top of page
Sharing the health benefits of plants
Welcome !
Pour la version française cliquez ici 🇫🇷
Hello, my name's Emma. I am a herbalist trained at the l’Ecole Lyonnaise de Plantes Médicinales (Lyon School of Medicinal Plants, France). Welcome to my website Cotyledons. Come and discover how plants can improve our health and well-being through articles on the site, workshops and plant walks in the Lauragais (south-west France), herbal practice and a free monthly newsletter.
In today's society we are often far removed from plants and their healing properties. I invite you to reconnect with nature, learn how to identify and use plants safely and effectively and make sustainable health choices.
Strawberries, olives and polyphenols
You won’t find them listed on food nutrition labels yet bright red strawberries, deep purple blackberries and dark black olives all...
2 hours ago2 min read
Five surprising benefits of walking in nature
Walking impacts almost every system of our body. Some of the physical benefits of walking, such as the strengthening of bones and muscles...
Mar 173 min read
How does rosemary improve memory?
A piece of string around your finger, post-its and notifications may all help you remember. Did you know that rosemary has long been...
Feb 172 min read
3 plants which contain more vitamin C than citrus fruits!
Citrus fruits are often associated with vitamin C but they are not the only source of this vital vitamin. Vitamin C, also known as...
Jan 203 min read
3 spices to include in your mulled wine (plus a recipe!)
Mulled wine and mince pies are firm favourites in my household at Christmas time. Northing beats a warming glass of mulled wine in front...
Dec 6, 20242 min read
Why is convalescence important ? (and 5 plants to help)
Following a shock, injury or disease, we are tired, demineralised and our immune system is weakened. Convalescence is a crucial period of...
Nov 22, 20244 min read
How Hawthorn helps the heart
Common Hawthorn ( Crataegus monogyna) is well known for its fruit, popular in syrups, liqueur, ketchup and jam, but did you know that the...
Nov 8, 20242 min read
Fire Cider
Fire cider is a spicy, homemade tonic. It uses unpasturized apple cider vinegar to extract minerals and alcaloids from immune-stimulating...
Oct 25, 20243 min read
Can plants help us sleep?
Falling asleep, staying asleep or returning to sleep if we awake during the night affect most of us occasionally. Personally, I tend to...
Oct 11, 20243 min read
An apple a day...
It is estimated that there are over 7,500 varieties of apple worldwide. The apple tree ( Malus sp.) is a decidious tree producing fruit...
Sep 27, 20242 min read
How do plants feed themselves... and us?
We may believe that plants rely on us to feed them, but in reality it’s the other way round. Plants are « autotroph » which means that...
Sep 13, 20242 min read
The serene smell of Lavender
What links Loddon Pink, Munstead, Nana Alba, Hidcote and Twickle Purple ? No, they’re not areas on the shipping forecast or horses at the...
Aug 16, 20242 min read
Cloudberries in the midnight sun
Thorns aside, blackberry picking is a fun activity for all ages. As a child growing up in the UK, my nanna (grandmother) would take us...
Aug 2, 20243 min read
Welcome to the world's most northerly botanical garden!
Imagine, if you will, a well-organised botanical garden on a hillside facing snow-covered mountains and a fjord. You wander through a...
Jul 19, 20243 min read
Beyond the Arctic Circle: discovering plants in Tromsø
Elverhøy is situated on the summit of Tromsø island in northern Norway. In June this pleasant residential area is home to neatly mown...
Jul 5, 20243 min read
Bouquet garni: more than just aromatic flavouring!
An essential element of French stews and soups, the bouquet garni is a tied bundle of herbs used to flavour dishes. One of its advantages...
Jun 21, 20243 min read
Which fresh plant can be used to relieve insect bites and stings?
You are sitting out enjoying the sun when you feel a sharp sting or burning sensation on your skin. Before you know it, there is a small,...
Jun 7, 20242 min read
Incredible Mullein seeds: The life of a biennial
How many seeds does a single Mullein plant have: 50? 500? 5,000? The answer may very well surprise you! Verbascum thapsus, more commonly...
May 24, 20242 min read
Elderflower champagne
Elderflower champagne is a wonderful summertime drink, yet for a long time I didn’t make it myself as I wasn't sure I could correctly...
May 10, 20243 min read
Three flowers to help repair damaged skin
What do you put on your skin? The skin, the biggest organ in the human body, provides a defence barrier to protect internal organs and...
Apr 26, 20243 min read
What makes a flower attractive?
Spring plant walks are full of surprises! On a recent plant walk with a friend, we were passing by a shrub when the overwhelming sweet...
Apr 12, 20243 min read
What links flowers, bees and electric fields?
Over three-quarters of the world’s food crops are pollinated by animals [1] . Bees alone pollinate over 120 types of fruit and vegetables...
Mar 22, 20242 min read
Why should you try Dandelion Leaf Salad?
The ubiquitous dandelion is often considered a weed yet has an extraordinary number of uses. The latin name for the common dandelion is...
Mar 8, 20243 min read
Why go out in the rain?
Regardless of the season, each walk is an opportunity to discover plants at various stages in their life cycles. On this drizzly Sunday...
Feb 23, 20243 min read
Homemade Infused Carrot Oil
Today, I'm sharing a recipe for your skin. Macerated Carrot ( Daucus carota) oil can be easily prepared at home. It has potent...
Feb 9, 20243 min read
What goes on in the roots? (A quick introduction!)
Roots are necessary to anchor the plant to the soil. They are essential to the survival of the plant as they absorb and store the...
Jan 26, 20242 min read
What can we see on a frosty morning?
Winter is an invitation to observe the finer details of the natural world. In temperate regions the vibrant colours of the spring, summer...
Jan 12, 20243 min read
Thyme leaf infusion
Common thyme, Thymus vulgaris, is an aromatic, perennial herb. Perennial simply means that it continues to grow for more than two years....
Dec 29, 20232 min read
7 details to observe on a leaf
Leaves come in many shapes and sizes. This is a brief introduction to seven details on a simple leaf that can help with plant...
Dec 15, 20232 min read
How can we identify a plant?
How can we identify a plant ?
It is estimated that there are over 350,000 species of plants worldwide...
Dec 1, 20232 min read
Why do plants have Latin names?
Names provide us with information about a plant, for example its characteristics, its uses, its botanical features. Plants generally have...
Nov 17, 20232 min read
Why do plants matter?
Plants are incredible organisms. Aside from being an essential part of our ecosystem and providing the earth with oxygen through...
Nov 3, 20232 min read
bottom of page