Up in our corner of the country, it comes in playfully: warm sunny spells—enticing us to buy tender plants, and dig them in early—alternate with clouds and rain, with an occasional treacherous late frost thrown in.
Nevertheless, the longer days bring out an enchanting sequence of blooming flowers and trees, a magic that never grows old. Lately I notice that, each year, a different plant seems to attract my attention in a special way as it responds to the season. Last year it was the Willow trees. This year, the flowers that are suddenly catching my eye are the bright yellow buds of the Oregon Grape bushes, growing both wild and cultivated, all over our region!
Oregon Grape Root may not be one of the first herbs that come to mind for spring detox regimens, but with its potent liver stimulating and immune modulating effects, it’s surely one to consider, along with classic liver herbs like Dandelion Root and Milk Thistle Seed.
Supporting the liver’s detox functions is a less direct path to addressing the seasonal allergies that typically flare in springtime, compared to dealing with symptoms in a more immediate way with herbs such as Nettle Leaf and Eyebright (both featured in Em’s Aller-Geez! tea formula)—but it’s one that reaches deeply into your system to help tune and balance responses to pollens and other immune challenges.
Happy Spring, wherever you are!