The plant with the tiny purple flowers in this photo is a member of the mint family called henbit. It is regarded as a common weed that most people will pull up or mow out of their lawns. Henbit is actually an herb that has healing properties. It can be added to soups and salads. Henbit flower and leaf tea is used as a relief for indigestion, fever reduction, laxative action, and to help women with menstruation. Since henbit aids menstrual bleeding, it should not be used by pregnant women. Henbit does not have poisonous look-alikes, so it is alright to pick wild.
The henbit in this photo is growing with a gorgeous green plant from the carrot family, which is quite lovely but may be poisonous. I would advise against picking anything from the carrot family in the wild because poison hemlock looks very similar to wild carrot. It is also a good idea to make sure that if you are picking wild herbs, you are not in a place that gets sprayed with pesticides.
I love it that something so many people think of as a weed is a healing plant. It inspires me to look for other "weeds" in my world. How many things of beauty do we overlook daily because we are too busy or distracted to see them?
The henbit in this photo is growing with a gorgeous green plant from the carrot family, which is quite lovely but may be poisonous. I would advise against picking anything from the carrot family in the wild because poison hemlock looks very similar to wild carrot. It is also a good idea to make sure that if you are picking wild herbs, you are not in a place that gets sprayed with pesticides.
I love it that something so many people think of as a weed is a healing plant. It inspires me to look for other "weeds" in my world. How many things of beauty do we overlook daily because we are too busy or distracted to see them?