Essential Medicinal Plants
Essential Medicinal Plants to grow
By
Peter von Maltitz
Zanemvula
My thanks goes to the Phillip Kubukeli
who introduced me to many of the South African indigenous plants and their uses.
Since then I have continuously sought
more information and experience with them.
Phillip Kubukeli is a traditional healer
from Cala in the Eastern Cape
who always fostered cooperation among all the healers.
He was living in the Western Cape in Macasa.
© 29 January 2011 -2022
Introduction
The purpose of this booklet was to describe the identification, growth and use of a few medicinal plants, mainly indigenous, that can easily be grown in the Western Cape. Most are frost resistant. With these in your garden you have remedies for a wide range of conditions at hand. Be aware that there are always individual sensitivities and allergies to any plant material, even to what most other people would call food. Test these plants on yourself individually in small quantities and on a small area of skin well before the need arises for applying them vigorously.
They are beautiful, a joy to grow and a substitute for the pharmacy. Beside food security we also need medicinal plant security. Even if you do not know the details of treating with then, the fact that you can identify them and have them at hand means you can always phone for help from a herbalist.
Some of them are best used fresh such as the jell from the Bulbine on a small bleeding cut or the leaf juice of the sour fig for sore throats. This is the way you have them in your garden, free of preservatives and without requiring an use by date.
Table of Contents
Aloe arborescens — — Bos aalwyn, Forest aloe, Ingcelwane
Artemisia afra — — Wilde ales, African Wormwood,
Umhlonyane
Ballota africana – Kattekruid, Cat bush, Isinazi
Bersama lucens Blink blaar wit essenhout Isindiandia
Boophane disticha Gifbol Ibati
Bulbine frutescens Balsem kopiva, nierbossie, bulbinella, Ibucu
Bulbine natalensis or
Bulbine latifolia – Rooiwortel, Bulbine Matshetshafike
Carpobrotus edulis Suurvy, Sour fig, Ikambhilamabulawo
Clauena anisata Perdepis Umnukambile
Curcuma longa Borrie i-tumeric
Dodonaea angustifolia Sandolien, Sand olive
Eucomis autumnalis Pynappelblom Umathunga
Geranium incanum – Vrouetee, lady’s tea Uqhobelo
Gomphocarpus fruticosus Tontelbos --- -- Umsinga
Gunnera perpensa – Rivierpampoen, Wild rhubarb, Tangazana
ugobho
Helichrysum spp. – Kooigoed, Everlastings, Mphephu
Hypoxis Afrika aartapel Ilabatega
Kniphofia – Vuurpyl, Red hot poker, Ixonja
Knowltonia vesicatoria Katjie drieblaar Vutusa
Leonotis leonotis – klip dagga, Lions ears, Inncafincane.
Lessertia microphila Langbeen gaansies, cancerbush/ sutherlandia,
Umnwele
L frutescens Gaansies Umnwele
Lippa javanica Verkoue tee Inzinziniba
Melianthus major/comosus Kruidjie roer my nie, Kobra Slangbos
Irhabiya
Mentha longifolia – balderjan, Wild mint, Inzinziniba
Pelargonium sidoides – maagpynbossie, Umclealaabo
Pentanisia pruneloides sooibrand bossie -- Icimamlilo
Psoralea pinnata/affinis Blou keur. Umhlonitchwa
Ruta graveolens – – wynruit, Rue.
Rumex crispus Tongblaar --- -- Indololenkonyane
Stoebe plumosa or
Seriphium plumosum – slangbos, Adderbos --- – Inyoka
Tarchonensis Wilde Kanfer --- – Roselina
Urtica urens —– – brandnetel, small stinging nettle.
Warburgia salutaris Peperbas Isibarha
Withania somnifera Wilde apeliefie, Winter cherry, Ubuvumba
Xymalobium undulatum Bitterwortel --- -- Ishongwe
Harvest
Helichrisum petiolare Kooigoed --- -- imphepho Coastal local
Galenia africana Oukraalbos --- -- Karoo
Dodonea viscosa sandolien --- -- muzuwe Karoo mountains
Blou keur. --- -- Psoralea pinnata/affinis umhlonitchwa
Humilitea
Bladder, water, fear , eczema conditions
Wilde alles --- -- Artemisia afra umhlonyane
Courage
Liver and gall conditions
Wilde dagga --- -- Leonotis leonoris/leonotis inncafincane
Power
Heart conditions, arteries. Help mekaar.
Blink blaar wit essenhout Bersama lucens isindiandia
Old age
Loss of focus and interest. Wisdom.
Peperbas --- -- Warburgia salutaris isibarha
Fever
Inflamation and fever of many parts of the body
Perdepis --- -- Clauena anisata umnukambile healer
Very popular on south coast by the local women
Geneesblaar --- -- Withanea somnifera ubuvumba
adaptogen
Activates reserve energy and great for colds
Sooibrand bossie -- Pentanisia pruneloides icimamlilo
oxigenator
Antacid of note. Blood quickly turns red again.
Wilde Kanfer -- -- Tarchonensis roselina
Gentle caring power,
For stroke, also add wilde dagga and witgat boom leaves.
Afrika aartapel -- Hypoxis Ilabatega
corm kills amoeba
roots kill virus
Gaansies --- -- Lessertia frutescens umnwele
makes clever.
Good outcome. Very good with Wilde dagga.
Makes clever power.
Wynruit --- -- Ruta graveolens
High tension blood pressure.
Dilates blood vessels esp arteries.
Not for pregnant mothers!!!
Spray tea from the leaves on bedsores.
Can use locally for sprains to improve healing but
then you have to stabilise it with splint.
Tontelbos --- -- Gomphocarpus fruticosus umsinga
Infectious sexually transmitted diseases
Pynappelblom -- Eucomis autumnalis umathunga
healing wounds
Gifbol --- -- Boophane disticha ibati
Relief for painful wounds
Vuurpyl --- -- Knifofia ixonja
Womb. Cleans the uterus as tea of root
Rivierpampoen -- -- Gunnera perpensa ugobho
Tones smooth muscles
Good to prepare uterus by toning it.
Also good for migraines.
Dosage important. 1 level teaspoon of dried powdered
stolon every two days is max dose.
Vrouebossie --- -- Geranium incanum uqhobelo
Regulation of rhythm of menses
Katjie drieblaar - -- Knowltonia vesicatoria vutusa
elimination
Kobra Slangbos -- Melianthus comosus Irhabiya
Stimulant
Prevents parylasis from Cobra poison
Adderbos -- -- Seriphium plumosum inyoka
Toxin block
Blocks adhesion sites to prevent toxins breaking up cells
Verkoue tee -- -- Lippa javanica inzinziniba
cold
Borrie -- -- Curcuma longa i-tumeric
acid neutraliser
antacid, neutraliser.
Stimulates immune system.
Tongblaar -- -- Rumex crispus indololenkonyane body-soul glue
Very good for kidney stones
and healing dissociation from having used tik.
Balsem kopiva -- Bulbine frutescens ibuchu
Closing intestinal leaky gut.
Bitterwortel -- -- Xymalobium undulatum ishongwe
antispasmodic
Harvest
Kooigoed --- -- Helichrisum petiolare imphepho
local blood cleanser
Eliminates streptococcus and riketsia from blood
Oukraalbos --- -- Galenia africana
Dries lungs
It dries out and reduces TB infection.
It can damage the liver so the addition
of wilde alles is required to be added to the mix.
Found in Karoo
Sandolien Dodonea viscosa v angustifolia. Muzuwe
Anti-allergy
Very good against hay fever in many but not all cases.
Found in Karoo
Some indicated plants
Abscess: Datura stramonium leaves poultice external only.
Acid: Mentha, Pentanisia prunelloides, elephant root cold tea.
Asthma: Melianthus bath. Hibiscus.
Bedsores: Daily Ruta tea sprayed on sores.
Bipolar: Melianthus bath
Burns: Aloe gel, Bulbine leaf gel,
Cancer: Fresh Sutherlandia tea, camphor, Castor oil external 2 x /day. Fennel internal.
Candida: Artemisia afra tea.
Colds and flu: Artemisia afra, Ballota, fennel, Pelargonium sidoides, Sand olive. Sutherlandia, Withania, Leonotis
Lippa javanica, Warburgia, African ginger.
Colds with cough: Artemisia & Balotta.
Cold with sinusitis: stick of witgat boom. Carve a few shavings off, boil in water, cool and get your helper to pour it into your nose while hanging your head backwards over the end of the bed.
Cold with post nasal drip: Alepidae (kalmoes)
Colitis: Bulbine gel internally and Melianthus bath.
Constipation: Bulbine
Dog bite: Melianthus poultice
Diabetes: Artemisia afra, Leonotis leonotis, Berberine. Psoralea.
Diarrhoea: Adder Slangbos, Ishonwe.
Fertility: Female: Gunnera, Red hot poker.
Male: Bulbine natalensis, Leonotis.
Hay fever: Sand olive.
Headache: Gunnera - migraine, Vutusa - curse.
Herpes: Urtica urens internal, Carpobrotus, Bulbine – external.
High blood pressure: Leonotis. Olive leaves steam. Relax with sucking one leaflet only Rue.
Insect bites and stings: Carpobrotus, Pelargonium sidoides, Melianthus.
Kidney: Ballota leaf tea. Bitter bessie bos.
Rheumatic fever: Helichrysum tea, never more than two cups per day.
Rheumatism: Urtica urens, Stinkwood bark, Boqho, yarrow, Aloe bitters.
Snake bite: cobra - Melianthus,
adder: Stoebe plumosa, Ballota
Stroke: Melianthus bath, Leonotis tea, witgat boom blare.
Sore throat: Sour fig leaves (Carpobrotus)
Tick bite fever: Helichrysum
Thrush Artemisia afra
Wounds: Withania leaves, Pelargonium sidoides roots, Pineapple flower bulb leaves as dressing. (Eucomis)
Other commonly used well known imported plants
Chamomile - brings agitation back into the digestion to digest the food
Dill, Fennel – dissolve phlegm, stops bloating.
Camphor - warms
Eucalyptus oil under feet at night relaxes and let people sleep easily.
Caster oil – rub oil onto skin growths twice a day and see them crumble away.
Childbirth
There are several plants that can really help in childbirth.
If the child is lying in the wrong position and the mother is cold then a cup of Sutherlandia tea in the evening will help the child move during the relaxing stage of the mother.
If the child is definitely overdue, not more than one level teaspoon of dried Gunnera perpensa rhizome can be put into a cup of boiling water, allowed to draw and drunk. Do not repeat until after birth. The first cup will help start the contractions even a day later by helping to tone the uterus. Once the contractions are working but the cervix is not dilating then one or two leaflets of Rue on the tongue will help the tendons to expand and the baby is easily released. After birth, a second cup of Gunnera will help shrink the uterus, expel the afterbirth and stop bleeding because the contraction will shrink the blood vessels of the uterus.
Important Mixtures
Oxygen - Warburgia & Pentanisia
Suurpens - Elephant root & Pentanisia
Clever Power - Leonotus & Lesertia
Lyfskoonmaak - Helichrisum, Fennel seed, Lesertia, Gunnera stolons, Hypoxis corm, Artemisia afra, Ground Cloves.
Rumatiek - Aloe bitters, Nettle leaves, Stinkwood bark, Boqho root, yarrow flowers.
For more plants see