Herbal Gift-Giving Guide

Herby Mushroom Sea Salts Stocking Stuffer by Cedar Hill Homestead.
Photograph courtesy of Cedar Hill Homestead.

Give the perfect herbal gift to your loved one

Giving a great gift is an art. Giving an herbal gift is to know and love the plant person in your life. To help you find the perfect present, we’ve compiled an herbal gift-giving guide featuring special items from small makers to please your herbally-inclined loved ones.

For fun and ease, we’ve grouped these gifts into categories suited to unique plant personas. Shopping for an herbalist who cherishes culinary traditions? See our selections for the Herbal Kitchen Witch. Excited to share something special with a magical friend? Pick a present from our list for the Herbal Ritualist.

You’ll find gift-giving suggestions for:

• The Home Apothecary Angel
• The Herbal Ritualist
• The Aromatically Enchanted
• The Herbal Kitchen Witch
• The Gleeful Gardener
• The Botanical Beauty
• The Plant-Passionate Person
• The Heart of Gold

Note that we do not receive any compensation for promoting the products and businesses featured in the Herbal Gift-Giving Guide. We simply love these makers and are excited to share them with you!

*Links in purple denote BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA2S+-owned businesses
*Links in brown denote Chestnut graduate-owned businesses

55-card oracle deck and guidebook written by Adriana Ayales of Anima Mundi Herbals and illustrated by Josephine Klerks. Photograph courtesy of Anima Mundi Herbals.

For the Home Apothecary Angel

These gift suggestions go out to all the home medicine makers and artisanal remedy collectors. Even the most savvy and experienced herbalist loves to sample the soulful concoctions of other crafters. These are among our favorite small apothecaries to support.

• Ancestrally-inspired remedies from Xálish Medicines. Everything in this shop exudes spirit and healing. Choose from an extraordinary selection of oxymels, herbal honeys, adaptogenic powders, flower essences, plant wands, elixirs, and tea blends.
• Top-quality, homegrown bulk herbs from the magnificent gardens at Kestrel Herb Farm, including anise hyssop, ashwagandha, chamomile, and reishi mushrooms.
• Asheville Tea Company works hand in hand with regional farmers to craft their unique botanical brews. Sadly, Hurricane Helene completely destroyed their facility where teas were blended, packaged, stored, and created. As they work to rebuild, they’re offering a limited selection of teas for the holiday season. By supporting them now, you’re also helping their farming partners, many of whom were impacted by the storm.
• Handcrafted herbal extracts from Reverence Botanicals, nestled in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Their Heart Tonic features a powerful blend of fresh Hawthorn berry, flower, and leaf extract, combined with Motherwort leaves and flowers and Eleuthero root.
• Apothecary angels will also appreciate simple yet special staples: raw local honey, glass Mason jars, craft brandy and other spirits, and local beeswax. A few of these items gathered together (or paired with any of the other gifts in this guide) make a thoughtfully themed gift bag or basket.

Mirrors in the Earth Complete Healing Collection by Asia Suler. Photograph courtesy of Asia Suler.

For the Herbal Ritualist

If your loved one relishes the ritual arts, offer them a gift that enhances intuition, inspires ceremony, and creates connection with the plants. These are the books, boxes, and tools that enliven our own experience of herbal magic.

• The evocative and culturally-rich Earth Medicines book by Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz. This volume of breathtaking beauty and plant ceremony can be enacted in every herbalist’s kitchen and apothecary.​​​​​​​​
• Beautiful card decks for connecting with plant allies. We especially love the floral art and stirring descriptions of the Botanical Inspirations Deck featuring the treasured artwork of Pierre-Joseph Redouté. Equally adored is the traditional, astrologically-nuanced wisdom in the Herbal Oracle Deck by Adriana Ayales of Anima Mundi Herbals.
• Intuitive Gift Boxes from Jewelweed Shop. These personalized boxes feature herbs, candles, cards, journals, and other healing tools. Simply describe a theme and the person the gift box is for, and Jewelweed’s staff will put together an extra-special package that will be shipped straight to your loved one.
• Mirrors in the Earth by Asia Suler. This keepsake and guide is a ritual initiation into your personal connection with the plants. Readers will emerge transformed, with pockets full of jade-green insights about the natural world and how we are our own healers. Asia’s magical One Willow Apothecaries was destroyed in the storm. Gifts of her book and online learning opportunities will help her team rebuild.

Need more book recommendations? See our list of the Best Herbal Medicine Books for Herbalists or the list we compiled of Fiction Books Featuring Herbalists and Herbalism!

Green Man Plant Perfume by Fat and the Moon. Photograph courtesy of Fat and the Moon.

For the Aromatically Enchanted

Fragrance imprints deeply in our memories. An aromatic gift will leave a lasting impression on your loved one. Here are the scents and plants that we love to wrap up for our own cherished friends and beloveds.

• Plant hydrosols from Ash Sierra of Ritual Botanica. These are the most sensational hydrosols we’ve ever laid our noses on. Our favorites include the Tulsi Rose and Florida Water hydrosols. Get ready to inhale heaven.
• Botanical perfumes from Fat & the Moon. The jasmine and cedar notes in their Persephone Emerges perfume evoke the heady scents of a summer garden, while their Green Man perfume featuring clary sage and vetiver is deeply warm and comforting. Both scents are available as perfume sprays or spreadable balms.
• Roses! A bush or two, rather than a bouquet. If your scent-ual loved one has a green thumb, consider bestowing them with a fragrant antique rose to grow and tend. For a divine selection of organically-grown roses shipped right to your door, we recommend the online shop at Angel Gardens.

A decadent gift set of twelve custom ghee blends by Goddess Ghee. Photograph courtesy of Goddess Ghee.

For the Herbal Kitchen Witch

Magic is made in the herbal kitchen—from culinary confections to potent medicines. Whether your plant pal is more herbal foodie or medicinal alchemist, these gifts will inspire their creative process and take their table to new hawthorn berry heights.

• Vibrant single-origin spices from Diaspora Co. It doesn’t get much fresher than their Pragati turmeric, Baraka cardamom, Sannam chili, Kaveri vanilla, and Anamalai cacao.
• We also love the exquisite spice selections from our friends at Spicewalla. Try their new Deluxe Hot Chocolates collection for warm winter afternoons by the fire.
• Decadent medicinal and culinary plant powders from Anima Mundi Herbals, including their gorgeously gift-worthy blue butterfly pea powder, Euphoria joy + mood powder, and rose powder.
• Small-batch, grass-fed ghee from Goddess Ghee, available in Classic Ghee, Brown Butter Ghee (my personal favorite), and over a dozen herbal blends like Sweet Lullaby, Lunar Cacao, and Wild Ramp. Though the storm completely washed away their office, stock, and packaging materials, they’re ready to take your orders now as they work to rebuild.
• A Sip Back, Relax Gift Set from Cedar Hill Homestead. The set includes their Mushroom Drinking Chocolate, Adaptogen Elixir & Love Honey. Froth up a teaspoon of each in your milk of choice for a lovely adaptogenic reprieve from the chaos that life can throw at us.

The Healing Garden: Cultivating & Handcrafting Herbal Remedies by Juliet Blankespoor. Photograph by Meghan Gemma.

For the Gleeful Gardener

Know a green thumb you can’t wait to gladden with a gift? Try one of the suggestions below for a plant-centered present that will make their gardener’s heart glow.

• The Healing Garden: Cultivating & Handcrafting Herbal Remedies by Chestnut School Queen Bee, Juliet Blankespoor. This book is a gorgeous herb gardening guide, sumptuous herbal cookbook, and medicine-making manual all in one. It’s soil-to-apothecary perfect as a present for every herb gardener!

Plus, with their copy of the book, your dear one will receive access to the Healing Garden Gateway, an exceptional online bonus overflowing with invaluable material: video tutorials, printable charts and worksheets, recipes, and a hand-picked list of herbal resources they’ll definitely want in their back pocket.

• A precious package of medicinal and floral seed sets from special sources like Strictly Medicinal Seeds, Floret Flower, and Earthbeat Seeds. Tie them up with a green velvet bow for the seed-lover in your life.
• A collection of sturdy and artisanal tools. For gifting, we especially recommend a great pair of pruners, a hori hori (Japanese digging knife), or a gardener’s tool belt. You’ll find links to all of these items in our article, Essential Gardening Tools for the Home Gardener.

Prairie Dress in Slate Marigold by Field Day Apparel. Photograph courtesy of Field Day.

For the Botanical Beauty

Adorning ourselves with botanically-inspired beauty can be pure pleasure. Does your special plant person have a penchant for pampering? Here are a few of our top picks for adding something singular to their wardrobe or skincare ritual.

• Clothing, prints, and cards inspired by herbal flora and crafted by Karalyn Wysocki of Needlebone. Hurricane Helene has impacted the business, so shipping may take a bit longer, and some items may be temporarily out of stock. Your support, however, will make a meaningful difference.
• A twirl-worthy Prairie Dress or botanically printed Perfect Pants from Field Day Apparel. Their entire collection of flattering, comfortable clothing is crafted from reclaimed and locally sourced materials, featuring a stunning variety of botanical prints to choose from.
• Have a dashing darling? Give them a jaunty plant-dyed beret from Maggie Pate of Nade Studio. Choose from a rainbow of natural colors, including violet, sky, cherry, charcoal, and luna.

Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine online herbal programs. Photograph by Amanda Davis.

For the Plant-Passionate Person in Your Life

Do you know someone exceptional who wants to become an herbalist? The gift of an herbal education will put them firmly on the plant path and provide years of meaningful learning. Consider an Online Herbal Program with yours truly. We offer the most beautiful and detailed online programs in sustainable, professional herbalism anywhere in the world. Choose from our 1,200-hour Online Herbal Immersion, 375-hour Online Foraging Course, 150-hour Online Medicine Making Course, and our newest offering the 25-hour Online Herbal Safety Course.

• The Online Herbal Immersion was designed for the truly green-hearted plant person. The program covers medicinal herb gardening, foraging, medicine making, herbal materia medica, plant identification., herbal entrepreneurship, and so much more in 167 videos, 186 lessons, 183 recipes, and a 1,500+ page printable course manual!
• The Online Foraging Course teaches everything you need to know to confidently identify, harvest, and prepare wild food + medicine by going deep with 21 of the most abundant and nourishing plants on the planet.
• The Online Medicine Making Course provides our expert guidance on the art (& science!) of handcrafting your very own herbal remedies—tinctures, teas, syrups, honeys, oils, salves, and so much more!
• The Online Herbal Safety Course lays a clear path for becoming a trustworthy and careful herbalist. You’ll learn about allergic and topical reactions; adulteration and contamination; and the herbs that should be avoided during pregnancy and lactation.

Rootwork Herbals People’s Medicine Reclamation Project. Photograph courtesy of Rootwork Herbals.

For the Heart of Gold

Would your herbal beloved rather give than be given to? For the generous green soul, consider a donation-based gift that supports plants and plant people around the country. We’ve listed a few suggestions below, but also consider local gardens, schools, and initiatives!

• Through our Herbal Relief Fund, we remain dedicated to supporting those in our herbal community who need it most. We are gratefully accepting monetary donations, as well as herbal medicines and supplies.
• Make a donation in your loved one’s name to Mountain Gardens, the plant sanctuary and home of the late and great Joe Hollis. Joe’s gardens are one of the largest collections of medicinal plants anywhere in the world and have been an educational destination for decades. Donations help keep this paradise thriving!
• Contribute to the People’s Medicine Reclamation Project. Your donations support the BIPOC community with free access to herbal medicine, individual consultations, and educational opportunities with the People’s Medicine School. They also sustain the Jane Minor BIPOC Community Medicine Garden, where BIPOC folks can freely access land, food, and medicine.
• Support the United Plant Savers, an extraordinary organization dedicated to research, education, and conservation of native medicinal plants and their habitats. In lieu of a donation, you can gift your heart of gold a United Plant Savers Membership, which includes the Journal of Plant Medicine Conservation and access to numerous other benefits and discounts.

Hibiscus Chutney makes an especially nice stand-in for cranberry sauce on the holiday table. Photograph by Sarah Snyder.

Delicious homemade recipes make great herbal gifts

Perhaps you want to try your hand at something homemade? We share several decadent recipes on Blog Castanea that make gorgeous gifts when packaged and paired with appropriate accouterments.

• Ashwagandha, Lavender, and Vanilla Herbal-Infused Ghee
• Hibiscus Pomegranate Fire Cider
• Maple Medicinal Mushroom Concoction
• Spiced Hawthorn Pear Persimmon Brandy
• Hibiscus Chutney
• Herbal Finishing Salts