I recently lead an herbal plant walk on the Nimitz trail, starting at Inspiration Point in Tilden Regional Park. I took photos of all the herbal plants (and also a few toxic plants) I saw along the way. These are in order of where I saw them. Apologies that some of the photos aren’t the best. Plants in nature don’t always arrange themselves for the best portraits! These images are starting points, please look up more detailed guides for more clues and precise ID information. Please note: I’m listing some herbal actions, but not contraindications, plant parts used, or specific techniques — so there is a lot more to know…

I’ve been experimenting with creating woodcut inspired digital drawings of some of my favorite herbs, here’s wild rose. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about wild rose, of how she can teach us how to love our wild selves. ❤️ Many people think of romantic love when it comes to roses. As herbalists, we usually speak of wild rose as related to self-love. (Which of course spills over to others, as well!) I think of her blend of beauty and protection — flowers and thorns. She’s a boundary plant. In this vein, I remember Sleeping Beauty’s castle, surrounded by brambles. In some versions, the princess was even known as Briar…