Look For These Wild Healing Plants

When you go hiking you may be concerned with just the hike itself. You may be wanting 
to get to a specific location on the trail. One thing that you can add to your goals is to 
keep an eye out for healing plants that you can use at home. Here are a few of the most 
common plants you will find on your hike that you can harvest and use at home in a 
number of medicinal applications. 

Dandelion

Dandelion roots as well as the flowers can be used in a number of applications from 
teas to salves. The dandelion flower can be incorporated into salads and syrups or as a 
dressing. The flowers can also be dried and used in teas to help with digestive issues. 
The leaves of the dandelion can be used as well for assistance with digestive issues 
and help with speeding up metabolism. If you do find this plant on your hike, you should 
consider carrying a produce bag to store the leaves and flowers in. This will keep them 
safe without causing them to wilt too badly like they would in a plastic bag. 

Yarrowroot

Yarrowroot is part of the sunflower family and can be used to help with chronic pain. 
Though it does not stop the pain, it can help to reduce inflammation and pain related 
symptoms throughout the body. The yarrowroot is often used in a tea or as a tincture 
and rarely used as a directly eaten root. Though it can be dehydrated after harvest it is 
best used as soon as possible. 

Elderberry

Elderberry is the one plant that you want to keep an eye out for. The main reason is 
because elderberry is used to help with colds and flu. It can be used in a syrup and 
taken orally, in tinctures, and in teas. The elderberry is one of the most effective and 
versatile options for alternative cold and flu assistance. The plant looks like a normal 
bush with small blackish blue beads of berries growing in clumps. You can harvest the 
berry directly and place into a bag. The berries can be used easily and stored once they 
are in syrup or tincture form. You can also dehydrate them and create a fruit tea from 
the berries. 

These are just three of the most common and most useful plants to look for while you 
are in the wild or on a hike. Remember, if you decide to look for these while hiking, carry 
something with you that is suitable for storing the plants on your way back home. 
