4 Exotic Herbs from Around the World
Each corner of the world has unique secrets. Traveling through the world you notice nature’s effect on it, how areas differ. One place is hot and humid, drought reigns in another, a third braces for fierce cold weather and so on. Along with climate, the surrounding flora changes too. Exotic herbs grow from each condition.
For thousands of years, people have found healing for a wide variety of ailments in their surrounding nature. Despite the fact that completely different plants grow in different parts of the planet, humans have always found something to help them feel better.
We want to introduce you to four unique places and four exotic herbs native to them. So, let's start our journey!
Treasure of Africa
The first place we will visit is Africa. Africa is a huge continent with its savannas, oases, and desert landscapes, with its incredible variety of wild flora and unusual climatic conditions. Here you can find Buchu - an evergreen shrub growing up to 2 meters in height. The scientific name of this plant is Agothosma betulina while Hottentots African tribes call this herb Bookoo or Boku.
Buchu is one of the best known medicinal plants in South Africa and has been used by local peoples for centuries to treat a wide range of health conditions. Buchu leaves are commonly used as a diuretic, due to their antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Gift of the East
The next stop in our journey is China. The landscapes of this country amaze with their diversity: rivers, mountains, trees, stones, deserts, and sands. The warm lands of China are home to the perennial plant that is known as Dong Quai. Another name for this plant is Female Ginseng, a name given as this herb has been traditionally used for women’s health-related conditions.
But Dong Quai brings benefits not only for women. Due to the rich content of nutrients including ferulic acid, phytosterols, polysaccharides and coumarin this exotic herb is useful for both genders.
South America Wonder
The third place we visit is South America - a bright, alluring and at times frightening world that amazes with a variety of nature, landscapes, and climatic zones. Here grows Acerola, the scientific name of which is Malpighia emarginata. A well-known herb due to its healing abilities, Acerola is also the most significant source of antioxidants, as it keeps the highest concentrations of vitamin C of any fruit.
In addition to Acerola’s medical benefits, this exotic herb is used for cooking. Acerola berries are eaten raw and are the major ingredient of various baked dishes, ice creams, candies, jams, and jellies.
Russian Health Secret
Our last stop will be Russia - a country with a vast territory and a great variety of climatic conditions. Here you will find arctic deserts, tundra, taiga, mixed and deciduous forests, steppes and more. This amazing place is home to Maral Root - the fourth exotic herb of our list.
Maral Root has been traditionally used in Siberian folk medicine as an adaptogen and stimulant, helping to recover after illnesses. Due to the rich reserve of nutrients including antioxidants, tannins, and flavonoids, Maral Root is able to exert its healing properties, acting as a powerful immune booster.
