Medicinal Prairie Plants

Medicinal Prairie Plants. . , There are more than 200 medicinal prairie plants known to be used by American Indians long before white settlers arrived. They had extensive knowledge of their available resources as well as expertise in preparations and dosages. Healers could treat a wide variety of ailments from upset stomachs to syphilis with these plants. Early Euro-American doctors used some of the same plants during the 1800s, but today many of these plants are overlooked by modern medicine. , Black-eyed Susan , While you do not want to eat the poisonous seeds of this yellow flower, Black-eyed Susan extracts have been found to boost immune systems as well as act as a diuretic or antimicrobial to treat a variety of ailments and injuries. Many American Indian tribes who used this plant knew its healing properties for everything from a case of parasitic worms to earaches. , Yarrow , This medicinal has an antiseptic quality and was historically used to treat sore throats, wounds, and sores in the mouth. , Purple Coneflower , Also known as Echinacea, this was the most widely used plant by Great Plains Indians for a variety of ailments. It is also one of the few native plants still processed for consumers today. It is commonly found in the supplements of most pharmacies across the country. , Mountain Mint , Mountain Mint not only has medicinal benefits for colds, it makes great seasoning. It gives meat a hot, spicy flavor. , Can you find these plants in our garden?