Tea. 2 Tablespoons dried leaves and stems, 2 cups boiling water. Pour the boiling water over the dried leaves and allow the tea to steep, off the heat, for 10 minutes or more. Strain and enjoy.
Carolina Geranium Root Tea: The roots make the most effective medicinal tea. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of chopped, dried root. Reduce the heat and simmer the tea for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and steep for another 10 minutes. Take up to 3 cups daily.
Carolina Geranium Tincture: Sterilized glass jar with tight fitting lid, ¾ jar cleaned, chopped fresh root or ½ jar dried root, 80 proof vodka or other alcohol to fill jar.
Chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla Chamomile is a commonly used useful herb. It is a calming plant, and has sedative properties. It is in Aster/Daisy family.
Identification: Chamomile has daisy-like flowers with a hollow, cone-shaped receptacle. Its yellow cone surrounded by 10 to 20 downward-curving white petals. You can distinguish the plant from similar flowers by the pattern in which the flowers grow, each flower on an independent stem. The most common way of identifying chamomile is by plucking a small amount of the blossom and crushing it in between your fingers. 59
Cheese cloth or fine mesh strainer, glass bowl for straining. Sterilize all jars, utensils, and bowls with boiling water. Pack the jar with herbs: ¾ full for fresh root or ½ full for dried herbs, fill the jar with alcohol, making sure all herbs are covered. Cover tightly with lid. Store the jar in a cool, dark place. Shake the jar daily for 6-8 weeks. Strain out the root and all sediment. When clean, pour into amber bottles and seal tightly. Label and date the containers Store the bottles in a cool, dark location for up to 10 years.
Chamomile has a faintly fruity scent. Chamomile grows wild and it is also easy to cultivate in the garden. It thrives in open, sunny locations with well-drained soil. It does not tolerate excessive heat or dry conditions. Matricaria chamomilla is German chamomile. English chamomile has similar medicinal uses. The two plants can be distinguished by their leaves. German chamomile leaves are very thin and hairy while those of the English Chamomile are larger and thicker. The leaves of the German chamomile are also bipinnate; each blade can be divided again into smaller leaf sections. German chamomile stems are somewhat feathery while English Chamomile is hairless. Depending on the growing conditions chamomile can grow to between 2 feet (0.6m) and 3 feet (0.9m) tall.
