3 Plants for Anxiety, Upset Stomach and Sleeplessness - Pineapple Weed, Catnip, and Lemon Balm

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Pineapple-weed - Matricaria discoidea
Catnip - Nepeta cataria
Lemon balm - Melissa officinalis
In this video I identify and describe pineapple weed, catnip, and lemon balm. All three can be used to help relieve anxiety, sleeplessness and upset stomach. I also describe some medicinal uses for each of these plants and describe some of the ways that I use them to make teas. Lemon balm tea, pineapple weed tea and catnip tea are easy to make and delicious.
Catnip - Nepeta cataria
Catnip is know for its effect on cats, and it has been used by humans medicinally since Roman times.
Identification of Catnip
Catnip is a perennial herb which grows from a taproot. It has a square stem, is covered with fine white hairs, and has leaves that are heart shaped, coarsely toothed, green on the top and greyish green underneath, and catnip smells minty and a little musty. The flowers of catnip are whitish pink with purple spots and form clusters near the tips.
Catnip Has Medicinal Uses
Catnip has been used to relieve flatulence, nausea, diarrhea, upset stomachs, and other digestive problems, relieve anxiety, and catnip is considered soothing to the nervous system and said to help with insomnia. It is gentle and has been given to young children. Catnip has also been used to relieve headaches and catnip can affect cats but there are no cats on catnip in this video.
Lemon Balm - Melissa officinalis
Lemon balm is a widespread garden escapee with a long history of use as a general health tonic and also as a flavouring in candies and ice cream.
Identification of Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is a perennial herb with a square stem that grows up to 3 feet tall, and it spreads by seeds and rhizomes. It is vibrant green in colour with coarsely blunt-toothed leaves that are egg shaped. The leaves are slightly hairy and somewhat crinkled in appearance. Lemon balm has a very distinct lemon smell, and it grows white to yellow flowers in whorls which emerge from the leaf axils near the top of the stem.
Medicinal Uses for Lemon Balm
Lemon balm has some medicinal uses including relieving nervous indigestion, nausea, gas, generally settle the stomach and relieve gastrointestinal issues. Lemon balm has also been used to help calm anxiety and is soothing to the nervous system. Lemon balm has also been used to help relieve restlessness and to help sleep including for overstimulated children. Lemon balm has been used to help repel mosquitoes.
Pineapple Weed - Matricaria discoidea AKA wild chamomile
Pineappleweed, also commonly known as wild chamomile, is often found along pathways where humans walk, and it likes to grow in compact soil. When you crush the flowering head of pineapple weed, it smells like pineapple.
Identification of Pineapple-Weed
Pineappleweed is an annual herb that grows 10 to 30 cm tall. It's leaves are highly dissected and almost fern-like and very delicate in appearance. The pineapple weed flowers are ray-less cones that are yellowy green in colour, and they smell like pineapple. The leaves resemble the leaves of chamomile, and pineapple-weed is a relative of chamomile.
Pineapple Weed Has Medicinal Uses
Pineapple-weed has been used to relieve hearburn, gas, upset stomachs, and other digestive problems. It has also been used to relieve anxiety, and it is said to be soothing to the nervous system and able to help you get a full night's sleep. Pineappleweed is also said to help sooth menstrual cramps and help with the production of breast milk. It is gentle and has been given to children.
Please consume wild plants at your own risk! Consult multiple reliable sources before consuming any wild plants! This video is for information and entertainment only!
References
Gray, Beverley. The Boreal Herbal: Wild Food and Medicine Plants of the North. Aroma Borealis Press. 2011.
Grogan, Barbara. Recipes for Natural Living: Healing Herbs Handbook. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2018.
Kloos, Scott. Pacific Northwest Medicinal Plants. Timber Press, Inc. 2017
MacKinnon, A. Edible and Medicinal Plants of Canada. Lone Pine Media Productions (BC) Ltd. 2014.
MacKinnon, A. Edible and Medicinal Plants of Canada. Lone Pine Media Productions (BC) Ltd. 2014.
Millard, Elizabeth. Backyard Pharmacy: Growing Medicinal Plants in Your Own Yard. Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc. 2015.
Nyerges, Christopher. Guide to Wild Foods and Useful Plants. Chicago Review Press Incorporated. 2014.
Parish, R.; Coupe, R.; and Lloyd, D. Plants of the Inland Northwest and Southern Interior British Columbia. BC Ministry of Forests and Lone Pine Publishing. 2018
Pojar, Jim and MacKinnon, Andy. Plants of Coastal British Columbia including Washington, Oregon & Alaska. BC Ministry of Forests and Lone Pine Publishing. 2004.
Wiles, Briana. Mountain States Medicinal Plants. Timber Press Inc. 2018.

[@LH-zw7dg]

My kids LOVE pineapple weed and have to pick squish and smell it on every walk!

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Cute! It's hard to resist! Thank you!

[@shantleybruce6742]

Seeing the lemon balm right next to the catnip is super helpful, thank you! I found some pineapple weed while harvesting nettles just a couple of days ago and made tea out of it. It's fruity flavor is awesome!

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Good! I'm glad it was helpful! I was excited to see the catnip mixed in with the lemon balm like it was because I thought it would make a good example. Thank you!

[@davegregory2593]

I didn't know that plants of the mint family have a square stem, cool fact!

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Thank you!

[@emilygoodlad8109]

You made a video while sick? Man, that must have been hard! Thank you!

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

I made it after the worse of it, and I'm feeling much better now. Thank you!

[@dallen4482]

Visiting Vancouver Island and found a great source of pineapple weed!

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Excellent! I think it's great stuff. Thank you!

[@tiffif]

Made a good pesto from lemon balm, almonds, garlic , very nice lemon taste. 😊

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

That sounds pretty delicious! Thank you!

[@cigileyAtTR]

Your videos are captivating and a pleasure to watch. Good times.

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

That's so nice of you to say! Thank you!

[@rebeccafrazier8619]

Put some lemon balm in with a few lemons and make lemonade with it.. so good… serve cold on ice

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Yum, sounds good! Thanks!

[@emmalee478]

Love all 3!

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

So do I! Thank you!

[@leahsiemens1424]

Good to know! I was super excited to find a volunteer pineapple weed plant in my garden this year! Sadly, only 1. I will have to look up how they propagate to see if I can create a larger patch. I think I'll make a super power tea tonight with some of these things :-)

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

I've been trying to get them established in my yard for a couple years. I've learned some things. They're annuals and drop seeds after flowering. They like to grow in compact soil. They seem to do very poorly with being transplanted. I pulled a bunch that were done flowering and just put them in gardens where I hoped they'd grow, and some made it, so I'm hopeful more will come back next year. Good luck!

[@leahsiemens1424]

@@OkanaganGardenerandForager thanks for the extra info. I'm surprised this one is growing where it is. It's not very compact soil but hey, I'll take it. I'll let this one drop some seeds and hopefully have more next year.

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

@leahsiemens1424 the ones that did come back in my garden are not in compact soil either, so they can grow there. I'm just trying to figure it out!

[@leahsiemens1424]

@@OkanaganGardenerandForager good to know! :-) Thanks!

[@jeremiahwise8040]

Thank you for the videos!

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

You're welcome! Thank you, too!

[@vernonsbestsummercampandaf334]

Great advice!

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Thank you!

[@isabelladavis1363]

Thank you for this information much appreciated

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

You're welcome! I hope it helps!

[@dallen4482]

It helps calm restless kiddos!? Now I’m sad my plant died over winter.

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Now is a good time to find more of all three of them! I hope you get a new plant of some sort! Thanks!

[@dwaynekinsland2892]

😑 𝓟Ř𝔬𝓂𝔬𝐒ϻ

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Thank you!