A vibrant urban garden scene with people harvesting medicinal plants.

Unlock the Secrets of Your Backyard Pharmacy: A Guide to Medicinal Plants

Nico Varela in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 5 min read.

"Discover the hidden healing power in your garden and learn how to use common plants for everyday wellness."

For generations, people have turned to the natural world for healing. While many think of traditional healers in remote areas, the truth is, the potential for a backyard pharmacy exists in urban settings too. Imagine stepping into your garden and finding remedies for common ailments, all naturally grown and ready to use. This connection to nature, even in the city, keeps traditional knowledge alive and offers a path to self-sufficiency in healthcare.

Ethnobotany, the study of how people of a particular culture and region make use of indigenous plants, provides a framework for understanding this relationship. This article delves into an ethnobotanical survey conducted in the Bairro Novo Horizonte neighborhood of Ituiutaba, MG, Brazil, revealing a wealth of knowledge about medicinal plants cultivated in home gardens. By exploring this study, we'll uncover practical insights into identifying, preparing, and utilizing these plants for everyday wellness.

Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting to explore the world of natural remedies, this guide will empower you to harness the healing potential of your own backyard. Let's embark on a journey to rediscover the time-honored wisdom of medicinal plants and integrate it into our modern lives.

Your Garden's Hidden Pharmacy: Key Medicinal Plants & Their Uses

A vibrant urban garden scene with people harvesting medicinal plants.

The survey identified 72 different medicinal plant species across 33 botanical families being cultivated in home gardens. This biodiversity highlights the potential for urban gardens to serve as reservoirs of traditional medicine. Two plant families stood out: Asteraceae (the daisy family) and Lamiaceae (the mint family). These families are known for their diverse medicinal properties and ease of cultivation, making them popular choices for home gardens.

Here are five of the most frequently cited plants and their traditional uses, according to the residents:

Mentha sp. (Mint): Renowned for its benefits to the respiratory system. Used for teas and infusions to alleviate cold symptoms and congestion.
Cymbopogon citratus (Lemongrass): Valued for its circulatory system benefits, often prepared as a tea to help regulate blood pressure and promote relaxation.
Sedum dendroideum: Used to treat digestive ailments.
Plectranthus barbatus (Coleus barbatus): Utilized to treat digestive ailments.
Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary): Prized for its positive effects on the nervous system. Used in aromatherapy and teas to improve memory, concentration, and mood.

It's important to note that this study also revealed how people typically use these plants. The most commonly used part of the plant was the leaf, and the preferred method of preparation was decoction, a process of boiling plant material to extract its medicinal properties. This method is particularly effective for extracting compounds from tougher plant parts like roots and bark, but it is also commonly used for leaves and stems. However, it is important to note that the residents also used infusions.

Preserving Traditional Knowledge: A Call to Action

This ethnobotanical survey underscores the importance of preserving and disseminating traditional knowledge about medicinal plants. By recognizing the value of home gardens as reservoirs of this knowledge, we can empower communities to take control of their health and well-being.

While this study focused on a specific neighborhood in Brazil, its findings resonate globally. The potential for urban and suburban residents to cultivate their own medicinal plants and utilize them for everyday health is immense. By learning from traditional practices and integrating them with modern science, we can unlock the full potential of nature's pharmacy.

Take some time to explore your own backyard or local green spaces. Identify the plants growing around you and research their potential medicinal properties. Engage with local gardeners and herbalists to learn from their expertise. By actively participating in the rediscovery of traditional knowledge, we can ensure that these valuable practices are passed on to future generations.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1590/s1516-05722013000400009, Alternate LINK

Title: Levantamento Etnobotânico De Plantas Medicinais Nos Quintais Do Bairro Novo Horizonte, Ituiutaba, Mg

Subject: Complementary and alternative medicine

Journal: Revista Brasileira de Plantas Medicinais

Publisher: FapUNIFESP (SciELO)

Authors: H.S.N Liporacci, D.G. Simão

Published: 2013-01-01

Everything You Need To Know

What is ethnobotany, and why is it important in understanding the use of medicinal plants?

Ethnobotany is the study of how people of a specific culture and region use local plants. In this context, it provides the framework for understanding how residents of Bairro Novo Horizonte in Ituiutaba, MG, Brazil, utilize medicinal plants in their home gardens. By studying the ethnobotanical knowledge, the article reveals how residents identify, prepare, and use plants for health purposes. The implications of this knowledge include providing insights into self-sufficiency in healthcare and preserving traditional knowledge.

Why are home gardens considered reservoirs of traditional medicine, and what is the significance of this?

Home gardens serve as reservoirs of traditional medicine because they provide a space for cultivating a variety of medicinal plants. The survey found 72 different species across 33 botanical families. The significance lies in the preservation of traditional knowledge and the potential for communities to have access to natural remedies. Urban gardens, therefore, play a vital role in maintaining biodiversity and promoting well-being through the use of plants like Mentha sp. (Mint), Cymbopogon citratus (Lemongrass), Sedum dendroideum, Plectranthus barbatus (Coleus barbatus), and Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary).

Which plant families were particularly noteworthy in the survey, and why are they significant?

The daisy (Asteraceae) and mint (Lamiaceae) families stood out due to their medicinal properties and ease of cultivation. The implications of these families being popular include that they make accessible the means to grow medicinal plants in home gardens. The article points out these families are significant for home gardens because of their biodiversity.

What are the traditional uses of some of the key medicinal plants mentioned?

According to the residents, Mentha sp. (Mint) is utilized for the respiratory system, Cymbopogon citratus (Lemongrass) for the circulatory system, Sedum dendroideum and Plectranthus barbatus (Coleus barbatus) for digestive ailments, and Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) for the nervous system. These plants' traditional uses, as shared by the residents, highlight the potential for natural remedies in addressing various health concerns, connecting to the idea of a backyard pharmacy.

What are the common methods used to prepare the medicinal plants, and why is this important?

The most common preparation methods are decoction and infusions. Decotion involves boiling plant material to extract its properties, particularly from tougher parts like roots and bark, but it's also used for leaves and stems. Infusions are also used. The significance of this is that it gives a practical understanding of how residents extract the medicinal properties of the plants, and the implications are that this method influences the effectiveness of the remedies.