Today’s fancy scientists still derive cures from ancient sources. Ethnobotanists track down the plants that traditional societies still use as curatives and isolate the chemical compounds that give them their effect. Here are some natural cures you might find in the wilderness around you.

Calendula. Sometimes called “pot marigold,” this yellow flower is actually a member of the daisy family. The flowers can be mashed with oil to produce a salve that slows bleeding and promotes healing in open wounds. In fact, calendula flowers were used in battlefield medicine during both the Civil War and World War I.

Raspberry. You know this fruit is delicious fresh or in preserves. But you might not know that raspberry leaves make a nutritious tea, rich in iron and calcium, that serves as a uterine tonic. It’s a traditional remedy for menstrual cramps, and is sometimes given to ease labor pains.

Echinacea. Also known as purple coneflower, this daisylike bloom grows wild throughout the eastern and midwestern United States. Native Americans have long gathered echinacea for its ability to boost the immune system. Taken as a tea or ground up in capsules, it helps to fight colds and flu. Echinacea can also be worked into a salve for external use, to ward off infection from cuts and scrapes.

Goldenseal. The root and leaves of this flower, a relative of the buttercup, are loaded with hydrastine and berberine—both natural antibiotics. Chop and simmer the root to make a tincture that can be used as a mouth rinse or a topical antiseptic to fight fungal infections such as athlete’s foot and ringworm. When taken orally in conjunction with garlic, it’s reportedly effective against parasites.

St. John’s wort. This five-petaled yellow flower is native to Europe, but has been introduced all over the world, growing wild in some places as an invasive weed. It can be identified by the small oil glands that dot its leaves, giving them a windowed appearance. Crushing the flower buds or seed pods produces a purplish-red liquid with strong anti-inflammatory properties. St. John’s wort also boosts the brain’s production of melatonin and serotonin and is commonly prescribed for treatment of insomnia and clinical depression.

Ginger. There’s a reason your mom gave you ginger ale when you were sick. Ginger root is effective against gastric distress. To soothe nausea, dice ginger finely and boil in water until the infusion takes on a pale golden color. Strain it, and then sweeten the brew with honey if you like (and if you’re feeling adventurous, see page 32), and sip either hot or cold. If you don’t have the means to prepare a brew, a slice of fresh ginger is just as effective, if a little spicy. The plant is very tough and fibrous when raw, so don’t actually swallow it—just chew to extract the juice.

Bark. Being hungry is kind of a medical condition, right? Treat it with the edible inner bark of the eastern white pine. Dry the long, sticky sheets, and then roast to make a crunchy treat, or grind into flour.