It isn’t required to purchase herbs or supplies for this class but if you who would like to dive right into recipe creation here is a list of the herbs we are going to be mainly focusing on in this program along with other helpful supplies you may wish to gather. If you wish, you can begin to gather herbs from this list that interest you or you can wait until class begins and you have the opportunity to review the recipes provided. 


When it comes to purchasing herbs from online or local suppliers, a good guideline to follow is to purchase hard herbs (e.g., berries, bark, seeds) and powdered herbs in smaller amounts (1-2 ounces) and to purchase soft herbs (e.g., aerial parts (leaf and flower)) in larger amounts (4 ounces). Some herbs (e.g., lamb’s quarters, a common “weed”)  are difficult to find from bulk suppliers and will require wild-harvesting. 


The following nutritive herbs are discussed and used throughout the course. Since nutritive herbs are safe for most individuals and are used in larger amounts, we recommend students purchase 4 ounces of dried herb(s) (1-2 cups if using fresh herb(s)) of their choosing from this list.

  • Burdock (Arctium lappa) root

  • Chickweed (Stellaria media) aboveground parts

  • Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) leaf

  • Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) berry, aerial parts

  • Lamb’s quarters (Chenopodium album) leaf

  • Nettle (Urtica dioica) leaf

  • Oat (Avena sativa) milky seed and straw

  • Raspberry (Rubus idaeus) leaf

  • Red clover (Trifolium pratense) aerial parts

  • Violet (Viola spp.) aerial parts

The following list of herbs is sourced from various recipes found throughout the course. Note that all of the herbs are dried and whole (unground) unless otherwise noted. You may want to preview the course recipes and decide which ones you would like to make before you purchase the herbs below.


  • Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) leaf
  • Arnica (Arnica spp.) flower
  • Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus) root
  • Black pepper (Piper nigrum) fruit, freshly ground
  • Burdock (Arctium lappa) root, whole and powdered
  • Cacao (Theobroma cacao) nib
  • Calendula (Calendula officinalis) flower
  • Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) pod
  • Catnip (Nepeta cataria) aerial parts
  • Cayenne (Capsicum annuum) pepper, powdered
  • Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) flower
  • Chickweed (Stellaria media) aboveground parts
  • Cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.) stick
  • Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) bud
  • Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) root
  • Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) seed
  • Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) seed
  • Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) leaf and root powder
  • Echinacea (Echinacea spp.) root
  • Elder (Sambucus nigra or S. canadensis) berry
  • Elecampane (Inula helenium) root, powdered
  • Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) seed ● Ginger (Zingiber officinale) rhizome, fresh
  • Ginger (Zingiber officinale) rhizome, whole and powdered
  • Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) leaf
  • Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) root, powdered
  • Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) leaf
  • Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) leaf, flower, and berry
  • Hops (Humulus lupulus) strobile
  • Lavender (Lavandula spp.) flower bud
  • Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) aerial parts
  • Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) root, powdered
  • Linden (Tilia spp.) flower and bract
  • Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) root, powdered
  • Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) flower, fresh, wilted
  • Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) resin, powdered
  • Nettle (Urtica dioica) leaf
  • Nettle (Urtica dioica) leaf, fresh
  • Oat (Avena sativa) milky seed and straw
  • Orange (Citrus × sinensis) peel
  • Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) leaf Plantain (Plantago spp.) leaf
  • Raspberry (Rubus idaeus) leaf
  • Red clover (Trifolium pratense) aerial parts
  • Rose (Rosa spp.) hip
  • Rose (Rosa spp.) petal
  • Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) aerial parts
  • St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) aerial parts
  • Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) aerial parts, fresh
  • Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) aerial parts
  • Turmeric (Curcuma longa) rhizome, fresh
  • Turmeric (Curcuma longa) rhizome, powdered
  • Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) pod
  • Violet (Viola spp.) aerial parts, fresh


Kitchen Supplies:


  • Brown paper bags
  • Canning jars
  • Cheesecloth or finer cloth, such as a nut milk bag, muslin, an old (but clean!) T-shirt, or unbleached coffee filter
  • Dark-colored glass bottles with dropper tops or cap tops for storing finished product
  • Double boiler or makeshift double boiler
  • Funnel
  • Grater (if using beeswax that is not pre-grated)
  • Kettle or stainless steel pot for boiling water (stainless or enamel are good choices; avoid aluminum or Teflon™-coated pots)
  • Knife and cutting board or blender/food processor (if using fresh plant material)
  • Mortar and pestle (if using dried plant material) (optional)
  • Natural waxed paper
  • Permanent marker and labels
  • Stainless steel tea strainer (unless using a French press or a teapot with a built-in strainer)
  • Wide-mouth glass jar with tightly fitting lid
  • Stainless steel, glass, or ceramic bowl (one with a spout is extra handy!)
  • Teapot, French press, or heat-safe glass jar
  • Your favorite mug
  • Solvents:
  • Alcohol of choice (e.g., 80- to 100-proof vodka, brandy, tequila, rum if using dried herb(s); 150to 190-proof alcohol if using fresh herb(s))
  • Distilled water
  • Fixed oil(s) of choice (e.g., olive oil, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil)
  • Food-grade vegetable glycerin
  • Raw honey
  • Raw apple cider vinegar

Additional Supplies:
  • Beeswax pastilles
  • Menthol crystals (optional)
  • Essential oils (e.g., lavender (Lavandula spp.), lemon (Citrus x limon), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), rose absolute (Rosa spp.))
  • Vitamin E oil (optional)