Herbs have been associated with curses every bit as long as they’ve been associated with cures. Be aware that a good number of herbs are toxic. Their effects range from irritating skin to causing death. When Socrates drank hemlock, he wasn’t kidding around. Here are some of the more common herbs to be wary of, including a couple that can kill:

• Aconite (Aconitum napellus): This herb, also known as monkshood and wolfsbane, deserves a skull-and-crossbones; it’s highly poisonous.
• Aloe (Aloe barbadensis): Juice from these stems is great for minor burns, but never use it internally.
• Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium): Absinthe, as a drink, has been banned worldwide.
• Deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna): In folklore, this herb is a favorite ingredient of witches’ brews. The common name says it all.
• Hemlock (Contium maculatum): Think nausea, paralysis, and death.
• Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea): The source of a powerful heart medication, foxglove can cause convulsions and even death if used improperly.
• Pokeweed (Phytolacca spp.): All parts of mature plants, including their pretty purple berries, are toxic.
• Comfrey (Symphytum officinale): Laboratory research indicates comfrey, even in low concentrations, is carcinogenic in rats.
• Hellebore: Both American false hellebore (Veratrum viride) and black hellebore (Helleborus niger) are dangerous characters; they’re major-league skin irritants and can be fatal if ingested.

With herbs, it’s downright stupid to imbibe first and ask questions later. Don’t put any herb in your mouth without knowing what it is and what it does. If your skin is unusually sensitive, don’t going rolling around in your herb garden. Above all, clearly label any dangerous herbs, and fence them to protect those who can’t read.

The Wild Ones

Wild crafting is the term for gathering herbs and other plants from the outdoors. This activity is so popular that many species are being threatened by over collection. Irresponsible collectors who take plants for profit are only part of the problem. The other part is that familiar feeling that we all have when we see a stand of goldenseal or bloodroot: “Oh, it won’t matter if I take just a few.” Of course, everyone else has the same feeling, so multiply “take a few” by 100 or 1,000 collectors, and you see the problem.

You can collect some herbs, such as dandelion and plantain (Plantago major), without a second thought about survival of the species. Other plants are problematic. Native orchids and lilies now grow in such small numbers that you should never disturb them. Over collection threatens goldenseal, (Hydrastis canadensis), ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), and several species of Echinacea, our native coneflowers. And that’s only a partial list.

Here are some other rules of the plant-collecting road:

• Get permission to harvest.  ....read more