4 Mountain Medicinals in the Wasatch
Admittedly, growing up in Salt Lake City near the Wasatch Mountains is NOT how I became interested in medicinal plants. The Wasatch inspired me much more with its craggy peaks and wildflowers. Identifying plants here has been challenging for me,
YARROW
Achillea millefolium
IDENTIFICATION
• Feathery, fern-like leaves
• Flat white flower clusters
• Sunny trails + disturbed soils
MEDICINAL USES
• Stops bleeding
• Wound healing
• Fever + cold support
PREPARATION
• Fresh poultice
• Tea
• Tincture
• Topical oils
BEST TIME TO HARVEST
Late spring → mid summer (May–July)
ENERGETICS
Ayurveda:
Cooling, drying
Balances Pitta + Kapha
Western Herbalism:
Astringent, diaphoretic
Moves heat outward, supports circulation
CAUTION
Avoid during pregnancy
ETHICAL HARVEST
Harvest lightly, abundant patches only. Never strip a plant of all of its leaves.
STINGING NETTLE
Urtica dioica
IDENTIFICATION
• Serrated leaves with stinging hairs
• Moist, shaded environments
MEDICINAL USES
• Mineral-rich tonic
• Allergy support
• Anti-inflammatory
PREPARATION
• Tea
• Cooked greens
BEST TIME TO HARVEST
Spring → early summer (before flowering)
ENERGETICS
Ayurveda:
Cooling, slightly drying
Balances Pitta, can support Vata when nourished
Western Herbalism:
Nutritive tonic, alterative
Builds blood, restores depleted systems
CAUTION
Use gloves when harvesting
DANDELION
Taraxacum officinale
IDENTIFICATION
• Yellow flowers
• Jagged basal leaves
• Milky sap
MEDICINAL USES
• Liver + digestive support
• Bitter tonic
• Mild diuretic
PREPARATION
• Root tea
• Leaves fresh or tea
BEST TIME TO HARVEST
Leaves: early spring
Roots: fall
ENERGETICS
Ayurveda:
Cooling, bitter
Strongly reduces Pitta, clears heat from the liver
Western Herbalism:
Bitter tonic, hepatic
Stimulates digestion and bile flow
CAUTION
Avoid sprayed areas
PINE
Pinus spp.
IDENTIFICATION
• Needle clusters
• Cones + resin scent
MEDICINAL USES
• Vitamin C source
• Respiratory support
• Antimicrobial resin
PREPARATION
• Needle tea
• Resin salve
BEST TIME TO HARVEST
Year-round (best in spring for fresh tips)
ENERGETICS
Ayurveda:
Warming, stimulating
Balances Kapha, may aggravate Pitta in excess
Western Herbalism:
Stimulating expectorant
Moves stagnation in lungs + sinuses
CAUTION
Avoid confusion with yew (toxic)
Remember, plants are not just here for us to personally gain from. They serve a purpose in their environment, and if we over-harvest, we disrupt that ecosystem. Only pick what you can use- particularly when you’re picking part of the plant that will prevent it from going to seed (flowers).