Botanical Beauty

	Evening Primrose The evening primrose grows like a weed. Not really a primrose, it is sometimes called "sun drop." The large yellow flower opens late in the day and last only one evening, then produces lots of small seeds. Presumably, these seeds were carried to Europe early in the history of colonization of North America because evening primrose now grows wild in many parts of the continent.
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	St John's Wort St. John's Wort is an attractive, hardy perennial that smells like turpentine or balsam. It has the curious property of appearing to bleed when crushed. It is considered a noxious, rampant weed in California and the plant itself cannot be cultivated here. However, despite the fact that it spreads by runners, it is seldom invasive and can be controlled by pulling.
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	Lobelia This herb is a powerful poison that doesn't belong on the home medicine shelf.  Similar to nicotine, it has been used in over-the-counter preparations to help people stop smoking, however, there is no indication that it's useful in this area.
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	Milk Thistle Also known as Marian, St. Mary's, and Our Lady's thistle, the herb is native to Europe. Originating in the Mediterranean region and grown and used as a vegetable throughout Europe, it was brought to the United States and has adapted to life in the wild in California and along the East Coast. It is a tall plant with large prickly leaves and a reddish purple flower.
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	Echinacea If you're not interested in healing yourself with its roots, you can simply enjoy the beauty of echinaceas in your yard or garden. They have a very slight fragrance and propagate into beautiful, meadowlike beds if you let them.
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	Calendula Also known as Pot marigold, the ancient Romans named this plant after they saw it bloom the first day or "calends" of every month. For centuries this plant was associated with the sun and believed to open with the sunrise and close with the sunset.