Tonic Herb of the Month

Blue Vervain

(Verbena hastata)

Blue Vervain is a wonderfully relaxing plant with many uses. Native to the United States, Vervain is a beautiful perennial herb, growing 3-8′ tall. It prefers full sun and medium-wet soils. Often found in wet meadows and river bottoms in the Great Lakes region, Blue Vervain attracts butterflies and other pollinators and makes a great addition to your medicinal herb garden.

Family: Verbenaceae

Parts Used: aerial (above ground)

Energetics: bitter, acrid, cold, drying

Actions: bitter tonic, relaxing nervine, febrifuge, hypotensive, diaphoretic, emetic in large doses

Uses: a strongly relaxing nervine, vervain calms states of anxiety as well as hysteria and seizure. It is useful for occasions (or periods of time) when the sympathetic nervous system is stuck in overdrive, such as acute and chronic stress, or when body is shivering due to a fever. In fevers, the diaphoretic action of vervain opens the peripheral blood vessels to bring on a sweat and break a fever. It can also be useful following a debilitating illness to restore digestion and tone. As a bitter tonic, small doses of vervain are stimulating to digestive secretions, and decongestant to the liver and gallbladder. Vervain also has a reputation for helping to relieve hot flashes and night sweats.

Indications: hot flashes, night sweats, fevers, and any time the pores are tightly closed and the body needs to vent. Constitutionally speaking, vervain is suited to people who are intensely driven with perfectionist tendencies. These people often have very high and unreasonable expectations of themselves as well as others. Their strong mental and emotional focus draws energy away from the digestive and reproductive centers. And without that grounding lower body strength, they often overexert their upper bodies, resulting in tension in the upper shoulders and neck. Matthew Wood writes that vervain is for people with “strong above, weak below.” He also recommends it for women who have intense food cravings during menses (Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to New World Medicinal Plants p.351).

Dosage: As a tincture, use 2-4 ml per day according to the British Pharmacopeia. Matthew Wood recommends 1-3 drops 1-3 times a day.

Contraindications: not recommended during pregnancy. It is not a nourishing or tonic herb so prolonged use and/or high doses are not recommended.

**This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease**

UPCOMING EVENTS

Solid Perfume-Making

with Lakeja Baylor

* New Date *

Saturday, September 27th, 4-5 pm

In this workshop you will be learning how to make your our own solid perfumes. Combining beeswax, botanically infused oils, and essential oils you will make & take home 2 differently scented solid perfumes.

Register Here

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Fall Ayurveda Gathering & Ghee-making

with Kimber Hyatt

12-1:30pm, Saturday October 11th

Let’s have tea & discuss this most beautiful season of transition, the ups & downs that come with it.

Kimber will share Ayurveda’s perspective & some beautiful ways to stay grounded, nourished, healthy & feeling like your best self as the season brings about its changes.

Register Here

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Community Medicine Making Circles

withJen Halima  

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Next one: October 25th

 Roots & Broth Blends

Meet the autumn root harvest and the many ways it can be incorporated into healing and immune supporting remedies through infusions into tinctures, cough syrups, teas and food.   We will learn how to make a cough syrup and prepare an herbal broth bags for you to take home.

Register Here

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Plant Allies for Stress, Depression, and Fatigue

with Kat Maier

Saturday January 31st, 2026, 10am – 5pm

In Chinese medicine, the season of winter is a time of hibernation and restoration. This applies not just for the previous year but, in our culture, for the stress of holidays and all that is happening in our world now. This class will share ancient as well as new medicines for restoring our balance and providing deep resilience for the body, mind, and soul. The day will also acknowledge February 1, known as Candlemas, a Celtic celebration honoring the return of light. We will learn practical and easy-to-follow teas and recipes to strengthen our immunity for the times that lie ahead.
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Sunday Morning Tea Ceremonies

with Silvy Franco

Join Silvy for a meditative ceremony to commune with Camelia sinensis. Come for quiet reflection as you sip on several cups of tea following Japanese tradition. Ceremony begins at 9:30 am and goes for an hour. Pre-registration is required.

Suggested Donation: $25

Register Here