| Herb Chart for Harvesting and Prepartion of Tinctures |
| Why use this guideline? This chart offers the lowest solvency that an herb will tincture at, so that a person does not have to ingest more alcohol than necessary. It also conserves the amount of herbs required. For instance, Astragalus root can be tinctured in 4 times as much alcohol, meaning you only need 1/4 cup herb to 1 cup of alcohol to make an effective astragalus root tincture. Saves on the herb! Many thanks to Sharol Tilgner for her research in efforts to conserve herbs and make the best use of ingredients. Also please keep in mind these are *best* practices, not the only practices. |
| Common Name |
Latin Name |
Parts Used |
Harvesting Period |
Best Form |
Best Strength (How much Herb: How much Liquid) |
Best Solvency Range +/- 10% (alcohol volume) |
| Agrimony |
Agrimonia spp. |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Summer |
Fresh |
1:1 |
40% |
| Alfalfa |
Medicago sativa |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1 |
30% |
| American Ginseng |
Panax quinquefolius |
Roots |
Fall |
Fresh |
1:2 |
50% |
| Anise |
Pimpinella anisum |
Ripe Seeds |
Fall |
Dry |
1:3 |
65% |
| Arnica |
Arnica montana |
Aerial Herb In Flower |
Spring |
Fresh |
1:1 |
55% |
| Ashwaganda |
Withania somnifera |
Roots |
Fall |
Fresh |
1:1 |
50% |
| Astragalus |
Astragalus membranaceous |
Roots |
Fall |
Dry |
1:4 |
60% |
| Bilberry |
Vaccinium spp. |
Leaves, Flowers & Berries |
Spring - Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1 |
50% |
| Black Cohosh |
Cimicifuga racemosa |
Roots & Rhizomes |
Fall |
Dry |
1:3 |
70% |
| Black Walnut |
Juglans nigra |
Green Hulls |
Fall |
Fresh |
1:1 |
40% |
| Bladderwrack |
Fucus vesiculosus |
Mature Thallus |
Spring - Fall |
Dry |
1:5 |
27% |
| Bloodroot |
Sanguinaria canadensis |
Roots |
Spring or Fall |
Fresh |
1:1 |
50% |
| Blue Cohosh |
Caulophyllum thalictroides |
Roots & Rhizomes |
Fall |
Dry |
1:5 |
43% |
| Boneset |
Eupatorium perfoliatum |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1 |
45% |
| Borage |
Borago officinalis |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Spring - Summer |
Fresh |
1:1 |
25% |
| Buchu |
Barosma betulina |
Leaves |
Summer |
Dry |
1:3.5 |
65% |
| Bugleweed |
Lycopus spp. |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Summer |
fresh |
1:1.5 |
60% |
| Burdock |
Arctium lappa root |
Roots |
Fall, 1st year |
Fresh |
1:1 |
45% |
| Burdock |
Arctium lappa seed |
Seeds |
Fall, 2nd year |
Dry |
1:3 |
45% |
| Butcher's Broom |
Ruscus aculeatus |
Roots & Rhizomes |
Fall |
Dry |
1:5 |
45% |
| Calamus |
Acorus calamus |
Roots |
Spring or Fall |
Dry |
1:5 |
50% |
| Calendula |
Calendula officinalis |
Flowers |
Spring - Fall |
Dry |
1:5 |
70% |
| Calendula |
Calendula officinalis |
Flowers |
Spring - Fall |
Fresh |
1:0.65 |
20% |
| California Poppy |
Eschscholzia californica |
Flowering Whole Plant |
Spring - Fall |
Fresh |
1:1 |
50% |
| Cascara |
Rhamnus purshiana |
Bark |
Fall |
Dry & Aged |
1:5 |
25% |
| Catnip |
Nepeta cataria |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
1:.08 |
50% |
| Cayenne |
Capsicum spp. |
Pods with Seeds |
Lat Summer |
Fresh |
1:1 |
55% |
| Celandine |
Chelidonium majus |
Whole Plant |
Fall |
Fresh |
1:1.3 |
60% |
| Celery |
Apium graveolens |
Seeds |
Summer |
Dry |
1:3 |
60% |
| Chamomile |
Matricaria recutita |
Flowers |
Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1.6 |
65% |
| Chapparal |
Larrea tridentata |
Leaves |
Summer |
Dry |
1:5 |
60% |
| Chaste Tree |
Vitex agnus-castus |
Berries |
Fall |
Dry |
1:3 |
75% |
| Chickweed |
Stellaria media |
Aerial Herb |
Spring - Fall |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1 |
33% |
| Cleavers |
Galium aparine |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Spring |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1 |
45% |
| Coltsfoot |
Tussilago farfara |
Aerial Herb |
Spring |
Dry |
1:5 |
35% |
| Comfrey |
Symphytum officinalis |
Roots |
Fall |
Fresh |
1:2 |
27% |
| Corn Silk |
Zea mays |
Silk |
Summer |
Fresh |
1:0.8 |
35% |
| Crampbark |
Vibumum opulus |
Bark |
Spring or Fall |
Dry |
1:5 |
55% |
| Cranesbill |
Geranium maculatum |
Roots |
Spring |
Dry |
1:4 |
40% |
| Damiana |
Tumera diffusa |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
1:4 |
43% |
| Dandelion |
Taraxacum officinalis |
Leaves & Roots |
Spring - Fall |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1 |
45% |
| Dang Shen |
Codonopsis pilosula |
Roots |
Fall |
Dry |
1:5 |
50% |
| Devil's Club |
Oplopanax horridus |
Root Bark |
Fall |
Fresh |
1:2 |
55% |
| Dong Quai |
Angelica sinensis |
Roots |
Fall |
Dry |
1:3 |
70% |
| Echinacea |
Echinacea angustifolia |
Roots |
Fall |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1 |
48% |
| Elder |
Sambucus canadensis |
Flowers |
Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
1:0.7 |
65% |
| Elecampane |
Inula helenium |
Roots |
Fall |
Fresh |
1:1 |
45% |
| Eyebright |
Euphrasia officinalis |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Summer - Fall |
Dry or Fresh |
1:4/1:1 |
65% |
| Fennel |
Foeniculum vulgare |
Ripe Seeds |
Fall |
Dry |
1:4 |
65% |
| Fenugreek |
Trigonella foenum-graecum |
Seeds |
Fall |
Dry |
1:3 |
45% |
| Feverfew |
Tanacetum parthenium |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1 |
45% |
| Fo Ti |
Polygonum multiflorum |
Roots |
Fall |
Dry |
1:5 |
50% |
| Fringe Tree |
Chionanthus virginicus |
Root or Tree Bark |
Spring or Fall |
Dry |
1:5 |
65% |
| Garlic |
Allium sativum |
Bulbs |
Fall |
Fresh |
1:1 |
30% |
| Gentian |
Gentiana lutea |
Roots |
Fall |
Dry |
1:4 |
25% |
| Ginger |
Zingiber officinale |
Roots |
Winter |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1.1 |
57% |
| Ginkgo |
Ginkgo Biloba |
Leaves |
Fall |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1 |
50% |
| Ginseng |
Panax ginseng |
Roots |
Fall |
Dry |
1:4 |
30% |
| Goldenrod |
Solidago canadensis |
Budding Tops |
Fall |
Fresh & Dry |
1:0.9 |
45% |
| Goldenseal |
Hydrastis canadensis |
Roots |
Fall |
Dry |
1:5 |
45% |
| Gotu Kola |
Centella asiatica |
Whole Plant |
Spring - Fall |
Fresh |
1:1 |
45% |
| Gumweed |
Grindelia spp. |
Buds & Flowers |
Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1.4 |
68% |
| Gymnema |
Gymnema sylvestre |
Leaves |
Summer |
Dry |
1:3.5 |
45% |
| Hawthorne |
Crateaegus spp. |
Flowers, Leaves & Berries |
Spring & Late Fall |
Dry |
1:5 |
45% |
| Heal All |
Prunella vulgaris |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Summer |
Fresh |
1:01 |
45% |
| Hops |
Humulus lupulus |
Strobii |
Early Fall |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1.5 |
45% |
| Horehound |
Marrubium vulgare |
Aerial Herb in flower |
Summer - Fall |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1 |
60% |
| Horse Chestnut |
Aesculus hippocastanum |
Ripe Fruit |
Fall |
Dry |
1:5 |
50% |
| Horseradish |
Armoracia rusticana |
Roots |
Spring or Fall |
Fresh |
1:1 |
35% |
| Horsetail |
Equiseturn arvense |
Sterile Stems |
Early Spring |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1 |
25% |
| Hyssop |
Hyssopus officinalis |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1 |
45% |
| Indian Tobacco |
Lobelia inflata |
Aerial Herb with Seeds |
Summer |
Dry |
1:4 |
45% |
| Jamaican Dogwood |
Piscidia piscipula |
Bark |
Fall |
Dry |
1:5 |
75% |
| Juniper |
Juniperus communis |
Berries |
Summer - Fall |
Dry |
1:4 |
70% |
| Kava Kava |
Piper methysticum |
Roots |
Summer - Fall |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1 |
70% |
| Lady's Mantle |
Alchemilla vulgaris |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Summer |
Dry |
1:5 |
45% |
| Lavender |
Lavandula spp. |
Flowering Tops |
Summer |
Dry |
1:5 |
60% |
| Lemon Balm |
Melissa officinalis |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
1:.08 |
45% |
| Licorice |
Glycyrrhiza glabra |
Roots |
Fall |
Dry |
1:3 |
40% |
| Linden |
Tilia spp. |
Flowers & Leaves |
Summer |
Dry |
1:5 |
45% |
| Lomatium |
Lomatium dissectum |
Roots |
Spring or Fall |
Fresh |
1:1.8 |
70% |
| Ma Huang |
Ephedra sinica |
Stems & Twigs |
Summer |
Dry |
1:4 |
35% |
| Marshmallow |
Althea officinalis |
Roots |
Fall |
Fresh |
1:2 |
30% |
| Meadowsweet |
Filipendula ulmaria |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Summer |
Dry |
1:5 |
50% |
| Milk Thistle |
Silyburn marianum |
Seeds |
Fall |
Dry |
1:2.5 |
80% |
| Milky Oats |
Avena sativa |
Seeds |
Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1 |
40% |
| Motherwort |
Leonurus cardiaca |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1 |
45% |
| Mullein |
Verbascum thapsus |
Flowers & Leaves |
Summer |
Dry |
1:5 |
33% |
| Myrrh |
Commiphora myrrha |
Resin |
Summer |
Semi-Dry |
1:3 |
95% |
| Nettles |
Urtica dioica |
Tops |
Spring |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1 |
50% |
| Old Man's Beard |
Usnea spp. |
Lichen |
Spring - Fall |
Dry |
1:5 |
80% |
| Oregon Grape |
Mahonia spp. |
Root Bark |
Spring or Fall |
Dry |
1:5 |
40% |
| Osha |
Ligusticum porters |
Roots |
Fall |
Fresh |
1:1.8 |
70% |
| Partridge Berry |
Mitchella repens |
Aerial Herb |
Summer |
Dry |
1:4 |
43% |
| Passionflower |
Passiflora incarnata |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1 |
40% |
| Pau d'Arco |
Tabebuia impetiginosa |
Bark |
Fall |
Dry |
1:3.5 |
30% |
| Peppermint |
Mentha piperita |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1.4 |
65% |
| Plantain |
Plantago spp. |
Leaves |
Spring - Summer |
Fresh |
1:1 |
24% |
| Pleurisy Root |
Asclepias tuberosa |
Roots |
Spring or Fall |
Fresh |
1:1 |
45% |
| Poke Root |
Phytolacca americana |
Roots |
Spring or Fall |
Fresh |
1:1 |
45% |
| Poplar |
Populus trichocarpa |
Buds |
Early Spring |
Fresh |
1:3 |
88% |
| Prickly Ash |
Zanthoxylum clava-herculus |
Roots |
Spring or Fall |
Dry |
1:3.5 |
65% |
| Propolis |
Propolis |
Bee Resin |
Summer |
Dry |
1:04 |
95% |
| Purple Coneflower |
Echinacea purpurea |
Flowers, Roots & Seeds |
Summer - Fall |
Fresh & Dry |
1:0.8 |
48% |
| Red Cedar (W) |
Thuja plicata |
Scales |
Spring |
Fresh |
1:0.9 |
60% |
| Red Clover |
Trifolium pratense |
Flowers |
Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1 |
45% |
| Red Raspberry |
Rubus idaeus |
Leaves |
Summer |
Dry |
1:4 |
35% |
| Red Root |
Ceanothus americanus |
Roots |
Fall |
Fresh |
1:2 |
35% |
| Rosemary |
Rosmarinus officinalis |
Flowering Tips & Berries |
Summer |
Dry |
1:5 |
65% |
| Sage |
Salvia oficinalis |
Flowering Tops |
Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1.4 |
65% |
| Sarsaparilla |
Smilax ornata |
Roots & Rhizomes |
Spring or FAll |
Dry |
1:4 |
45% |
| Saw Palmetto |
Serenoa repens |
Berries |
Summer - Fall |
1:2.5 |
1:2.5 |
60% |
| Senna |
Senna alexandrina |
Leaves |
Summer |
Dry |
1:5 |
30% |
| Sheep Sorrel |
Rumex acetosella |
Aerial Herb |
Early Summer |
Dry |
1:5 |
40% |
| Shepherd's Purse |
Capsella bursa pastoris |
Aerial Herb with Seeds |
Summer |
Fresh |
1:2 |
24% |
| Skullcap |
Scutellaria lateriflora |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
1:0.9 |
45% |
| Slippery Elm |
Ulmus fulva/rubra |
Bark |
Spring or Fall |
Dry |
1:5 |
25% |
| St. John's Wort |
Hypericum perforatum |
Flowering Tips & Berries |
Early Summer |
Fresh |
1:1 |
60% |
| Stone Root |
Collinsonia Canadensis |
Roots |
Fall |
Dry |
1:4 |
60% |
| Thoroughwax |
Bupleurum chinense |
Roots |
Fall |
Dry |
1:4 |
40% |
| Thyme |
Thymus vulgaris |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1.5 |
65% |
| Turkey Rhubarb |
Rheum palmatum |
Roots |
Fall |
Dry |
1:04 |
25% |
| Uva Ursi |
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi |
Flowering Tips & Berries |
Spring - Summer |
Dry |
1:3.5 |
40% |
| Valerian |
Valeriana officinalis |
Roots |
Fall |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1 |
50% |
| Vervain |
Verbena spp. |
Aerial Herb in Flower |
Summer |
Dry |
1:5 |
40% |
| White Oak |
Quercus alba |
Bark |
Spring or Fall |
Dry |
1:5 |
40% |
| White Willow |
Salix alba |
Bark |
Spring or Fall |
Dry |
1:5 |
48% |
| Wild Cherry |
Prunus spp. |
Bark |
Fall |
Dry |
1:3.5 |
35% |
| Wild Lettuce |
Lactuca spp. |
Budding Tops |
Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
01:01.2 |
60% |
| Wild Yam |
Dioscorea villosa |
Roots |
Fall |
Dry |
1:3.5 |
50% |
| Witch Hazel |
Hamamelis virginiana |
Bark |
Spring or Fall |
Dry |
1:4 |
40% |
| Wu Wei Zi |
Schisandra chinensis |
Berries |
Summer - Fall |
Fresh |
1:4 |
50% |
| Yarrow |
Achillea millefolium |
Flowering Tops |
Summer |
Fresh & Dry |
1:1 |
60% |
| Yellow Dock |
Rumex crispus/obtusifolius |
Roots |
Fall |
Dry |
1:5 |
40% |
| Yerba Santa |
Eriodictyon californicum |
Leaves |
Summer |
Dry |
1:4 |
70% |
| Yucca |
Yucca spp. |
Roots |
Spring or Fall |
Dry |
1:3 |
55% |