Welcome new members!! I hope those of you in the United States had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. Over Memorial Day weekend I went out of town on a little girls trip, and one thing that caught my attention the entire drive were the Persian silk trees blooming everywhere along the highways and roadsides! Those fluffy pink flowers almost look dreamlike when they are in full bloom this time of year. Seeing them everywhere reminded me how badly I have wanted to talk about Albizia julibrissin again, commonly called the mimosa tree, Persian silk tree, or silk tree. I did a video last year on Albizia julibrissin. If you want to check it out, I'll link the video in the post! I completely sold out of 5 ounces of harvested mimosa flower from that video and am eager to harvest more to dry, as there are very little to no trustworthy sellers online. One thing that can get confusing in herbalism is the word “mimosa,” because multiple plants share that common name. When people talk about “mimosa flowers” in herbal preparations, they are often referring to the flowers of Albizia julibrissin, not necessarily the sensitive plant Mimosa pudica that folds its leaves when touched. Common names can overlap a lot in the plant world, which is why botanical names matter so much. Although she's beautiful, Albizia julibrissin is not native to the US. It originally comes from parts of Asia and the Middle East and was introduced here as an ornamental tree because of its beautiful flowers and fast growth. Over time it naturalized in many areas across the South and eastern United States, which is why so many of us see it lining roadsides every summer. Traditionally, the flowers and bark have been used in Chinese herbal traditions, where the tree is sometimes called the “Tree of Happiness.” Historically it has been associated with emotional support, calming the spirit, easing grief, supporting sleep, and helping with melancholy or emotional heaviness. The flowers in particular are often viewed as uplifting and heart soothing. I honestly love the flowers so much and a tincure of it tastes like heaven.

Happy Monday! Picking up where we left off on our A-Z Therapeutic Terms. Today’s herbal term is antineuralgic! A word used for herbs or substances traditionally associated with helping calm or ease nerve related pain. The word comes from: - “Anti” = against - “Neuralgia” = nerve pain Neuralgia can feel like: Burning, Tingling, Sharp or shooting pain, Sensitivity along a nerve pathway n traditional herbalism, antineuralgic herbs were often used to support the nervous system during times of tension, irritation, or discomfort. Some herbs historically associated with antineuralgic actions include: Skullcap, St. John’s wort, Jamaican dogwood, Corydalis, & California poppy Many of these herbs also overlap with categories like: - Nervines - Antispasmodics - Relaxants Which shows how interconnected herbal actions can be. One herb rarely fits into only one “box.” ✨ Fun herbalism fact: Historically, some antineuralgic herbs were used externally as oils, poultices, or liniments in addition to teas and tinctures! Question for the community: Have you ever heard the term antineuralgic before, or is this a new herbal vocabulary word for you?