Herbal KnowledgeApr 8, 2025
6 Herbal Trees You Should Know About
In honor of Arbor Day, let’s show the herbal trees of the world some appreciation. Arbor Day was started in
1872 by J. Sterling Morton, a journalist, politician, and conservationist who wanted to promote
reforestation on the Great Plains. In the 1970s, Arbor Day became an official national holiday which we
still celebrate to this day.
While all trees are beloved, today we’re putting 6 herbal trees in the spotlight. Learn about these special
trees that are used to make your favorite herbal allies.
Albizia
Albizia is a beautiful tree that’s known for its unique, pink fan-like flowers and bottlebrush
leaves. This herb has been revered in China for centuries, and it’s sometimes referred to as “The
Tree of Happiness” or “Silk Tree.” It has a wide native range, going from Eastern Transcaucasia to
Japan.
We make our Albizia liquid herbal extract using the responsibly wildcrafted bark from Albizia
julibrissin trees. When it comes to herbal use, Albizia is traditionally used to provide
stabilizing support to the nervous system and soothes the heart in times of grief.*
Botanical Name: Albizia julibrissin
Boswellia
With its flaky bark and compound leaves, Boswellia is certainly a tree that looks like an old-world
marvel. This herbal tree produces a resin that has been used since ancient times in Ayurveda.
Otherwise known as Indian Frankincense, Boswellia was used in biblical times to create incense,
herbal preparations, and for embalming.1
Our Boswellia liquid herbal extract is made with resin that’s harvested from Certified Organic
Boswellia serrata trees in India. As an herbal ally, it provides traditional support for the
joints.*
Botanical Name: Boswellia serrata
Ginkgo
Here’s a fun fact: Ginkgo is actually considered a living fossil! It’s the only surviving species of
an ancient group of plants, the Ginkgoaceae plant family, that existed over 200 million years
ago.2 Ginkgo trees are very slow growing, but prove slow and steady wins the race –
because they can live up to 4,000 years!
In western herbalism, the green leaves are harvested just before they turn yellow in the fall. The
unique leaves contain the constituent ginkgolides, which have not been discovered in any other plant
species.2 Consider adding Ginkgo liquid herbal extract to your lineup to promote
circulation and enhance both memory and concentration.*
Botanical Name: Ginkgo biloba
Guayusa
Guayusa is one of the exciting herbs that’s new to Herb Pharm and
exclusive to our capsule collection. Our Guayusa capsules are made with the leaf of this lovely
tree. The native range of this species spans from western South America to Venezuela, and it grows
primarily in the wet tropical biome.
Guayusa is a member of the Aquifoliaceae (Holly) plant family, and can get up to 100 feet tall in the
wild. Guayusa has a long history of use in South America, and we love it for it's ability to support
alertness, mental focus, and give you real energy without the extra jitters.*
Botanical Name: Ilex guayusa
Hawthorn
The Hawthorn tree is one that looks like it’s straight out of a fairytale, and it’s fitting because
it shows up both in Celtic lore and the Brothers Grimm retelling of Sleeping Beauty.3
It’s known for its gnarly trunk and branches, little white May blossoms, and small, red apple-like
berries. Hawthorns also have long, sharp thorns along their branches.
We make our Hawthorn Blend liquid herbal extract using a blend
of Hawthorn berries, leaves, and flowers. The leaves and flowers are harvested in spring or early
summer, and the berries are responsibly wildcrafted in autumn. As an herbal ally, Hawthorn Blend
promotes healthy heart and circulatory function.*
Botanical Name: Crataegus spp.
Willow Bark
Willow is a large, fast-growing tree that’s often found in wetlands and along stream banks where the
roots can protect the soil from erosion. Willow trees are native to a wide geographical area, from
the Russian Far East to Northern China, as well as Korea and Japan. There are hundreds of
Salix species.
Willows and Willow bark have been used in herbalism for thousands of years. Willow was the plant from
which salicylic acid was isolated in 1828. In herbalism, Willow
liquid herbal extract is used as support for occasional minor pain from injury.*
Botanical Name: Salix spp.
Pharmers for Habitat Restoration
As a Regenerative Organic Certified® farm, we don’t clear-cut trees to make space for more
farmland. There are lots of trees that grow in the habitat around our farm. Some examples are Big Leaf
Maple, Douglas Fir, Pacific Yew, and Manzanita trees (among many others). We happily take care to
protect these trees because they benefit the local ecosystem so much. Here you can see some volunteers
from our Sustainability & Habitat Restoration team, who continuously work on the riparian area around
our farm – including planting trees!