What is Goji Berry? Goji berry (Lycium barbarum L.) is a bright red-orange fruit native to East Asia, belonging to the Solanaceae (nightshade) family. Also known as wolfberry or Gou Qi Zi, it has been used for over a thousand years in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Tibetan medicine, where
What is Gentian? Gentian (Gentiana lutea L.) is a flowering alpine herb whose root and rhizome have been used as a medicinal bitter for over two thousand years. Native to the mountainous regions of central and southern Europe, Asia, and parts of North America, it is one of the oldest
What is Fringe Tree? Fringe Tree (Chionanthus virginicus) is a small flowering tree or shrub native to the eastern United States, belonging to the Oleaceae family (the same botanical family as the olive). Its name comes from its distinctive cord-like, fringe-shaped white flowers that bloom in late spring,
What is Frankincense? Frankincense is the aromatic resin harvested from trees of the genus Boswellia, part of the Burseraceae plant family. While several Boswellia species produce frankincense, Boswellia serrata (commonly known as Indian frankincense) is the species most extensively studied and used in modern supplements. The resin has been valued
What is Emu Oil? Emu oil is the rendered fat harvested from the Australian emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae), a large flightless bird indigenous to Australia and the second tallest member of the ratite family (alongside ostriches, rheas, kiwis, and cassowaries). The fat is collected from the back and rump of the
What is Elecampane? Elecampane (Inula helenium) is a tall, perennial herb in the Asteraceae (daisy) family, native to Southeastern Europe and now naturalized across much of Europe, North America, and parts of Asia. The plant produces striking large yellow flowers on stems that can reach 8 feet (2.4 meters)
What is Dulse? Dulse (Palmaria palmata) is a red seaweed that grows along the rocky northern coasts of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, thriving in cold intertidal zones with strong currents and tidal flow. With a history of human consumption dating back over a thousand years, dulse has been a
What is Dragon's Blood? Dragon's Blood is a deep crimson-red resin or sap obtained from several different species of trees and palms across the world, most notably Croton lechleri (the South American "Dragon Tree" or "Sangre de Grado"). When the bark
What is Diatomaceous Earth? Diatomaceous earth (DE), also called diatomite or kieselgur, is a naturally occurring sedimentary rock composed of the fossilized skeletal remains of microscopic aquatic organisms called diatoms. These ancient single-celled algae, which lived in oceans, lakes, and rivers thousands of years ago, built their cell walls
What is Cramp Bark? Cramp Bark (Viburnum opulus) is a tall, flowering deciduous shrub native to Europe, northern Asia, and parts of North America, belonging to the Adoxaceae family (formerly classified as Caprifoliaceae). The plant produces clusters of white flowers and bright red berries, and grows 8-15 feet tall
What is Corn Silk? Corn silk (Stigma maydis or Zea mays L.) refers to the long, thread-like silky fibers found beneath the husks of an ear of corn. Often discarded as agricultural waste, these pale yellow to greenish strands have been valued for centuries in traditional medicine systems across
What is Coleus? Coleus (Coleus forskohlii, also classified as Plectranthus barbatus) is a perennial herb native to the warm, subtropical regions of India, Nepal, Burma, Thailand, and parts of East Africa. A member of the mint family (Lamiaceae), it has been used for thousands of years in traditional Ayurvedic medicine
