Herb of the Week — erysipelas RSS

   The Elder tree has been used medicinally for centuries throughout Europe. The oldest claim is perhaps its use by the Romans, who, among a variety of medicinal uses, used it to dye hair black. It has been common to eat the flowers or berries; make wine or syrup from the berries; make tea from the leaves, flowers, or inner bark; rub the bruised leaves on the skin; and make tea or tincture from the inner bark. 

Echinacea is indigenous to North America, specifically in the Great Plains and Eastern regions of the United States. It has been used by Native Americans in herbal remedies for 200 years or more. Commercial use began in the late 19th century as European settlers discovered the many uses for Echinacea, and was the most widely used herbal preparation in the United States by the beginning of the 20th century.