Herbs with Rosalee

What if the medicine you need isn’t just in the plant—but in kneeling down to meet it?
Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum) may not be as widely known as other plants in the herbal world, but as Swedish herbalist Lisen Sundgren shares in this episode, it holds a quiet kind of magic. With its delicate white flowers, an aroma reminiscent of vanilla, and a long history in European traditions, this woodland herb has been used to gently support the nervous system, ease restlessness, and mark the turning of the seasons.
But this conversation goes far beyond herbal actions. Lisen invites us into a deeper relationship with plants—one rooted in presence, patience, and reciprocity. From foraging in shaded forests to collaborating with chefs to create beautiful local, seasonal dishes, she shares how sweet woodruff became both a beloved herbal ally and a doorway into something even more meaningful: a sense of belonging within the natural world.
Be sure to download your beautifully illustrated recipe card for Lisen’s traditional sweet woodruff Maywine, a simple, time-honored way to celebrate the turning of the season, here.
By the end of this episode, you’ll know:
► Five ways sweet woodruff can benefit your health, from calming a wired mind to gently supporting the skin
► The surprising way its signature scent develops (and why it matters)
► Why less really is more when working with sweet woodruff
► How to work with sweet woodruff to create simple, nourishing skincare preparations
► Three tips for mindfully harvesting sweet woodruff
► How reconnecting with plants can support your nervous system in unexpected ways
► and so much more…
For those of you who don’t know her, Lisen Sundgren has created her path as an herbalist, forager, author, and nature and forest therapy guide for the past 30 years. We are nature and every single day there is more to learn from the depth of knowledge that plants have gathered for millions of years. What she learns, she shares, so that we can create a more sustainable, healthy, and delicious lifestyle.
To date Lisen has written eight books on various aspects of the use of herbs. She has inspired thousands through her books, through workshops and appearances in numerous TV and podcast appearances.
Since wild edibles made their entrance on the culinary scene, Lisen has been working closely with a number of progressive restaurants, and has trained chefs to use the wild harvest and to forage sensibly.
In the 90s she pioneered in the world of natural skincare with her brand, Lisen Organics.
Whether you’re sipping a fragrant infusion or simply sitting quietly beside a patch of green, may this episode inspire you to slow down, be present, and listen more closely to the plants around you.
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Get full show notes, transcript, and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com
Would you prefer watching this episode? If so, click here for the video.
You can find Lisen at LifeByLisen.com/English.
For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!
Working successfully with herbs requires three essential skills. Get introduced to them by taking my free herbal jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.
If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!
On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.
Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.
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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.

If you live in the American Southwest, chances are you’re familiar with piñon pine (Pinus edulis and other species). But while this rugged tree is most often celebrated for its nourishing nuts, its needles, resin, and aromatic presence offer a whole world of medicine just waiting to be explored.
In this episode, I sit down with my friend Briana Wiles to explore the many gifts of piñon pine. She shares how this beloved conifer can support everything from the lungs and immune system to the skin and nervous system, while also bringing an unexpected sense of grounding and brightness. Along the way, we talk about what it really means to build a relationship with a plant and how working deeply with one herb can open up countless possibilities.
Briana works with piñon extensively, and she shares a wide range of creative, practical ways to use it—from aromatic steams to infused oils and even unexpected culinary delights. Her recipe for Piñon Tallow is especially versatile, with uses that extend from the kitchen to your daily skin care routine. Be sure to download your beautifully illustrated recipe card here!
By the end of this episode, you’ll know:
► How aromatics like piñon can shift your experience of stress and bring back your emotional “sparkle”
► What makes conifer resins so supportive for the skin
► How piñon can support the lungs during seasonal transitions
► Ten herbal preparations for piñon, including some surprising culinary uses (piñon coffee, anyone?)
► When tallow works beautifully for the skin—and when it might be best to avoid
► and so much more…
For those of you who don’t know her, Briana Wiles is a master herbalist, author, mother of two, and the founder of Rooted Apothecary. She is the author of Mountain States Foraging and Mountain States Medicinal Plants, and teaches nationally through immersive plant camps, courses, and community education. When she’s not in the apothecary or teaching, Briana can be found growing herbs and cut flowers on her homestead, making remedies at the kitchen table, or exploring the outdoors with her kids. Her work centers on helping families and communities reconnect with plants as everyday allies for health, resilience, and relationship with the land.
I’m delighted to share our conversation with you today!
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Get full show notes, transcript, and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com
Would you prefer watching this episode? If so, click here for the video.
You can find Briana at Rooted-Apothecary.com.
For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!
Working successfully with herbs requires three essential skills. Get introduced to them by taking my free herbal jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.
If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!
On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.
Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.
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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.

Peaches are sweet, juicy, and familiar—but what if there has been medicine hiding in the leaves all along?
In this episode, I sit down with herbalist and nutritionist Betsy Miller to explore the often-overlooked medicine of peach leaf (Prunus persica). While peaches are widely celebrated as food, Betsy shares how the leaves of the tree offer powerful support for patterns of heat and irritation in the body, especially when it comes to nausea, digestive discomfort, and nervous system overwhelm.
Weaving together clinical insight, personal experience, and a deep appreciation for the subtle ways plants support healing, Betsy offers a closer look at the medicine of peach leaf. From tongue diagnosis (yes, she even sticks out her tongue on the show!) to herbal formulation, she shares practical and insightful ways to know when peach leaf is the right fit.
If you’re inspired to try peach leaf yourself, you’ll love Betsy’s simple and delicious recipe for Peach Leaf Elixir! You can download your beautifully illustrated recipe card here.
By the end of this episode, you’ll know:
► What the classic “peach leaf tongue” looks like—and what it can reveal about what’s going on in your body
► Why peach leaf shines in situations where more commonly recommended herbs (like ginger) fall short
► Betsy’s go-to herbal formula for easing nausea during pregnancy
► The type of anxiety that is best supported by peach leaf
► The best time to harvest peach leaves—and tips for sourcing them if you don’t grow your own
► and so much more…
For those of you who don’t know her, Betsy Miller is a clinical herbalist and nutritionist in northern Virginia. She loves working with women's health, particularly fertility challenges, prenatal care and postpartum support, and has also begun working more with pediatric clients since becoming a mother. In addition to her clinical practice, Betsy teaches at the Maryland University of Integrative Health, and enjoys mentoring budding herbalists as they begin practicing in a clinical setting.
Whether you’re new to peach leaf or are already familiar with its gifts, I hope this conversation inspires you to look at peach with fresh eyes—and perhaps discover even more to love about this familiar fruit tree!
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Get full show notes, transcript, and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com
Would you prefer watching this episode? If so, click here for the video.
You can find Betsy at PlantWisdomWellness.com.
For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!
Working successfully with herbs requires three essential skills. Get introduced to them by taking my free herbal jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.
If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!
On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.
Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.
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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.

Everyone’s trying to get rid of it—but around the world, it’s treasured as medicine. What if pennywort could change the way you see your backyard?
Pennywort (Hydrocotyle spp.) is one of those plants that many people overlook (or actively try to remove!). Yet across the globe, it’s commonly harvested and enjoyed as both a nourishing food and a traditional remedy. In this conversation, herbalist and botanist April Punsalan shares how this unassuming, persistent plant became one of her most meaningful allies.
Drawing from her background with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and years of hands-on experience with wild plants, April brings a unique perspective that blends ecology, science, and intuition. She explores pennywort’s rich chlorophyll content, its role as a fresh, nutrient-rich herb, and why she prefers working with it in simple preparations that feel more like daily nourishment than “taking medicine.” Along the way, she invites us to rethink our relationship with the plants growing all around us—and to consider what we might discover if we slow down enough to truly notice them.
April shares a simple, vibrant way to bring fresh plant nourishment into your daily routine with her Hydrocotyle Chlorophyll Refresher. You can download your beautifully illustrated recipe card for this delightful, energizing drink here.
By the end of this episode, you’ll know:
► Why pennywort is so widely used around the world (even though it’s often seen as a weed in the US!)
► What makes fresh pennywort preparations uniquely potent—and why drying may reduce its benefits
► How the botany and habitat of pennywort can help clue you in to its health benefits
► Several ways pennywort can support your health—providing benefits for the skin, the urinary system, the brain, overall vitality, and more!
► Why herbalism is as much about connecting with plants as it is about their medicinal uses
► and so much more…
For those of you who don’t know her, April Punsalan is a botanist, herbalist, author, and founder of Wild Herb Academy, an online school devoted to ecological remembrance and plant-based healing. A former botanist for the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, she spent years protecting endangered plants before answering a deeper call to teach.
April’s lifelong relationship with plants led to degrees in botany and more than twenty-eight years of studying medicinal and edible species. Today, she weaves together botany, ethnobotany, Ayurveda, and intuitive plant wisdom, helping people reconnect with the Earth as stewards, healers, and conscious participants in the living ecosystem worldwide today.
Whether you’ve been pulling pennywort out of your garden or walking past it without a second glance, I hope this episode inspires you to pause, look closer, and maybe even begin a new relationship with this humble plant.
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Get full show notes, transcript, and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com
Would you prefer watching this episode? If so, click here for the video.
You can find April at WildHerbAcademy.com.
For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!
Working successfully with herbs requires three essential skills. Get introduced to them by taking my free herbal jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.
If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!
On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.
Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.
----
Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.

Nettle has a reputation, and like many beloved herbs, it’s picked up a few myths along the way.
In this short podcast, I untangle some of the most common misunderstandings about this deeply nourishing plant. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re getting the most from nettle, this is a great place to begin.
And if you’re interested in going even deeper with nettle, I’ve got you!
My friend Mason Hutchison and I teamed up to bring you the Nettle Immersion, a 30-day deep-dive into this amazing, nourishing herb.
This immersive experience includes over 100 minutes of video lessons spanning 10 modules, a community space where you can discuss your love of nettle, a cookbook filled with nettle recipes, and so much more. We’d love to have you join us!
Learn more and sign up at https://courses.folkmethodology.com/nettle-immersion.