Spring Weeds: Backyard Treasures
- Laura Van Horn
- Mar 14, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 4
Discover 16 medicinal treasures in your yard
Spring is just around the corner. Daffodils are popping up everywhere, and the sun is starting to overpower the clouds. There's an extra bounce in my step, as well as the steps of my goats. It's a beautiful time of rejuvenation and new growth. But here is the thing: while we are all soaking up the beauty, many of us have been trained to chase that “perfect lawn” aesthetic—the flawless green carpet with no weed in sight. Many will even break out the herbicides to keep it that way. Sadly, I also used to buy into that idea. Now, I see those so-called weeds in a whole new light.
Why poison the ground and ourselves with harsh chemicals when we could skip the sprays and embrace what is naturally growing? Those weeds popping up in your yard may not be nuisances; they may be treasures! Many are packed with medicinal benefits and tasty nutrients. Below are some of my favorite spring weeds. Depending on where you live, your yard might hold even more gems—grab a field guide, get out there, and start identifying what is growing; you will be amazed at what you find!
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale):
What It Does: Dandelions get a bad rap, but they are amazing! The leaves are loaded with vitamins (A, C, K), minerals (iron, potassium), and antioxidants—perfect for a spring nutrition boost. They are kidney-friendly too, acting as a gentle diuretic. The roots support digestion and liver health by boosting bile production and feeding gut flora with inulin. And those sunny flowers? They are edible, mood-lifting, and great for your skin and muscles.
How to Use It: Toss young leaves into salads or smoothies (they are bitter but cleansing!). Roast the roots for a coffee-like brew, tincture them for digestion, or infuse flowers in oil for a soothing antispasmodic rub for restless legs or cramps. Bonus: dab the stem’s milky sap on warts to watch them fade!
Tip: Harvest leaves before the flowers bloom for less bitterness.
Purslane (Portulaca oleracea):
What It Does: This juicy little sidewalk warrior is a powerhouse of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins A, C, and E. It is anti-inflammatory, heart-healthy, and a skin-soother that is similar to aloe vera.
How to Use It: Add its tangy, succulent leaves to pestos, spring salads, soups, stir-fries, or smoothies. Mash it into a poultice or steep it for a cooling wash to calm burns, bites, or rashes.
Tip: Look for it in cracks or sunny spots—it loves to sprawl!
Chickweed (Stellaria media):
What It Does: This mild-flavored gem is a nutritional superstar, brimming with vitamins and minerals. It is cooling and soothing, perfect for skin irritations or calming an upset stomach, and supportive of the kidneys.
How to Use It: Toss fresh chickweed into salads or sandwiches, or cook it like spinach for soups. Make a poultice or salve for itchy skin, or sip it as tea for digestion woes.
Tip: It is delicate—harvest it gently and use it fresh for the best flavor.
Purple Dead Nettle (Lamium purpureum):
What It Does: Do not let the name fool you—this lawn regular (not a true nettle!) is a springtime helper. It is nutrient-rich and tackles edema, allergies, and headaches, plus it has antimicrobial properties, making it ideal for first aid.
How to Use It: Nibble it in salads or blend it into pesto. Tincture it for allergy relief or infuse it in oil for a muscle rub or wound salve.
Tip: Snag it early in spring when it is tender and purple-topped.
Stinging Nettles (Urtica dioica):
What It Does: Yes, they sting, but they are still friendly! Nettles are bursting with nutrients and help with allergies, joint pain, and kidney support.
How to Use It: Wear gloves to harvest, then blanch or steam to tame the sting. Blend into pesto, steep as tea, or tincture for seasonal sniffles. The seeds even boost kidney function—sprinkle them on salads!
Tip: Young tops are tastiest—catch them before they get too tough.
Yard Daisies (Bellis perennis):
What It Does: These dainty flowers pack a powerful punch! They soothe skin, ease bruises, and heal wounds with quiet strength.
How to Use It: Mash flowers and leaves into a poultice for bumps or bruises from blunt traumas, or infuse in oil for a sore-muscle salve.
Tip: Pick them fresh on a dry morning for maximum potency.
Plantain (Plantago spp.):
What It Does: Broad-leaf (P. major) or narrow (P. lanceolata), plantain is a treasure trove of medicinal benefits. It calms bites, draws out splinters or venom, and aids digestion or wounds—inside and out.
How to Use It: Chew a leaf for a quick bug-bite fix as a spit-poultice, or infuse as a tea or tincture to support the healing of wounds both externally and internally. Infused into oil to make a drawing salve. The seeds are commonly used as a gentle laxative.
Tip: Look for it in trampled spots—it thrives where we walk.
Self-Heal (Prunella vulgaris):
What It Does: True to its name, self-heal (or heal-all) is a versatile remedy for both external wounds and internal ailments. It possesses antimicrobial and astringent properties that support wound healing, digestive health, and immune function.
How to Use It: Use the leaves and flowers in teas, tinctures, compresses, infused oils, or salves.
Tip: Its tiny purple flowers signal that it is ready to be harvested.
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis):
What It Does: This citrusy delight calms nerves, reduces anxiety, promotes restful sleep, supports the immune system, and fights viruses.
How to Use It: It can be enjoyed in teas, lemonades, infused honeys, vinegars, tinctures, and oils. Infused lemon balm oil is particularly useful for calming massages, bath blends, and cold-sore relief.
Tip: Rub a leaf and inhale—it’s instant cheer!
California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica):
What It Does: Those orange blooms aren’t just pretty—they’re sedative and pain-relieving, perfect for cramps or sleepless nights.
How to Use It: Add flowers to tea blends or tincture the whole plant (roots, leaves, flowers) to ease cramps, promote sleep, and alleviate anxiety. Skip it if pregnant!
Tip: Harvest on sunny days for brighter color and potency.
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense):
What It Does: An alterative favorite among herbalists, red clover supports hormonal balance, skin health, and has mild lymphatic properties.
How to Use It: Steep in tea blends or tincture for a slow, steady boost to your system.
Tip: Snag the pinkish-purple blooms—they are sweetest then.
Wild Rose (Rosa spp.):
What It Does: Wild rose is a heart-lifter—its petals and hips burst with vitamins and bioflavonoids to brighten skin and spirits. The leaves are cooling and toning, supportive of digestion and circulation, and can calm the nerves.
How to Use It: Sip petals or hips in teas and tinctures, or infuse them in oil for antibacterial, anti-inflammatory TLC—inside or out. Spring leaves shine in tea or infused in witch hazel as a toner for a fresh face. (Blossoms show up in summer, and the hips come in fall.)
Tip: Leaves are astringent—great for oily skin!
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus):
What It Does: Fuzzy and tall, mullein’s a respiratory rockstar—easing coughs, allergies, and even earaches. Roots are medicinal, too!
How to Use It: Tincture leaves, smoke them to relieve respiratory congestion, or sip as tea to soothe a sore throat. Infuse flowers in oil to ease earaches, or tincture roots for support of connective tissue and bladder health.
Tip: Flowers are tiny—patience pays off!
Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium):
What It Does: This migraine-buster also cools fevers, eases arthritis, and fights infections.
How to Use It: Brew as tea, tincture, or capsule—start small; it is bitter! Its antimicrobial qualities make it effective against infections when applied topically.
Tip: Chew a leaf for a quick headache fix (if you dare!).
Cleavers (Galium aparine):
What it Does: Alleviates swollen lymph nodes and lymphatic congestion and supports the urinary system.
How to Use It: Juice fresh for a lymphatic lift, crush the fresh leaves and apply to eczema or psoriasis, tincture, or infuse in oil for various applications. Roast seeds for a coffee swap!
Tip: Young shoots are tasty—toss them in salad.
Wild Lettuce (Lactuca virosa):
What It Does: Prickly but calming, wild lettuce eases pains, anxiety, and sleeplessness with its milky latex. Wild lettuce also supports digestion by stimulating bile production and possesses antimicrobial properties beneficial for wound care.
How to Use It: Tincture fresh stems and leaves, or dry for tea, powder for capsule. Use sparingly if kidneys are weak.
Tip: Harvest when the sap flows from the stems—pain relief’s in there!
A New Way to See Spring
As spring blooms in our yards, let us enjoy what is growing there. These “weeds” are not invaders—they are gifts, packed with healing potential for us and our loved ones. Before you dive in, triple-check your plant ID (apps like PictureThis or a good guidebook help!), and make sure they are free of sprays or pollutants. Start small—maybe a dandelion tea or a plantain poultice—and see where it takes you.
What weeds are popping up in your yard? I would love to hear your favorites or how you use them—drop a note below!
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