Is Juniper Toxic?

I can still clearly recall my first couple experiences with juniper as a green and eager forager. I had been familiar with the plant since early childhood, frequently plucking the tips of the leaves and crushing them between my fingers to inhale the uplifting aroma. When I started a regular foraging practice at the age of 19, I read about using juniper berries and leaves as a seasoning and for medicinal purposes. Several months later I contracted a UTI and remembered reading that juniper functions as a urinary cleanser. I made tea from the leaves of a local tree, and with the help of cranberry juice, my UTI cleared up in a few days. It felt empowering to me at the time and greatly increased my appreciation for juniper.

I enjoyed the flavor and made a semi-regular practice of picking juniper berries and leaves for culinary and medicinal purposes. Herbal medicine books urged a light hand, noting that it can be toxic with frequent or heavy use. Many books mentioned a contraindication with kidney disease. Therefore I never used it frequently. It wasn’t until recently that I learned that these warnings are likely conflating a known toxic species of juniper (Juniperus sabina) with edible varieties. Furthermore, I was accustomed to indiscriminately picking any species of juniper, not realizing that certain species should be avoided. While I haven’t completely untangled the mystery regarding juniper toxicity, I have learned quite a bit and share it below to help end misinformation on the subject.

Poisonous PlantMaria W.April 17, 2025poisonous, plant, edible, medicinalComment

Dandelion: Leaf and Flower Uses

This short video quickly goes over some edible and medicinal parts of dandelion: the leaf and flower. The root is edible and medicinal too, but I don't get into that here. Learn a bit about this plentiful plant and try it out yourself!

Edible PlantMaria W.March 24, 2020video, edible, medicinal, plantComment

Curly Dock: A Plant for Year-Round Sustenance

Curly dock (Rumex crispus, also called yellow dock) is one of those plants that is easily overlooked. It doesn’t have a showy flower and the leaves can look kind of generic. Furthermore, it’s not typically as prolific of a weed as dandelion— at least not in urban areas. It’s unfortunate that people aren’t more familiar with it, as the leaves, stem, seed, and root are all edible or medicinal. And with its wide distribution, it’s easy to start eating!

Edible PlantMaria W.February 3, 2020plant, edible, medicinal Comments

Burdock: It's More Than Just Burs

Many of us have encountered burdock while walking through fields or forest edges, but don’t even realize it until we’re pulling the velcro-like burs from our clothing and muttering curse words. Or if you’re like me, you might notice it before your friends and instigate a bur-throwing battle! Regardless, the bur is typically the most-recognized part. But once you start eating burdock, you might be more apt to notice the tasty parts— which, fortunately, there are several of!

Edible PlantMaria W.November 4, 2019fall, root, medicinal Comments

Basic Herbal Preparations with Motherwort

Learning a few different herbal preparation methods goes a long way in making them more accessible. While teas and tinctures can be costly when bought at a store, harvesting and preparing your own is cheap or free. And you get the added bonus of working directly with the plant!

In the article below, I explain some basic herbal preparations using the plant motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) as an example. (These preparation methods also apply to other plants, of course.) I also quickly go over identification features and medicinal properties of motherwort, but I encourage you to follow the links provided and learn more!

Edible PlantMaria W.August 26, 2019plant, medicinal Comments

White Cedar: For Tea and Health

White cedar (Thuja occidentalis) makes a delicious and healthful tea! Learn how to identify and use it in this video.

Edible PlantMaria W.May 1, 2019video, plant, medicinal, edibleComment

Juniper: An Aromatic Evergreen

As a child growing up in urban Milwaukee, family walks on Sunday afternoons were routine. I remember going by rows of neatly trimmed juniper bushes, and my father stopping us all as he picked a few leaves, crushed them between his fingers, put them to his nose, and inhaled. We were made to follow suit. The smell was strong but pleasant— resinous, slightly citrusy, and stimulating. To this day, I can’t resist picking small amounts of juniper and inhaling the invigorating scent.

Obviously I didn’t know this as a child, but those distinctive smells are essential oils, and they often signal important medicinal qualities, such as fighting infections in wounds and treating coughs, colds, or fevers. In fact, I didn’t even know that the plant was called juniper, much less realize that it was edible and medicinal. But that uplifting smell always stuck with me; and once you smell it, I’m sure it will for you, too!

Edible PlantMaria W.February 18, 2019plant, edible, medicinal, winterComment

Dandelion Root Coffee

I love dandelion "coffee!" As someone who is overly sensitive to caffeine but loves the taste of coffee, this roasty drink comes close enough to satisfy my craving.

If you’re looking for something that tastes exactly like coffee, prepare to be disappointed. However, if you want an earthy drink with numerous health benefits, try this one on for size!

RecipesMaria W.May 3, 2018recipes, plant, edible, medicinalComment

White Pine Vinegar

Infusing vinegar is an easy, safe, and fun way to preserve foraged items for future use. It also draws flavor from materials that you couldn't otherwise eat, perhaps because they are too tough or fibrous. Pine needles are a perfect example! You probably wouldn't want to eat them straight off the tree, but the citrusy, resinous flavor is an excellent addition to salad dressings, drinks, marinades, soups, and more. Furthermore, pine needles are high in vitamins A and C, and prevent and treat coughs and colds. But before we get into the infusion process, let's learn how to identify and find pine trees.

RecipesMaria W.February 5, 2018edible, medicinal, recipesComment

Yarrow: An Herb for What Ails Ya

It is no understatement when I say that yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is one of my all-time favorite herbs. Over the years, I've used it for many purposes: healing wounds, fighting infections, breaking fevers, aiding digestion, easing painful menstruation, and more. It's a common plant that's easy to find in rural and urban environments-- a gift of healing that's free for the picking!

Edible PlantMaria W.August 21, 2017medicinal, plant, identification Comment

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