Blossom & SageEst. 2026 · Journal

Issue No. 014 · Spring Almanac

Insights and useful information from the Herb Garden hero.title.script
and the powerful Herbal Pharmacy of trees

Blossom & Sage is a slow journal of herbal medicine. Every week we publish field notes, monographs, and small recipes for the body — gathered from gardens, mountains, and a long line of grandmothers.

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Monograph

Marula Tree (sclerocarya birrea)

Known as the African tree of life, every part of the marula tree offers powerful medicinal benefits. Chewing fresh green leaves can soothe heartburn and indigestion, while leaf infusions, when boiled and inhaled as steam, help relieve colds, flu, and chest pains. Fresh leaves boiled for 15 minutes and cooled create a natural wash for sores and wounds, promoting faster healing. This versatile infusion also supports overall skin health and provides gentle relief for various ailments, making the marula tree a treasured natural remedy.

By Silibaziso Moody

Field note

Finding wild aloe on the mountain slope

Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis miller). The clear gel inside the aloe leaf is applied topically. It's natural anti-inflammatory and cooling properties help to provide relief from sunburns and minor burns while speeding up the healing process and minimising scarring by keeping the wound moist. It speeds up the healing process of mouth ulcers and helps to reduce pain. It's antimicrobial and moisturising properties helps to treat a dry itchy scalp and reduce dandruff when applied directly before washing.

By Silibaziso Moody

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What ails you this week?

Every entry is filed by what the body is asking for — sleep, calm, breath, fire, womb, skin. Choose a thread to pull.

Guava  (Psidium guajava L..)      

From the almanac

Tea for stomach discomfort

Take 7 fresh & tender guava leaves, boil 2 cups of  water in a pot, then add the guava leaves and simmer for 15 minutes on a low heat. Remove pot from heat and strain the liquid into a cup. Add honey or lemon to taste. Drink while it's still warm... For diarrhea - drink 1 cup on an empty stomach once or twice a day until the condition improves... For bloating, cramps or indigestion drink 1 cup after a meal to help with digestion and ease stomach discomfort.

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About the journal

Written from a small apothecary
at the mountains

Blossom & Sage is written by Silibaziso Moody, a herbalist trained at the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine and currently enrolled in the school's Herbal Immersion Programme. The journal began as personal notes on the plants she was learning, and has slowly become a public almanac of the remedies she trusts most.

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