[What are the] best herbs for anti-viral use? Question from Jason of Providence, Rhode Island

Answer: What a timely question. We hesitate to give medicinal advice regarding herbal remedies for viral infections, but we do recommend that you read a useful medical article about “Antiviral Natural Products and Herbal Medicines” published in the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health in 2014. It provides a full review of effective anti-viral herbals at that time. Click here to read it, and check out Table 1. Elderberry (Sambucus nigra), dandelion (Taraxicum officinale), and basil (Ocimum basilicum) are among the more common, safe herbal plants mentioned that have extracts with demonstrated anti-viral activity.

Happy gardening,

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist