In spring, buds burst with potential energy, flowers push up from under the snow, and, according to Chinese medicine, the Wind blows change, energy, and wellness disturbances hither and thither. Spring is associated with the Wood element, in its upward, outward expansion and infinite possibilities.

Selecting the best products and ingredients for skincare can be daunting, and baby’s skin is even more delicate and sensitive than our own. The lists of ingredients on baby care products are often a mile-long and contain hard-to-read and unrecognizable ingredient names. Many commercial baby care products even include chemicals that may have harmful side effects. No thanks! Luckily, there are plenty of natural baby care offerings available these days, and many baby basics are easy enough for even a busy parent to make—like this simple massage oil recipe!

 As we move into spring and summer, along come the parties and feasts—and thus your chance to surprise and delight your family and friends with the herbal deliciousness and digestive effectiveness of your homemade cordials. There is nothing that signifies a celebration quite like topping off a meal with a round of your own handcrafted herbal liquor.

Over our 30+ years of business, we’ve helped literally tons of botanicals find their way onto our customers’ shelves. We always strive to provide consistent quality in our herbal offerings, but when it comes to superficial characteristics, Mother Nature often likes to put her own unique touches on each batch, which can result in some perceptible variation from one order to the next. However, you can trust that here at Mountain Rose Herbs, we’re always going the extra mile to make sure your ingredients are of the best possible quality, regardless of any apparent differences.

In 400 B.C.E., in his On Regimen in Acute Diseases, Hippocrates wrote, “You will find the drink, called oxymel, often very useful…for it promotes expectoration and freedom of breathing.” It’s too bad I didn’t have that definition the first time I saw the word “oxymel,” because I came across the term right about the same time that I was reading the Harry Potter series to my daughter. This might explain why an oxymel sounds to me like something one would whip up in potions class.

My son and I have been studying permaculture, and one of permaculture’s primary principles is called “stacking function,” a concept whereby you’re getting many yields from one element. As a busy mom, simplicity and stacking function have become guiding principles in my own life—"fill two needs with one deed” is my motto, and this also applies to my herbal medicine endeavors. There are many ways to prepare herbs, but few herbal preparations stack function in the way that herbal vinegars do!

If you filled your 2019 with natural self care sessions, DIY projects, and culinary experiments, you weren't alone! Plant-lovers like you from across America and beyond trusted Mountain Rose Herbs to keep their kitchens and apothecaries stocked with the highest quality herbs, teas, oils, and more—and we couldn't be more grateful! We know you're always on the lookout for new ingredients to fuel your herbal adventures, so we're sharing the year's greatest hits from our extensive selection of organic and sustainable offerings. Here are our 11 best-selling botanicals of 2019, along with helpful reviews from real Mountain Rose Herbs customers!

The question at hand is, “is this actually Arnica montana?” Steven, our Director of Quality, stands in front of two computer screens. One monitor displays brightly colored bars stacked on a black backdrop. On the other, photographs of vibrant yellow petals are zoomed in to such a degree that the golden bits on screen look more like banana peels than flowers. Steven and his team of lab-coat-wearing professionals use various methods of testing and an extensive reference library of pressed plant parts to find the answer. Species identification not only ensures efficacy, it also means keeping our customers safe.

Feeling a little blue is pretty common for all of us. Sadness can strike on any scale, ranging from a simple Blue Monday to lingering, debilitating heartache. We all struggle with difficult emotions that, at times, can seem to overshadow everything else. Luckily, our herbal allies may be able to help ease the hurt.

In 1974, I ran into a woman who claimed my chronic sinus problems came from my colon. She showed me an illustration created by pioneering nutritionist and iridologist, Bernard Jensen, which showed a distorted colon encrusted with hardened fecal matter. She also quoted Jensen’s famous line, “death begins in the colon.” This wasn’t unusual thinking among the Utah midwives and herbalists I began to associate with in the late 1970s. They all believed that one key to keeping healthy was to stay regular. Although I no longer believe that colon cleansing is a therapy everyone needs, I do see value in keeping the colon regular. All of us suffer from time to time with the affliction one of my friends jokingly called “stucky-gutsies.” 

Have you ever wondered about scientific names when analyzing a label or reading about an herb in your favorite herbal book? Besides being fun to learn (and pronounce), botanical names provide a universally accepted system of recognition. Depending on numerous factors, such as the region you live in, the lineage you’ve grown up with, or school you attended, the same plant could be referred to by several different common names. This can make it really confusing if you’re trying to identify a plant in the wild, consult an herbal book, or purchase a specific herb. I’ve found that a little overview of scientific botanical terminology can go a long way in understanding the plants I work with and use every day.