Over the last few months in Peru, I’ve had the privilege of learning about native plants and traditional medicine directly from local teachers, farmers, and healers. What started as curiosity quickly turned into reverence. These plants aren’t just remedies—they’re wisdom passed down through generations.

Instead of textbook explanations, I learned by watching grandmothers prepare herbal steams for postpartum healing, listening to local herbalists describe the emotional roots of illness, and seeing how medicine in the Andes is deeply tied to nature, seasonality, and community.

Some of these plants are wild and abundant. Others are sacred and disappearing. Many aren’t documented well online—but they’ve been used for centuries to heal everything from UTIs and parasites to grief and heartbreak.

This post is a blend of what I’ve been taught, what I’ve experienced, and what I’ve researched to help make this wisdom more accessible—especially for those of us who want to reconnect with natural medicine in a grounded, respectful way.

1. Stinging Nettle (Ortiga / Urtica Dioica)

👉🏽 Warrior energy, strength, and hormonal balance

This plant was described to me as “the plant of the Incas.” Every part can be used—roots, leaves, even the sting. It’s high in iron, minerals, and supports strength, circulation, and endurance.

Uses:

• Boil the root and drink for 7 days (1 cup morning and night) for UTIs or prostate support
• Use in a bath to restore energy or ease hormonal shifts
• Soothes nerve pain when applied externally (even though the sting is intense!)
• Helpful for missing periods, fatigue, or post-illness weakness

2. Santa María

👉🏽 Clearing energy, menstrual pain, trauma

Often used in smoke cleanses or topical applications over the womb area. It’s used by women for ovarian inflammation and wrapped in newspaper and lightly smoked near the abdomen to reduce pain and clear emotional residue.

Uses:

• Menstrual cramps and cysts
• Energy clearing after trauma or emotional pain
• Used in “divorce” ceremonies or to cleanse grief

3. Maicha / Rumichaki

👉🏽 Sacred Valley plant for strength and postpartum recovery

This rare plant grows only in the Sacred Valley and is used in baths, infusions, and soups. It’s given to children after birth for strength, and to women after age 38 to restore vitality.

Uses:

• Strengthens after illness or childbirth
• Helps with gingivitis, tooth sensitivity
• Often mixed with other native herbs

4. Chuchuwasi (Maytenus spp.)

👉🏽 Blood, bone, libido, and energetic cleansing

This Amazonian tree bark is used for circulation, energy, and spiritual grounding. When I first took it, I felt heat, intensity, and sharp alertness. It’s powerful—used by shamans to clear energy blocks, heal sexual trauma, and strengthen the immune system.

Uses:

• Supports blood flow and heart function
• Heals sexual blocks or low libido
• Grounding plant for overactive or anxious minds
• Best in tincture or decoction form—ask a trained herbalist for dosage

5. Llanten (Plantago major)

👉🏽 Wound healing and gut support

This broadleaf plant is everywhere—and so underrated. It’s a natural antibiotic and great for gastritis, cuts, and inflammation.

Uses:

• Infuse 3 leaves in warm water for gut healing
• Use topically on cuts, burns, or insect bites
• Combine with Sangre de Grado (dragon’s blood) for post-surgery recovery

6. Horse Tail (Cola de Caballo / Equisetum)

👉🏽 Kidneys, urinary system, and inflammation

This plant grows wild in California and Peru and is commonly used in kidney and liver tonics.

Uses:

• Supports kidney stones and bladder inflammation
• Used as a diuretic in detox baths
• Soothes joint pain and arthritis

7. Arrayán (Luma apiculata)

👉🏽 Coughs, bugs, and bone pain

Native to South America, this tree’s bark and leaves are used in drinks, tinctures, and creams. I’ve seen it used for cough syrups made with honey.

Uses:

• Respiratory support and bug repellent
• Used for cold bones and arthritis
• Bathing in it supports joint health

8. Concong (El Navo)

👉🏽 Thyroid and calcium support

Rarely found outside of Peru, this plant supports thyroid function and strengthens bones.

Uses:

• Raw or cooked for calcium
• Taken for both high and low thyroid issues
• Eaten in soups or tinctured

9. Manca Panchi

👉🏽 Iron-rich, digestion, and grounding

This plant is packed with iron and used for acid reflux, digestive issues, and to rebuild energy after depletion.

Uses:

• Taken in infusion or added to soups
• Great for anemia and low energy
• Especially used by women

Final Thoughts

I’m not a certified herbalist (yet), but I believe in learning through lived experience and direct mentorship. If you’re interested in using plants for healing, always consult with someone trained in plant medicine or TCM before trying anything new. These aren’t quick fixes—they’re long-term allies. And they’re meant to be used with respect.

We’re living in a time when ancient wisdom and modern knowledge can come together. These plants are bridges—between body and spirit, science and story, tradition and innovation.

Let me know if you’d like a second post with recipes, how I prepare these, or how they relate to TCM organ systems.

Would you like me to design a visual guide for these herbs as well?