The 10 Medicinal Plants You Must Plant for a Complete Backyard Pharmacy

With even limited space, such as a backyard, a balcony, a few pots on a porch, it’s possible to grow a medicinal garden capable of handling most common illnesses and injuries.

Most of these plants do best with room to spread out, but you can grow them in smaller spaces or even in containers. As a bonus, they’re attractive plants that double as a flower garden. Nobody walking by would guess what they’re actually for.

The majority are easily dried, stored long-term, or brewed into a simple tea. You’ll find they work just as well as the pharmaceutical drugs you currently rely on – and unlike those drugs, these regenerate every season and don’t depend on a supply chain.

10. Chicory (Cichorium intybus)

Chicory is often grown for use as a coffee substitute. The roasted root brews into a dark, bitter drink that carried half of wartime Europe through their mornings. That alone is a good reason to have it in your garden when trade routes tighten.

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But chicory is also a valuable medicinal plant. Brewed as a tea, it treats liver and gallbladder disorders, jaundice, and enlargement of the spleen. It’s also useful for digestive problems like bloating, sluggish appetite, and mild intestinal cramping.

A poultice of crushed leaves treats skin eruptions, swellings, bruises, and inflammations. The milky juice from a fresh root has the properties of a mild sedative – useful when anxiety runs high and sleep won’t come.

9. Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)

Meadowsweet is a beautiful, fragrant plant that grows well in partial shade and likes moist soil. Plant it in a well-draining location and mulch it well to hold in moisture.

This is historically significant – it’s the plant aspirin was originally derived from. Meadowsweet tea is an analgesic with properties similar to aspirin. It relieves fevers, colds, and pain from digestive problems, inflamed joints, and headaches. Unlike synthetic aspirin, the whole plant contains compounds that buffer the stomach lining rather than irritate it.

The herb is a natural diuretic. Meadowsweet is also used as an astringent and skin conditioner by soaking the leaves in rainwater.

When the aspirin runs out, this is what you reach for. Meadowsweet is the closest natural stand-in for stomach problems like gastritis and ulcers – and as someone who deals with digestive issues constantly, this meadowsweet tea blend changed the way I manage flare-ups.

8. Peppermint (Mentha piperita)

Peppermint is an excellent choice for a medicinal garden, but specificity matters. Nurseries sell many mint varieties and not all have the same properties, but make sure you get Mentha piperita.

Peppermint tea treats gastroenteritis, irritable bowel, Crohn’s disease, indigestion, flatulence, and both intestinal and liver problems. It works by relaxing the muscle spasms that cause stomach upsets – the same mechanism that makes it effective against headaches and migraines. Drink the tea and rub peppermint oil on the forehead for a two-front approach. 

It’s also one of the best natural remedies for dry cough, but only when you pair it with other anti-inflammatory ingredients like honey and lemon – exactly how it’s used in this famous Amish Cough Syrup (which also contains a surprising pantry staple you’d never expect).

One thing to know: mint spreads relentlessly through underground runners. Plant it in a buried container or dedicated bed, or it will colonize your entire garden within two seasons. That vigor also means it’s nearly impossible to kill accidentally.

7. Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)

Chamomile is easy to grow and incredibly useful. The German variety, Matricaria chamomilla, is the best for medicinal use. For most applications, chamomile tea is the delivery method of choice, but it can also be taken as a tincture or essential oil.

Chamomile relaxes muscles, making it a good treatment for abdominal pain, indigestion, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, gastritis, bloating, and muscle tension. It’s safe to use in small doses with babies suffering from colic – a rare quality in a medicinal plant.

The anti-spasm properties are also useful for treating asthma, bronchitis, whooping cough, and congestion. A cup at night is soothing and helps induce sleep. Apply chamomile tea as a wash for skin problems, eczema, itching, and allergic conditions. Use it as an eyewash diluted in cooled, boiled water.

As for growing it, chamomile is practically unkillable. Buy the seeds from here, scatter them, and forget about it. It’ll keep coming back year after year – a medicine cabinet that replants itself, whether times are normal or everything falls apart. 

6. Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis)

Evening primrose is a biennial herb. Sow seeds in late winter or early spring in USDA growing zones 3–8. It’s one of the more quietly powerful plants on this list.

Its primary strength is hormonal regulation – useful for balancing hormones and treating hormonal problems in both men and women. It also treats skin problems such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis, reducing inflammation and promoting healing.

Because it reduces systemic inflammation, evening primrose is useful for arthritis and osteoporosis. It balances the hormones that cause bone loss and increases bone density. The bark and leaves are astringent, sedative, and healing – useful for gastrointestinal disorders, whooping cough, and asthma.

Regular consumption helps reduce blood cholesterol and lowers blood pressure with long-term use.

5. California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)

The golden poppy has a limited growing range – it’s native to the western US and grows in coastal and desert regions, foothills, and valleys. If it will grow in your area, it’s worth the space.

The California poppy has sedative properties, but it is not psychoactive like other members of the family. The watery sap is a mild narcotic useful for pain relief.

It induces sleepiness and has an effect similar to the opium poppy, only milder, and it does not depress the central nervous system.

It also calms nervous agitation, helps treat insomnia, and promotes relaxation – things that become medically important under sustained stress. It’s also traditionally used for psychological disturbance and anxiety. A lesser-known use: a wash made from the roots suppresses lactation in nursing mothers. Wash the breasts with the tea to dry up milk flow quickly.

4. Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)

The leaf tea knocks out hay fever, seasonal allergies, and arthritis pain by hitting several inflammatory pathways at once. It’s also packed with iron, calcium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, and K – making it a serious nutritional backup when food variety runs thin.

Nettle root handles urinary and kidney issues, and has a long track record with prostate problems in men. Growing it takes almost no effort – it thrives in the forgotten, shady corner of your yard where nothing else cooperates, comes back every spring, and harvest just requires a pair of gloves.

But you don’t have to wait for a crisis to benefit from this plant. Right now, across much of the US, spring allergies are brutal – and nettle is one of the most effective natural answers available.

A stinging nettle tincture taken daily during allergy season reduces histamine response and calms the inflammation. So while your nettle garden grows into its own pharmacy, try the Stinging Nettle Tincture. It’s the kind of remedy that works in the background until you realize you haven’t reached for a Claritine in weeks.

Tap here to learn more about the health benefits of this plant.

3. Calendula – Calendula officinalis

 Also known as pot marigold, calendula is one of the most broadly useful plants you can grow. It’s incredibly soothing for skin conditions including acne, eczema, sunburns, and rashes. A poultice made from the leaves heals minor cuts, scratches, and skin irritations. 

Internally, calendula treats stomach and intestinal problems – gastroenteritis, colitis, ulcers, and other digestive irritations. It stimulates both the immune and lymphatic systems, helping the body fight infections and reducing swelling in the lymph glands. 

This one is personal for me. My husband dealt with a recurrent ear infection for months. The doctor prescribed Ciprodex – it worked while he used it, but the moment the treatment ended, the infection came right back. Every time. So I made an antimicrobial ear spray with calendula as the main ingredient. He used it, and the infection never came back. Not once.

Find the recipe below:

Calendula grows easily from seed in full sun to partial shade and tolerates most soil types. Direct sow after the last frost, and it’ll bloom within a couple of months. It self-seeds aggressively – let a few flower heads dry on the stalk at the end of the season and you’ll have volunteers popping up every spring without lifting a finger.

2. Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)

Also known as wild chamomile and bachelor’s buttons, feverfew relieves the inflammation that causes arthritis pain. Taken regularly, the herb reduces the associated pain – not just masking the sensation but addressing the mechanism. It can be added to teas or simply chewed as a fresh leaf.

For localized arthritis or muscle pain, a poultice made from crushed feverfew leaves placed over the affected area is sufficient. It relieves the pain and calms the inflammation over the joint. Crush fresh leaves (or soak dried ones), place them directly over the joint, and cover with a clean cloth.

Feverfew is also one of the most studied herbal remedies for migraines. It works by inhibiting the release of serotonin and prostaglandins – two of the main triggers behind migraine episodes. If migraines are something you or someone in your family deals with regularly, this anti-migraine syrup made with feverfew can reduce the symptoms without the rebound headaches associated with painkillers.

Feverfew self-seeds readily and thrives in marginal soil. It fills the anti-inflammatory role in your garden the way ibuprofen fills it in your medicine cabinet – except it doesn’t expire.

1. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Named after Achilles, who according to legend used it to treat his soldiers’ wounds on the battlefield. Yarrow grows well in temperate regions across the US. The leaves are edible and quite good in salads when picked young. All parts of the plant are medically active – and it’s been earning that reputation for thousands of years.

Here’s what you can use it for:

• Hemorrhoids – Yarrow’s astringent properties tighten swollen blood vessels and reduce inflammation. Brew a strong yarrow tea, let it cool, and apply as a compress or add to a sitz bath.
• Bloating & digestion – Stimulates bile flow and eases cramping. Drink a cup of yarrow tea before or after meals – it works well for gas, bloating, and general stomach upset, including diarrhea.
• Cold, flu & fever – Yarrow promotes sweating, which helps break a fever naturally. For colds and flu, make this elixir: steep yarrow flowers with fresh thyme and a few pieces of chopped licorice root in hot water for 15 minutes. Drink warm, several times a day. For fever, soak a cloth in cooled yarrow tea and use it as a compress on the forehead and wrists.
• Natural antibiotic – Yarrow has real antimicrobial action. Applied as a poultice, it contracts blood vessels and stops bleeding fast – one of the most reliable field wound treatments you can grow. The oil is also useful for nosebleeds and minor cuts.

I’ve tried most of these homemade remedies and I still reach for them once in a while – mostly when my kids are sick. But one thing that helped me through the worst of times, especially when it came to cold and flu, was Nicole’s Yarrow Tincture. I vouch for it and I swear – it’s magic in a bottle.

Why You Need These Seeds (Beyond the Obvious)

Stocking antibiotics and painkillers is a start. But pills are a finite resource with an expiration date. Seeds are a system. Here’s what most people don’t think about until it’s too late.

Chronic Conditions Don’t Pause for Emergencies

Arthritis, IBS, migraines, insomnia, eczema – these get worse under stress, not better. Most survival planning focuses on trauma and acute illness, but it’s the daily grinding conditions that erode your ability to function over weeks and months. Half of these plants address exactly those problems. 

Your Garden Doubles as a Disguised Pharmacy

Every one of these plants looks like an ordinary flower bed. Chicory is a roadside wildflower. Echinacea is a purple coneflower. Calendula is a marigold.

In a scenario where visible stockpiles attract attention, a garden that looks decorative is a serious operational advantage. And a row of amber tincture bottles in a cabinet looks like nothing to anyone who doesn’t know what they’re looking at.

Seeds Are the Highest-Value Barter Item by Weight

The US government maintains the Svalbard Global Seed Vault – a backup of the world’s most important seeds stored deep inside a mountain in Norway. Yarrow is among the species preserved there, alongside other medicinal plants like echinacea, calendula, chamomile, valerian, lavender, peppermint, feverfew, St. John’s wort, and comfrey. These ten seeds alone could cover a significant share of a household’s basic medicine needs.

A single envelope of these seeds weighs almost nothing and can produce a multi-year supply of medicine for an entire household. But the real value multiplier is knowledge – if you can hand someone seeds along with instructions for making a calendula salve or an echinacea root tincture, you’re not trading a consumable, you’re trading a capability.

These Plants Compound, Pharmaceuticals Don’t

Every one of these species can be propagated from seed saved year after year. One season’s harvest produces both medicine and next year’s planting stock. But it also produces tinctures, salves, ointments, and infused oils that stack up in storage over time. A bottle of ibuprofen is a dead end.

So, a yarrow plant is a supply line – this year’s wound salve, next year’s seeds, and a tincture that’s still good three winters from now. Five years in, the group that planted medicinal gardens in year one has a permanent advantage that cannot be replicated by scavenging.

How to Turn These Plants Into Real Medicine

Growing the plants is step one. Turning them into tinctures, salves, and ointments that last years on a shelf is where it becomes a real apothecary. Alcohol-based tinctures hold their potency for 5–7 years. A simple salve made from infused oil and beeswax lasts 2–3 years and replaces most of what you’d find in a first aid aisle. These aren’t difficult skills, but they do take guidance the first time around.

Dr. Nicole Apelian – herbalist, biologist, and Alone survivor – has built her career around exactly this. Her Apothecary sells small-batch tinctures and salves made from wild-harvested and organically grown herbs, including an All-Purpose Salve infused with yarrow and calendula, a Joint & Movement Bundle for arthritis and chronic pain, and bundles like the Warrior Bundle and Travel Pack for daily immune and gut support. Everything is made in the USA, gluten-free, GMO-free, and crafted to last.

If you want to learn to make your own, her Lost Remedies Academy is a full course that walks you through plant identification, harvesting, and remedy-making from the ground up. She also sells a Backyard Medicinal Garden Kit with seeds for 10 medicinal plants presented in this article. In my opinion, if you are an experienced prepper, these seeds must be in your stockpile!

Whether you stock her preparations now or learn to make your own long-term, the knowledge is what turns a flower bed into a functioning pharmacy.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published March 29, 2022 and updated on May 18 with expanded research and additional remedies. 

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