If you have looked into herbal medicine you have likely come across a litany of funny sounding names for a common plant. This can be burdensome at first but definitely serves a purpose! Plants in the same family can have similar but not exactly the same composition and the concentration may not be in the same part of the plant. Using the botanical name when labeling or purchasing helps ensure that you are using the right part the right way. For an example, Echinacea. I have a bag of echinacea that I purchased at an herb shop in Columbus. The label simply says Echinacea. In this instance it is not an issue with toxicity but potency. If I’m looking to make a formula to help stimulate the immune system at the onset of an illness I prefer to mix the aerial parts (above ground parts) of Echinacea purpurea with the root of Echinacea angustifolia for a high potency formula. I have included a few pictures for comparison. The paper bag is the questionable sample from Columbus, the small bag is leftover from a course I took on using herbs in a first aid setting and the final (Cramp Bark- Viburnum opulus) is from a shop I stopped at in Michigan that turned out to be a gold mine for herbs.