Are you starting to build your apothecary? Do you wonder what the best herbs and spices are to keep on hand? Keep reading to find out what’s in my apothecary!
Any good herbalist has an apothecary packed full of all the herbs and necessities required to remedy any ailment. But, there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of different herbs available and it’s sometimes hard to choose which herbs are the best to keep on hand. So, today, I’m taking you on a tour through what’s in my apothecary…I hope this helps you choose the best herbs to start filling yours!
Before we start looking through all my herbs, let’s have a little chat about what an apothecary actually is…
What is an Apothecary?
According to PennMedicine News:
Historically, the term “apothecary” referred to both the person who manufactured and dispensed medicines, and the shop in which those medicines were sold.
So, while Hollywood would have us believe that apothecaries were places of magical herbs and witchcraft, they were in fact, the original pharmacies and pharmacists.
Today, when we refer to apothecary, we’re generally speaking of herb shops and herbalists or the herbal home medicine cabinet.
Way back when I started my herbal journey, I started with teas that I bought in the grocery store.
Every time I’d go shopping, I’d pick up a new box of Traditional Medicinals, Yogi or Celestial Seasonings tea, until it got to the point that I had an entire kitchen cabinet overflowing with teas.
Then, I moved on to buying dried herbs and premade tinctures. Eventually, I learned to make my own tinctures, herbal oils, syrups and salves.
At this point, my apothecary is packed full of dried herbs, homemade tinctures, salves, herbal oils, essential oils and more.
But, don’t let that make you feel like you need to go out and buy ALL.THE.HERBS.
It’s totally not necessary and remember, it has taken years for me to build my herbal stock and it’s not something you need to do all at once.
Start with the herbs that your family needs the most!
Research the ailments of yourself and each of your family members – find the herbs that are most useful.
Buy those first! And don’t buy a ton of each herb…start with 1 to 2 ounces and grow from there, as needed.
Learn to make your own infusions, decoctions, tinctures, salves, oils and syrups using those herbs before you move on to buying more.
Okay, so now that you know you don’t have to go out and spend a ton of money on your herbs, let’s have a look through my apothecary so you can get some ideas…
What’s In My Apothecary?
Dried Herbs and Berries
Berries
- Elderberries
- Juniper Berries
- Hawthorn Berries
Herbs
- Cinnamon sticks
- Burdock root
- Licorice
- Wild Strawberry leaves
- Valerian root
- Dandelion roots, leaves and flowers
- Wild Violet flowers
- Yellow dock
- Sweet Mint
- Coltsfoot flowers
- Lemon Balm
- Nettle leaves
- Catnip
- Arnica flowers
- White Willow Bark
- Motherwort
- Skullcap
- Echinacea root
- Chaparral leaves
- Sassafras bark
- Marshmallow root
- Peppermint
- Oregon Grape Root
- Fennel Seed
- Butterfly Pea Flower
- Goldenseal root
- Red Clover Blossoms
- Ginger root
- Plantain leaves
- Lemon Verbena
- Yarrow
- Thai Basil
- Genovese Basil
- Rosemary
- English Lavender
- Lemon Thyme
- Calendula flowers
- Chamomile flowers
Tinctures
- Lemon Balm
- Dandelion Root
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Sweet Mint
- Marshmallow Root
- Sage
Herbal Oils
- Lilac
- Dandelion
- Calendula
Salves/Ointments
- Dandelion
- Calendula
- Arnica
Syrups
- Elderberry
- Fire Cider
- Peppermint
Powdered Herbs/Spices
- Arrowroot powder
- Apple powder
- Cayenne powder
- Cinnamon powder
- Ginger powder
- Red chili pepper flakes
Essential Oils
- Clove
- Peppermint
- Tea tree
- Eucalyptus
- Roman Chamomile
- Rosemary
- Birch
- Ginger
- Myrrh
- Basil
- Oregano
- Thyme
- Wintergreen
- Palmarosa
Supplies
- Alcohol (80 proof or higher – vodka, rum, whiskey, etc.)
- Mortar and Pestle
- Tincture bottles
- Oil bottles
- Glass jars
- Oil roller bottles
- Salve tins
- Vegan Capsules
Start Small and Keep Building
To be honest, this is probably not a complete list of what’s in my apothecary because, of course, I have a ton of random spices and herbs in the spice cabinet in the kitchen, too. And I know I didn’t list all the tea mixes that I have on hand!
Keep in mind, it’s taken me years to build this supply and you don’t need to compare your apothecary to mine or anyone else’s.
Start small and keep building. Like I said above, figure out what your family needs before you start packing your cabinets full of things you’ll never use.
However, I’ll bet that even if you don’t think you have started building your apothecary yet, you probably have some of these herbs and spices in your spice cabinet, too!
And if not, pick up a copy of Peterson’s Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs for your area and head out to your backyard to start picking.
You might also like:
Have an Awesome Day!
~Vanessa
Vanessa Hamlin is the owner and founder of Food Life Design and VLHamlinDesign. With her passion for frugal living and homesteading, Vanessa loves to write about easy recipes, making money, gardening, home remedies and everything else that a good life entails! When she’s not writing for Food Life Design or creating products for VLHamlinDesign, you’ll find Vanessa reading, drawing, gardening, cooking or spending time with her family.