Herbalism for Beginners (Start Your Herbal Journey Now!)

Herbalism is the use of plants to support health.

Many people already use herbs every day without realizing it (like drinking peppermint tea or adding garlic to meals).

But if you want to go deeper and learn how to use herbs safely and with purpose, this guide is for you.

In this article, I will walk you through the basics, from picking your first herbs to making your own simple remedies.

You’ll learn how to choose herbs that are safe, how to grow or buy them, and how to start using them in your daily routine.

What is Herbalism

Herbalism is the practice of using plants to support health and wellness. It’s something people around the world have done for thousands of years.

While it can seem complex from the outside, herbalism often starts with simple, everyday choices (like making a cup of chamomile tea to help you relax or adding fresh garlic to your food to support your immune system).

If you’ve ever brewed peppermint tea for an upset stomach or used aloe on a sunburn, you’ve already used herbs in a basic way.

Herbs as a Natural Part of Daily Life

You don’t need to start with rare or complicated plants. Many herbs you already use in the kitchen can also support your health.

Whether it’s oregano in your pasta sauce or cinnamon in your oatmeal, herbalism often begins right in your spice cabinet.

Over time, you may find yourself paying more attention to how herbs affect you — not just in taste, but in how your body responds.

Herbalism Is About Connection, Not Quick Fixes

One of the reasons people are drawn to herbalism is because it encourages a deeper connection with nature, with your body, and with your local environment.

It’s not about chasing fast results. It’s about learning what works for you, building a slow and steady relationship with plants, and trusting your own experience.

Herbalism also brings people together through shared knowledge, passed-down recipes, or simply learning alongside others.

How to Start Learning Herbalism the Right Way

When you’re just starting out, it can be tempting to try learning everything at once. But herbalism works best when you take it slow and focus on a few herbs at a time.

One of the easiest ways to begin is to pick a handful of herbs — maybe five to ten — that you're curious about.

These could be herbs you’ve used in cooking, seen in tea blends, or even ones growing nearby. This way, you’re not overwhelmed, and you can give each herb the attention it deserves.

Start With Safe and Nourishing Herbs

It’s helpful to begin with herbs known for being gentle and supportive. These are often called tonic or nutritive herbs.

Plants like nettle, dandelion, garlic, oats, and burdock are a great place to begin. They’re safe for most people, easy to find, and have a long history of use.

As you learn more, you can branch out to other beginner-friendly herbs like calendula, elderberries, chamomile, lemon balm, and turmeric.

Learn Through Your Senses

Rather than just reading about herbs, it’s better to learn through direct experience. Taste them, touch them, smell them, and see how your body responds.

You might choose one herb to focus on for a whole month. During that time, you can try it in tea, food, or even as a skin remedy.

Writing down what you notice (how it tastes, what it does, how you like it) helps you understand herbs in a personal and useful way.

Look to the Plants Around You

Another good way to start is to pay attention to the herbs that grow near you. This is sometimes called Green Herbalism.

It’s about learning from your local landscape — the plants that grow in your area and your climate.

These herbs are often easier to find, and they tend to grow in ways that make sense for the place you live. Focusing on nearby plants can also help you stay connected to the seasons and your environment.

Start Small and Be Consistent

You don’t need fancy tools or a large shelf full of herbs to begin. Herbalism can grow slowly and naturally.

What matters most is curiosity, consistency, and a willingness to keep learning.

You’ll get the most out of it by building your knowledge one herb at a time and paying attention to how your body responds along the way.

Good Herbs for Beginners

Choosing herbs as a beginner doesn’t need to be complicated. The best place to start is with plants that are safe, easy to find, and have a gentle effect on the body.

These herbs have been used for generations and are a great way to learn how herbalism works in everyday life.

Begin With Herbs That Interest You

As you start learning, choose five to ten herbs that you’re genuinely curious about. You don’t need to memorize every herb out there — it’s more useful to go deeper with just a few.

Your list might include herbs you already use in your meals, ones you’ve heard of in tea blends, or plants that grow near you. This keeps your learning personal and manageable.

Try These 18 Beginner Herbs

There are many herbs that are considered beginner-friendly because of their wide range of uses and safety. Some good ones to explore include:

Calendula	Lavender
Cinnamon	Nettles
Chamomile	Oregano
Dandelion greens	Peppermint
Elderberries & flowers	Plantain
Echinacea	Sage
Garlic	Shiitake mushrooms
Ginger	Thyme
Lemon balm	Turmeric

You don’t need to use all of them. Start with the ones that match your interest or health goals, and build from there.

Learning About One Herb at a Time

Trying to understand too many herbs at once can get confusing. That’s why many herbalists recommend focusing on one herb at a time.

This helps you notice what it does for you and how your body responds.

When you choose one herb to study, take your time. Use it in tea, taste it raw if it’s safe, smell it, touch it, and watch how it grows if you have access to it fresh.

Some people like to spend a whole month with just one herb, using it regularly and writing down their thoughts. This process helps you understand more than just what a book says.

You get to know how that herb works for you, in your life.

What Herbal Tastes Can Tell You

Herbs don’t just have effects because of what’s in them — their taste can actually give you clues about what they do in the body.

Paying attention to flavor is one of the simplest tools you can use to better understand how a plant works. Every herb has a taste, and each taste gives you a hint about its action.

Herbal Tastes Aren’t Just About Flavor

In herbalism, taste is connected to the way an herb behaves in the body. For example, bitter herbs often support digestion and help your body process food better.

Sour herbs tend to help with cleansing and are usually rich in vitamin C. Astringent herbs make your tissues tighten, which is helpful when you’re dealing with things like cuts, sore throats, or diarrhea.

Sweet herbs are nourishing and often used for calming or strengthening.

Salty herbs usually have a high mineral content and can be deeply nourishing, while pungent herbs are stimulating — they warm you up, clear congestion, and get things moving.

These categories might sound unusual at first, but once you start tasting herbs with these ideas in mind, it becomes easier to remember what they do.

You begin to understand them with your whole body, not just your mind.

Keeping Track of What You Learn

Learning herbalism can feel like a lot to take in at first, but keeping records of what you do makes the process clearer and easier.

A herbal journal is one of the most useful tools you can have. It helps you see what worked, what didn’t, and how you’re growing over time.

Why a Herbal Journal Helps You Learn Faster

When you start using herbs regularly, it’s easy to forget the details — how much you used, how you felt afterward, or which recipes you liked best.

Writing things down gives you something to go back to. It also helps you stay honest with yourself about what’s working and what isn’t.

You don’t have to be a great writer to keep a journal — even a few lines per day or per use is enough.

Your journal can include anything that matters to you.

That might be a tea recipe you enjoyed, a note about how a herb made you feel, or a reminder about where you bought a certain product. It’s your personal learning tool.

Create Your Own Materia Medica

A materia medica is simply a record of herbs and how they’re used.

Many herbalists build their own over time. It usually includes the herb’s name, its actions, what it’s good for, how to prepare it, and your own notes on taste and effect.

You can make it as simple or as detailed as you like. Some people keep it in a notebook, others make a binder or use a digital document.

However you choose to do it, creating your own materia medica helps you build your herbal knowledge in a clear and personal way.

Easy Herbal Remedies You Can Make

Making your own herbal remedies doesn’t have to be complicated. As a beginner, it’s best to start with simple methods that help you learn how each herb works.

You don’t need fancy tools or a big collection of ingredients. In fact, you can begin with just a few herbs, a clean kitchen, and a few basic supplies.

Start With Herbal Teas and Infusions

Herbal teas are one of the easiest and safest ways to start using herbs. All you need is dried or fresh plant material and hot water.

Teas are usually steeped for a few minutes and are great for daily use. You can make a cup to support digestion, improve sleep, or soothe stress, depending on which herb you use.

Infusions are similar to tea but use more plant material and steep for longer — often several hours.

This method draws out more nutrients, especially from nutritive herbs like nettle or oatstraw. You can make an infusion in a quart-sized jar, let it steep overnight, and drink it the next day.

Simple Salves for Skin Support

Salves are another easy project for beginners. They’re made by infusing herbs into oil, then mixing the oil with beeswax to create a soft, spreadable ointment.

Calendula is a great herb to start with for salves because it’s gentle and supports the skin. You can use a small pot, a glass jar, and a strainer to make your own herbal oil at home.

Just make sure all tools are clean — stainless steel and glass are usually the easiest to wash and reuse.

Once you mix the oil with melted beeswax and pour it into small jars or tins, be sure to label everything with the name of the herb and the date you made it.

This helps you keep track of how long it’s been sitting on the shelf and reminds you what’s inside.

Keep It Simple and Clean

At the start, it’s best to focus on one herb per remedy or very simple blends. This helps you learn what each herb does and how your body responds.

As you gain more experience, you’ll feel more confident mixing herbs or trying new techniques.

Always make sure your workspace is clean, and label everything clearly — it saves you confusion later on and keeps your remedies safe.

Using Herbs in Daily Life

One of the best ways to really learn herbalism is by making herbs a part of your everyday routine.

This doesn’t mean you have to drink strange teas all day or take dozens of tinctures. It’s more about noticing where herbs can fit naturally into the things you already do.

Add Herbs to the Food You Already Make

Cooking is one of the easiest ways to bring herbs into your daily life. Many herbs you use in the kitchen (like garlic, thyme, oregano, and ginger) also have health benefits.

For example, garlic supports your immune system, while thyme can help ease coughs. These herbs don’t need to be taken as medicine — just including them in your meals can support your health over time.

You can also use dried herbs in soups, stews, or teas, and fresh herbs in salads, sauces, or dressings.

Once you start thinking of herbs as part of your food, it becomes easier to use them consistently and with purpose.

Make Herbal Habits That Fit Your Life

Creating small habits around herbs can help you build consistency. You might drink a cup of lemon balm tea at night to wind down, use a skin salve in the morning, or make a digestive tea to sip after meals.

These simple routines add up over time and help you learn what works best for your body.

If you’ve made your own herbal products, using them regularly also helps you pay attention to how each remedy feels — what works, what you might change next time, and what you want to keep using.

Use What’s Around You First

Before you rush to buy a bunch of new herbs, take a look at what’s already available in your kitchen, garden, or even your local store.

If you’ve already got peppermint, chamomile, or sage in your cabinet, that’s a good place to start. You don’t need to have every herb on hand. Start small and let your daily life guide you.

Growing Your Own Herbs at Home

Growing herbs yourself is one of the most rewarding parts of learning herbalism. It lets you build a deeper connection with the plants you use and gives you access to fresh, high-quality herbs.

You don’t need a large yard or garden to get started. Even a few pots on a windowsill or balcony can give you a good supply of useful herbs.

Start Small With Beginner-Friendly Herbs

Some herbs are easier to grow than others, especially if you’re working with limited space or experience.

Basil, mint, parsley, oregano, thyme, and chives all grow well in pots and are commonly used in both food and herbal preparations.

Lemon balm and chamomile are also good choices for calming teas and are easy to grow in many climates.

These plants don’t need much to thrive — just good soil, sunlight, and regular watering.

As you learn how each plant grows, you’ll also start understanding more about its nature, when to harvest it, and how fresh herbs differ from dried ones.

Use What You Have and Expand Slowly

You don’t need expensive tools or raised beds to grow herbs. Reusing containers you already have — like old buckets, yogurt cups, or mason jars — can work just fine if you add drainage holes.

Herbs generally do best in well-draining soil, so make sure the pots don’t stay too wet.

If you're working with limited space indoors, look for herbs that grow well on windowsills and in indirect light.

Start with just a few plants that you’ll actually use, then add more over time as you learn what grows well in your home and how much care each herb needs.

Books and Other Good Places to Learn

If you’re serious about herbalism, learning from trusted resources is one of the most important things you can do.

Good books, courses, and teachers give you reliable knowledge and help you avoid the confusion that comes from random or unverified online advice.

Start With Beginner-Friendly Books

Books are one of the best ways to build a strong foundation. Look for authors who focus on safety, simple recipes, and real-life herbal use.

Some well-respected herbalists for beginners include Rosemary Gladstar, Julie Bruton-Seal, and Anne McIntyre.

These authors write in a way that’s easy to understand and based on years of experience. Older herbal books are often filled with practical, time-tested knowledge — they may not be flashy, but they’re worth reading.

Pick one or two books to start with, rather than collecting too many at once. This helps you focus and actually try what you’re reading instead of jumping around from one idea to the next.

Be Cautious With Social Media Advice

There’s a lot of herbal information online, but not all of it is helpful or safe. Social media can make things sound easier or more effective than they really are.

It’s better to stick with sources that explain the risks and encourage safe, slow learning. If you see herbal advice online, always double-check it against trusted books or teachers before trying it yourself.

Build a Small Library You Can Grow With

Over time, you’ll figure out which books or authors match your interests and needs.

You might start with basic how-to books and later move on to more detailed guides on plant identification, herbal medicine making, or specific health concerns.

A small, well-used library will serve you better than a large shelf of books you don’t really use.

Learning from Herbal Teachers

While books are a great place to start, learning directly from a skilled herbalist can take your understanding much further.

Teachers can give you hands-on experience, help you avoid common mistakes, and guide you through the learning process in a way that’s hard to find in a book or online post.

Why Learning From a Teacher Matters

Herbalism is a practical skill. It involves more than just reading facts — it’s about how you work with plants, how you prepare them, and how you understand their effects.

A teacher can show you these things in person, answer your questions on the spot, and help you build confidence in your choices.

If you’re feeling unsure about anything, having someone to guide you makes a big difference.

What to Look For in a Herbal Teacher

When choosing a teacher, look for someone who shares their background and experience clearly.

Good teachers explain where they learned, how long they’ve been practicing, and what kind of herbalism they focus on.

Some may have formal training, while others have learned through apprenticeships or traditional knowledge.

What matters most is that they respect safety, understand the plants they work with, and are open about what they do and don’t know.

If you’re not sure where to start, look for community classes, herb walks, or local herb schools in your area. These often offer short, affordable classes where you can begin learning in a more interactive way.

Workshops and Hands-On Learning

Attending a live workshop (even just once) can teach you things that are hard to pick up from reading alone.

You might learn how to identify plants in the wild, how to make a tincture, or how to dry and store herbs properly.

Many herbalists offer seasonal classes that follow the plants through the year, which can help you stay connected to your local growing cycle.

If you don’t have access to in-person learning, many herbal teachers now offer video-based courses that still include demonstrations, guided practice, and feedback.

Free and Trusted Online Resources

Online learning has made herbal education more accessible than ever — but you have to know where to look.

Not all herbal websites or videos are helpful or accurate, so it’s important to use sources created by experienced herbalists and respected schools.

The good news is that there are plenty of free resources that offer high-quality information without the confusion of social media trends.

Helpful Online Platforms and Schools

Some herbal schools and organizations provide both paid and free content to support beginners. The Herbal Academy offers free mini-courses, blog posts, and guides for those just starting out.

The American Herbalist Guild has articles, webinars, and tools for learning about herb safety and use.

The Southwest School of Botanical Medicine shares free materia medica resources, and Herbalista’s website includes guides on making herbal remedies at home.

These platforms are created by people with real training in herbalism. Their content is well-checked and updated, and they often point you toward further study when you’re ready.

Use Blogs, Newsletters, and Podcasts Carefully

Many herbalists also share knowledge through their blogs, email newsletters, or podcasts. These can be helpful ways to stay inspired and pick up small bits of learning as you go.

Look for voices that are thoughtful, grounded, and focused on safety and sustainability. Avoid anyone who promises quick results or makes herbalism sound too easy or too magical.

Build a Learning Routine That Works for You

Free resources are most helpful when you use them consistently. Set aside a little time each week to read an article, watch a class, or listen to a podcast.

Keep your herbal journal nearby so you can jot down what you’re learning and how you might apply it. Even ten or fifteen minutes a day can help you build knowledge and confidence over time.

Picking Good Herbal Products and Seeds

Whether you’re buying dried herbs, salves, tinctures, or seeds to grow your own plants, quality matters.

Choosing trusted products from reliable sources helps ensure that the herbs you're using are safe, effective, and grown or made in a responsible way.

For beginners, this also makes it easier to build trust in the remedies you're making or taking.

What to Look For in Herbal Products

When buying teas, tinctures, or topical remedies, start by reading the label.

A good product should list every ingredient clearly and include the name of the herb (both common and Latin name, if possible).

Look for products that use organic or wildcrafted herbs, and avoid anything with artificial additives or fillers.

Companies that follow GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) or are certified organic are generally more reliable and consistent in their quality.

The color, smell, and feel of the herb can also tell you something. Freshly dried herbs tend to be vibrant in color and have a strong, clean scent.

If something looks dull or has little aroma, it might be old or poorly handled.

Choosing Seed Sources You Can Trust

If you want to grow herbs yourself, start with seeds or plants from companies that focus on medicinal herbs and sustainability.

Some trusted suppliers include Johnny’s Seeds, Strictly Medicinals, Fedco Seeds, and Richters.

These companies offer herbs grown for both home use and healing purposes, and many of them offer details about how the seeds are grown and harvested.

Avoid buying herb seeds from sources that don’t provide growing information or ingredient details.

Even if a packet looks appealing, it’s better to go with companies that specialize in herbal plants — especially when you’re just getting started.

Start with one herb, stay curious, and let your practice grow naturally!

The best way to begin is by choosing a few safe herbs, using them regularly, and paying attention to how they affect you.

From there, your herbal knowledge will grow naturally.

As you explore new remedies, read reliable books, or maybe even take a class, you’ll keep building a practice that’s steady, personal, and rooted in real experience.

Keep your focus on curiosity, care, and consistency.

With time and attention, herbalism becomes a useful part of your daily life — one that helps you stay connected to your health, your environment, and the plants all around you!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

If you’re just getting into herbalism, you probably have a few questions. Here are some simple answers to help you get started and feel more comfortable as you learn and try things out.

What are some good herbs to start with?

Nettle, chamomile, lemon balm, garlic, and calendula are great starter herbs. They’re gentle, easy to find, and support general health. These herbs can be used in teas, cooking, or basic remedies.

How will I know if a herb is helping me?

The best way to tell is to use one herb at a time and pay attention to how your body responds. Keep notes in a journal about how you felt before and after using it. Look for small changes over time rather than quick results.

Can I learn herbalism without growing herbs?

Yes. You can begin by using dried herbs from trusted sources. Growing herbs can deepen your learning, but it’s not required. Many herbalists start with purchased herbs and grow plants later on.

Is it okay to use herbs while taking medicine?

Some herbs can interact with medications, so it’s important to be careful. If you're taking prescription drugs, talk to your doctor or a trained herbalist before adding herbs to your routine.

How long does it take to get good at herbalism?

There’s no set timeline. You’ll start learning right away, but herbalism is a lifelong practice. With regular use, careful observation, and good resources, you’ll build knowledge and confidence over time.