A Second Look at Weeds with Pamela Jones: Yarrow, Chicory, Horsetail, Shepherd’s Purse, Ground Ivy, Oh My!

February 4, 1995

On this day, the North County Times ran a little article about weeds.

It started with this question:

"What do Yarrow, Chicory, Horsetail, Shepherd's Purse, and Ground Ivy have in common?"

Well, in case you haven’t guessed, the answer is that they are all considered weeds.

Yet the author of Just Weeds, Pamela Jones, countered

I would like to see the word weed abolished altogether for being one of the most intolerant, negative words in the English language.

Pamela’s book features insights into the uses (medicinal and otherwise) of thirty different weeds - and she also shares the lore and history of each plant.

The part of the Yarrow that grows above ground has been used to treat everything from fever and cold to tummy troubles and toothaches.

Chicory is known as the herb for perseverance.

I always think of the little Chicory flower I once saw blooming happily through a crack along the side of a highway - such a great example of determination! All the Chicory parts are useful for medicine and food.

Horsetail or Milkweed (Asclepias) was a valued medicinal plant to Native Americans who used it for snakebites and increased lactation.

Meanwhile, Shepherd’s Purse has been called the most essential plant in the Cruciferous family for its ability to stop bleeding.

Finally, Ground Ivy or Creeping Charlie helps stop headaches, earaches, and sinusitis, and it also moves the lymph system, which is why it is known for its drying and draining abilities.