Got the Humboldt hack? Nasty phlegm suck in your throat or lungs? Cough or cold symptoms? No problem!
Eriodictyon californicum also known as Yerba Santa is a wonderful plant for all those upper respiratory issues we may see coming this fall and winter season. Indigenous Californians revered the plant and when the Spanish came along and saw the incredible healing capabilities named her Yerba Santa, meaning “saint herb”. You can find this perennial evergreen growing below 487ft elevation on dry rocky hillsides, chaparral slopes, forests, canyons, and riversides. As a “fire-following” species, seeds will stay dormant underground until a fire, then burst up come springtime. Sticky and shiny, this dark green shrub can grow up to 8 feet in height! Her leaves are long, tapered and toothed with a prominent central vein. When gathering leaves, make sure to not pile on top of one another for the resinous texture will stick all together and mold. She blooms little dainty white to purple flowers, which are also edible and medicinal. Yerba Santa is well known for her expectorant qualities but is also a sialagogue, which promotes salvia production, which can aid in digestion and thirst. Topically she can be used for poison oak or ivy dermatitis. Below is a yummy recipe to add to your apothecary!
*Yerba Santa Infused Honey*
4oz Yerba Santa (dried or 2oz fresh)
8oz Local Honey (local honey gives added microbial benefits from the pollen in your area)
In a clean 8oz jar, add your Yerba Santa and drizzle you honey on top. Perhaps add an intention as your pour 😊 Let sit for 4-6 weeks, and BOOM! Drizzle your infused honey in teas, add to some baked goods, or enjoy a spoonful!