Wild Herbs with April

Why Herbalists Need Medical Botany You've done the training. You know your calendula, chamomile, echinacea, and goldenrod. But the aster family alone holds 34,000 species. In this episode, April shares why medical botany is the missing framework for trained herbalists. It was once the backbone of American healthcare, and today almost no one has heard of it. In this episode: How April found medical...

I'll be sharing the most important things I've learned over nearly 30 years of studying herbalism and botany. If you're ready to stop mail-ordering herbs from distant lands and start connecting deeply with the plant kingdom, especially the wild ones, this free training is for you. Register below, and I hope to see you there! 📅 September 16th, 2026, at 12PM ET 👉 https://www.wildherbacademy.com/ma...

Herbalists, want to learn the native plant medicine of your region? I’m teaching my framework for building regional plant knowledge in an upcoming LIVE class, From 20 Herbs to Infinite Medicine , on September 15, 16, and 18. 👉 Save your spot: https://www.wildherbacademy.com/masterclass What if kidney disease doesn’t have to mean giving up hope? When kidney function begins to decline, it can feel...

Herbalists, want to go beyond knowing 20 common herbs and learn how to understand the plants growing around you? Learn how to embody the medicine of the land where you live. I’m teaching my framework for building regional plant knowledge in my LIVE class, From 20 Herbs to Infinite Medicine, on September 15, 16, and 18. 👉 Save your spot: https://www.wildherbacademy.com/masterclass South African bo...

If you want to learn the language of plants and learn how to identify and make medicine with 100+ flowering plants, join the waitlist for the Medical Botany: https://www.wildherbacademy.com/medical-botany-1-waitlist-1   If you need an alarm to wake up, you’re not sleeping enough. But what does sleep have to do with your hormones? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Nancy Beliveau, a functional...

What if every plant invites you into a deeper relationship, not only with its medicine, but with the ecosystem it calls home? In this episode, I sit down with forager and permaculturist Bryan Bramlett to explore the remarkable medicinal potential of Japanese knotweed, why it's treasured in herbal traditions, and how it can support healthy aging, circulation, and cardiovascular function. We also di...

What if the secret to nervous system healing wasn't just in the herb but in how it's delivered? In this solo episode, I'm sharing my personal relationship with Passiflora incarnata — one of my favorite nervine herbs for the modern, overstimulated nervous system — including my go-to passionflower recipe for nourishing the nervous system, plus practical tips for growing and harvesting passionflower...

Did you know carpenter bees can get drunk while visiting passionflowers? In this episode of the Wild Herbs Podcast, Dr. Shawn Krosnick, a professor of biology at Tennessee Technological University, shares insights from her years of research on the genus Passiflora. She uncovers the floral anatomy of passionflower, its pollination biology, primary fruit dispersers, evolutionary relationships with o...

What does it really mean to be grounded before you forage? In this episode of the Wild Herbs Podcast, I talk with author, anthropologist, and ethnobotanist Lisa Rose about what it means to forage with full awareness. Lisa shares how she grew up foraging on the shores of Lake Michigan, why water stewardship belongs in every foraging conversation, and how engaging all your senses before you harvest...

What if the best medicine for your body has nothing to do with treating your disease and everything to do with treating you? That's the question at the heart of this conversation, and I am so honored to bring you one of the most respected voices in herbal medicine today, David Winston. In this episode of the Wild Herbs Podcast, I talk with herbalist and ethnobotanist David Winston about how plant...

What if spending just two days in nature could give you a full month of health benefits and flower essences could help you evolve faster consciously?  In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Katie Hess, the founder of LOTUSWEI flower essences, author of Flowerevolution , and expert of bioenergetic remedies. Katie shares how a chance encounter with a mysterious indigenous woman on...

What does it really take to break free from addiction and what if plants held more answers than we've been told? And what if those same plants could also help us face the one thing we fear even more than our addictions — death? In this episode, I sit down with herbalist and natural medicine legend Brigitte Mars to talk about the natural way of healing from addiction, the healing power of plant med...

What if your dreams were a direct conversation with the Earth itself? In this episode, I sit down with Lauren Morgan, a community herbalist, dream weaver, and author of Seasonal Herbalism , whose work bridges the worlds of plant medicine and dreaming. This conversation weaves together herbalism, dreaming, and deep Earth connection in a way that feels both grounding and expansive. You will learn ho...

What does it truly mean to rewild yourself? In this powerful, impactful episode, I had a conversation with Jesse Wolf Hardin, an  American author, activist, musician, artist, herbalist, and wilderness guide  to explore the concept of ''rewilding". This conversation goes far beyond ecology. It’s an invitation to remember that we are not separate from nature. We are nature. Together,&...

What if one of the most powerful longevity “superfoods” was literally falling from trees around you? In this episode, I sit down with naturopathic doctor Dr. Saeid Mushtagh to explore the science, tradition, and real-world benefits of pine pollen, a potent plant ally known for supporting hormones, energy, and longevity. From its roots in traditional Chinese medicine to modern clinical in...

In this returning episode of the Wild Herbs Podcast, April dives deeply into the medicine, botany, and spirit of Pine—an ancient evergreen ally that shows up for us when we need resilience the most. Pine has survived ice ages, climate shifts, and mass extinctions, and in the heart of winter it continues to offer powerful medicine for the lungs, immune system, and spirit. In this episode, April wea...

In this deeply nourishing episode of The Wild Herbs Podcast , April Punsalan sits down with Malieokalani Urrutia, founder of Sacred Woman School , to explore the ancient feminine wisdom of the womb. Together they uncover what it means to live from the womb space—a center of intuition, creation, and divine knowingand how this awareness transforms a woman’s life. Malieokalani shares how women can aw...

Why you need to hear this episode with Nishanth Gurav What if the key to healing our bodies, our spirits, and our planet has been preserved for thousands of years — by people living in deep relationship with the land? In this unforgettable conversation, ethnobotanist Nishanth Gurav takes us inside the Gond Tribe of India, considered one of the oldest Indigenous communities in the world. Nishanth h...

What does it truly mean to come home to the land—and why is land a source of both healing and power? 🌿 In this inspiring episode of the Wild Herbs Podcast, April sits down with Aleya Fraser, author of Caribbean Herbalism and land steward in Trinidad & Tobago. Aleya shares her extraordinary journey from Johns Hopkins medical labs and urban life to farming on ancestral lands, embracing agroecol...

You can't miss this episode with Doug Tallamy! Doug is a conservation visionary, renowned entomologist, ecologist, professor, and New York Times bestselling author.  As the co-founder of the Homegrown National Park initiative, Doug shares his visionary approach to transforming our lawns and backyards into thriving ecosystems that support biodiversity and combat biodiversity loss.  You wi...

In this fascinating episode, I sit down with Dr. Stephen E. Lindow , a distinguished plant pathologist and microbial ecologist , to explore the phyllosphere —the diverse microbiome that covers plant leaves. Dr. Lindow shares his groundbreaking research on plant-associated bacteria and their role in plant health, immunity, and even their potential impact on human microbiomes. Key Topics Covered: Wh...

Discover the sacred medicine of Iboga, the transformative power of this plant, and the modern-day applications of one of the most sacred plants on this Earth! In this episode with Levi Barker, initiated Iboga plant medicine administer and retreat facilitator, you will learn: 1. The rich history of Iboga. 2. How Iboga has been revered by the Bwiti people of Central Africa for centuries.  3. Le...

If you have ever been curious about Ayurveda, if you have to listen to this episode with Myra Lewin, Founder of Hale Pule, School of Ayurveda and Yoga. Myra explains beautifully the principles of Ayurveda and shares her wisdom with you.  In this episode Myra covers: 1. The principles of Ayurveda. 2. Why overeating is harmful for the body.  3. The wise portion size that will leave your bo...

In this special episode, wise healer, Dr. Rosita Arvigo, shares with you the Medicine and Magic of Marigolds. Dr. Rosita covers: 1. The spirit of marigold.  2. How to connect with the spirit and medicine of marigold. 3. How to make a marigold lustration bath. 4. How to heal colicky babies with marigold flowers. 5. Specific women health issues marigold can relieve.   6. Yoni steaming.&nbs...

Modern Society can make us edgy. Mimosa flowers take the edge off better than any other wild herb I know. They uplift the energy so we can feel the beauty and blissfulness of spring and summer. In this episode, I share with you: 1. Mimosa flower medicine.  2. How I connect with Mimosa flowers. 3. The botany of Mimosa tree.  4. A free link below to nab the Mimosa Flower Syrup Recipe, that...