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Folks, medicinal plants are everywhere, and you gotta treat ‘em right. ‘Cause some day, they might be treating you.
— Flora Delaterre, Plant Detective


From 1996 to 2013, Beth produced, wrote, and voiced The Plant Detective, a fun and informative program about medicinal plants on Montana Public Radio and stations across the country.

On each show, fictional gumshoe Flora Delaterre, traveling the world to investigate her passion, medicinal plants, turned the listener on to the amazing properties of a single plant, plus its historic lore and sometimes, potential dangers. Read more about the show or just start listening below!

Please bear with us as we add “teasers” for each episode below and build a visual index to help you locate the shows you need. There are 200+ shows, so it will take a little while.

 
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A

Aconite
Former arrow poison helps pain, heart, & more
Agrimony
Underused astringent & heal-all
Alfalfa
"Father of All Foods" offers easy-to-digest nutrition
Artemisia Annua
Artichoke
Stimulates bile production; good for the liver
Asafoetida (Devils Dung)
Antiflatulent; pro-digestive; ingredient in Worcestershire sauce
Allspice
The only major spice from the western hemisphere; many uses, edible & medicinal
Astragalus
Aka Huang qi; used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to boost immunity
Aloe
Heals & soothes; essential to brilliant strategists in history
Atropine - Plants that Contain Atropine
Nerve-gas antidote; can save lives or kill
Areca
Betel's other half; stimulant and dewormer
Autumn Crocus
Fall-blooming plant; strong medicine for gout
Arnica
Ayahuasca
Vine and plant mixture with antidepressant compounds
 

B

Balm of Gilead
From Cottonwood and Poplar trees, contains aspirin-like compounds
Blue Cohosh
Past use in childbirth; still a safe uterine tonic
Basil
Beloved herb repels insects and attracts lovers
Boldo
South American tree with many gifts
Betel
Leaf chewed around the world; stimulant related to black pepper
Boneset
Relief for “bone-break” fever and other ailments; stimulates immune system
Bilberry
Promotes eye health; more generally, good for circulation
Borage
High in GLA, good for rheumatoid arthritis
Birch
Source of many gifts; good for pain, teeth, & possibly cancer
Broom
Stimulates heart and uterus
Black Pepper
Valuable food, medicine, and commodity; helps vitiligo
Bryony
Medicine from the past may help diabetes and stress
Black Walnut
Hulls hold antimicrobial, antifungal compounds good for skin & parasites
Butchers Broom
Helps vein-related disease & swelling. Nice and safe.
Bloodroot
Small, beautiful, & powerful. Kills tissue. Safety: Questionable.
Butterbur
Helps migraine & allergies, but look for "PA-free"
 

C

Calabar
West African "truth serum" helps with glaucoma and, potentially, Alzheimers
Chinese Forsythia
Veritable medicine chest; key in Chinese Medicine
Calamus
Former ingredient in witches' salves can be toxic, depending on use
Cinchona
Among the most impactful plants in human history
Camptotheca
"Happy Tree"--a source of chemo drugs
Cinnamon
Insulin sensitizer for Type-2 diabetes
Cannabis I
From valued medicine to illicit substance--and back
Clary Sage
Estrogenic, digestive, sedative
Cannabis II
Cannabinoid receptors offer myriad possible therapies
Cloud Mushroom
Gentle & safe immunomodulant. Especially good post-cancer.
Cardamom
Good for digestion & spasm, and research points to more
Clove
Important in dentistry, but clove cigarettes are bad!
Carob
Gentle medicine for kids with diarrhea
Coca I
Used by indigenous peoples for 1000s of years to fight hunger, thirst, & fatigue
Cascara
Powerful laxative
Coca II
Early anesthetic is the "coca" in Coca-Cola
Catnip
For sleep, digestion, and kitty aromatherapy
Comfrey
Use with caution; some species are liver-toxic
Cat’s Claw
Immunostimulant, but use is problematic
Corn Silk
Soothes inflamed membranes, good for urinary/prostrate issues
Cattail
Food for every season plus tinder and medicine
Corydalis
A favorite of Percy Julian, famed African-American phytochemist
Celery
Helps with arthritis, gout, and hypertension
Cotton I
Wild cotton stimulates the uterus and promotes lactation
Chaparral
Long historical use plus modern help for skin cancer
Cotton II
Its history includes male contraception and abortion
Chaste Tree
Crampbark
Soothes spasm, whether of lungs, gut, or uterus
Chicory
Famed coffee substitute also good for digestion and liver detox
Chinese Chrysanthemum
Tradition & science agree: More than a pretty face
Cranberry
How cranberry fights urinary tract infections....
 

D

Damiana
Mild aphrodisiac, good for anxiety and depression
Devils Claw
Helps joint pain, but conservation issues point to alternatives
Dan Shen
Thins & invigorates blood; promotes circulation
Devils Club
Medicine for diabetes & stress; antiviral
Datura I
Aka jimsonweed, an ancient tool for divination
Dill and Caraway
Tiny seeds good for digestion, lactation, & spasm
Datura II
What witches, brooms, & flying have to do with each other
Deadly Nightshade
Murder, beauty, & important pharmaceuticals
Dong Quai
Balances the female reproductive system
 

E

Echinacea
Immune stimulant for infection, cold, flu
Eucalyptus
Australian tree, antimicrobial and antiviral
Elecampane
Gentle lung remedy
Evening Primrose
Source of EFAs, needed for basic metabolic functions
Eleuthero
Used after Chernobyl, good for stress & diabetes
Eyebright
Tiny & medicine-packed, but conservation issues
 

F

False Unicorn
Good for reproduction, but serious conservation issues
Foxglove
Source of drugs for congestive heart failure
Fennel
Key digestive aid; gentle enough for babies
Feverfew
A leaf a day prevents/reduces migraine
Frankincense
Resin from trees is medicine for body & soul
 

G

Galangal
Culinary "spice of life" has ginger-like properties
Goji
Traditional Chinese medicine new to North America
Gardenia
Known for beauty, it treats headache, worms, and more
Goldenrod
Gentle aquaretic that DOESN'T cause hayfever
Garlic I
Spread by nomadic peoples, a multifaceted phytomedicinal
Goldenseal I
Purported mask for various nefarious substances--but it's a myth
Garlic II
Anticlotting and bloodthinning properties
Goldenseal II
Valued antimicrobial, also stimulates immunity
Gentian
Some of the bitterest compounds on the planet
Goldthread
Bitter, good for digestion and wounds
Ginger
Works directly on the stomach, fights nausea
Gotu Kola
Elephants love it, and they never forget
Ginseng (American)
Chinese prefer American species, and Americans prefer the Asian
Grape
Seed is antioxidant, reduces swelling, and more
Ginseng (Asian)
Clear help for diabetes
Gravelroot-Joe Pye Weed
Helps urinary issues, kidney stones, prostate
Goats Rue
Source of key diabetes drug Metformin
Guarana
More caffeine than any other plant
 

H

Henbane
Important medicine for heart etc but too much can kill
Horehound
This bitter plant, sweetened, is respiratory medicine
Henna
Protects liver, active against TB, but severe reactions sometimes
Horse Chestnut
Helps veins as effectively as compression stockings
Hibiscus
Many medicinal uses; also a refrigerant
Hydrangea
Antilithic--aids against kidney stones
Hoodia
Power to suppress hunger finds new use - and controversy - in the West
Hyssop
Fragrant and antiviral
 

I

Ipecac
Poison remedy no longer always recommended
Iris
Gall bladder stimulant could help with Alzheimers
 

J

Jack in the Pulpit
Dried, this toxic plant helps bruises, arthritis, and more
Jujube
Known as candy, jujube's medicinal too
Juniper
Widely used by indigenous Northerners--source of gin
 

K

Khat
Stimulant revered in E. Africa & the Mideast, but illegal in US
Kola
Ingredient in Coca-Cola beloved by desert-crossers
Kudzu
A pest in the US, but respected food & medicine in Asia
 

L

Lavender
Helps with insomnia, mental acuity, mood
Lily of the Valley
Aids congestive heart failure and emphysema
Lemon
Delicious medicine chest
Lobelia
Used for cough, asthma, smoking cessation
Lemongrass
Source of citronella, part of many remedies
Lomatium
Saved lives in the 1918 influenza epidemic
Licorice I
Root provides candy and valuable medicine
Licorice II
Too much real licorice causes hypertension
Lovage
Tastes like celery, but does a whole lot more
 

M

Mate
Beloved national drink offers caffeine & medicine
Mistletoe II
Treatment--past and present--for cancer
Mayapple
Effect on warts led to chemo drugs
Morning Glory
With seeds, vision-seeking likely ends in the bathroom
Meadowsweet
Aspirinlike compounds soothe inflammation--and more
Mugwort
A.k.a. moxa, traditional Chinese herb turns breech babies
Mexican Yam
Birthed the birth control pill
Mullein
From fish poison & torches to medicine
Milk Thistle I
Saves victims of mushroom poisoning
Mustard
Tiny seeds are valuable counterirritants
Milk Thistle II
Noxious weed is 10th best-selling herb in U.S.
Mistletoe I
1,000 different species grow everywhere but Antarctica
Myrrh
Magi's gift used for medicine, embalming, pests, and more
 

N

Nettle I
Counterirritant & more. Even works in soup!
Nutmeg
On Grenada's flag, good for the nervous system
Nettle II
Ouch! But gives us fabric, food, and medicine
Noni
Traditional Hawaiian medicine, but more studies needed
Nux Vomica
Seeds are source of strychnine--and medicine
 

O

Oak
Astringent; sacred to the Druids
Opium I
Source of many important medicines
Oat
Sedative, emollient, & lowers cholesterol
Opium II
Bayer invented heroin from it in the 1800s
Olive
Age-old nutrition & medicine for humanity
Oregano
From pizza to fighting antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Onion
Smelly & warming, antimicrobial & aphrodisiac
Oregon Grape
Another source of berberine, and much more
 

P

Papaya
Aids digestion, helps with anorexia, long illness, gut infection
Periwinkle
Jamaican diabetes remedy led to cancer drugs
Partridgeberry
Medicine for women, but conservation concerns
Peyote
Traditional medicine for body & spirit--but overharvested
Pasqueflower-Pulsatilla
A medicine you have to know how to use
Pineapple
Enzyme bromelain helps digestion, scar tissue, and more
Pau d’arco
Touted as cancer cure, but studies mixed
Pipsissewa
Medicine for UTI & bleeding ulcer, but fragile. Use something else!
Pennyroyal
Abortifacient, but dangerous to use
Pomegranate
Antiparasite, antibacteria, antifungus, and antioxidant
Peony
Associated with the moon & women's issues. Antispasm too.
Prickly Ash
For circulation, toothache, digestion, and more
 

R

Rauwolfia
Led to pharma for mental illness
Rooibos
Antioxidant, but other health claims uncertain
Red Cedar/Thuja
Medicine chest & more to west-coast natives
Rose
Redroot
Rhodiola rosea
Rosemary
 

S

Safflower
Skunk Cabbage
Saffron
Slippery Elm
Sage
Snakeroot
Sandalwood
Sorrel
Saw Palmetto I
Spikenard
Saw Palmetto II
Star Anise
Sea Buckthorn
Stevia
Seaweeds
Stoneroot
Self-Heal
Sundew
Senna
Sweet Woodruff
Sesame
Sweet Cicely
Shepherd’s Purse
Sylphion
 

T

Tansy
Thyme
Tea I
Tobacco
Tea II
True Unicorn
Tea Tree
Tulsi
 

V

Valerian
Verbena/Vervain
Vanilla
Venus’s Flytrap
Violet
 

W

White Cedar/Thuja
Witch Hazel
Wild Indigo
Willow
Withania
 

Y

Yellow Dock
Yew
Yerba Mansa
Yerba Santa
Yucca
 
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Linden
Sedative, gentle, antispasmodic, emollient