Episode 188: Red Osier Dogwood with Tiffany Harper

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Would you prefer watching or reading this episode? If so, click here for the 'Red Osier Dogwood Benefits' video and transcript.

Episode Summary

I was so happy when today’s podcast guest, Tiffany Harper, told me she’d like to talk about red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea syn., C. stolonifera). This striking shrub is very common in North America, both in wild lands and cultivated landscapes, and I was excited to learn more about it!

Tiffany brings so much heart and wisdom to everything she shares in this episode—the powerful medicine of red osier dogwood, the value of forming connections with the natural world around you, the often-overlooked importance of postpartum care.

The recipe that Tiffany shared with us, her Postpartum Relieving Peri Soak, is a beautiful way to show love and care to those who have recently given birth. You can download your copy of Tiffany’s recipe from the section below.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► Twelve traditional ways that red osier dogwood has been worked with, from craft to ceremony, food to medicine—including surprising benefits for the eyes and hair!

► Tips for finding and identifying red osier dogwood in the wild

► Why red osier dogwood is particularly suited for postpartum care

► The importance of developing relationships with the plants and ecosystems around you, no matter where you live (even—or especially!—if you live in an urban area)

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know her, Tiffany J. Harper, formally Freeman, is a member of the Peguis First Nation (Treaty 1). She is Maškēkowak, Anishinaabe and German by ancestry, living in the Treaty 7 Territory in Canada. Professionally, Tiffany is a Registered Clinical Herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild, a Doctor of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, and a Full Spectrum Birthworker. Along with her clinical practice, she’s an author and educator teaching a variety of courses in the field of herbalism, and maintains a creative practice in the traditional arts including beadwork and collaborations in the realm of public art.

Whether you live in the big city or the countryside, or somewhere in between, I hope my conversation with Tiffany inspires you to go outside, take a walk, and discover the beauty and magic in the land around you.

What You'll Learn from This Episode

• [1:09] Student spotlight
• [3:52] Introduction to Tiffany Harper
• [5:15] Tiffany’s plant path
• [14:14] Physical characteristics of red osier dogwood
• [20:12] Traditional indigenous uses of red osier dogwood
• [26:27] Red osier dogwood for postpartum care
• [31:10] Postpartum Relieving Peri-Soak recipe
• [40:28] Relationship and connection with plants
• [42:08] Tiffany’s herbal projects
• [47:31] How herbs instill hope in Tiffany
• [53:18] Herbal tidbit

Get Your Free Recipe!

A peri-soak, which may also be known as a sitz bath, is a herbal preparation that is infused, steeped in water, and applied to soak your bottom. It can be used in a tub or container that one sits in, in a peri-bottle as a wash for the perineum and whole undercarriage, or as an infusion that can be soaked into pads and applied.

Ingredients:

• 5 grams dried red osier dogwood (Cornus stolonifera) bark, including the green bark
• 10 grams dried calendula
• 5 grams dried rose petal
• 5 grams dried yarrow
• 1 cup boiling water

Directions:

1. Mix the herbs together in a jar.  This can be used immediately, or stored for later use.
2. To make the infusion, soak 1 recipe (25g) in 1 cup of boiling hot water. Steep 20 minutes, or until it has cooled to just warmer than room temperature. 
3. Strain herbs from liquid. Keep the liquid and compost the herbs. 
4. Double check the temperature, making sure it is not too hot or cold. If the liquid has gotten too cold, warm it up slightly. 
5. Add strained liquid to a peri-bottle or soak pads in liquid. Apply to perineum.

Connect with Tiffany:

• Website | OteNikanWellness.ca and RootedInCommunity.ca

Connect with Rosalee

• On Instagram | @rosaleedelaforet

• On Facebook | Herbs With Rosalee
• On YouTube | Herbs With Rosalee

• Website | herbswithrosalee.com


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