Episode 201: Spicebush with Rebecca Beyer

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Would you prefer watching or reading this episode? If so, click here for the 'Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)' video and transcript.

Episode Summary

What happens when we follow one plant deeply enough to uncover its stories, traditions, and medicines?

In this episode, I sit down with herbalist, artist, and folk magic researcher Rebecca Beyer to talk about her lifelong devotion to spicebush (Lindera benzoin)—a plant rooted in Appalachian folk tradition and brimming with story.

Rebecca shares how a difficult illness first led her to herbal medicine, and how she eventually came to see spicebush as her patron plant. We explore its many gifts—from its role in spring tonics and colonial kitchens to its modern uses as a warming, aromatic ally. Rebecca also invites us into her creative world, where her herbal practice meets her art, tattooing, and deep love for regional traditions.

Fresh spicebush berries are notoriously difficult to dry, so Rebecca likes to find other creative ways to preserve their peppery, citrus-spiced flavor. She’s shared her recipe for Spicebush Honey Bounce—spicebush berries infused in honey, plus a little something extra! You can find a beautifully-illustrated copy of Rebecca’s recipe in the section below.

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

► Why spicebush holds such a beloved place in Appalachian folk traditions, bridging the worlds of food, medicine, and seasonal ritual

► Four medicinal benefits of spicebush

► Rebecca’s trick for drying the fruit so they keep their flavor for years and don’t mold—quite a challenge for these juicy berries!

► Six ways to work with spicebush for food and medicine, from the bark to twigs, leaves to fruit

► Why embracing many teachers—and a community of learning—is key to becoming a better herbalist

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know her, Rebecca Beyer is an Appalachian folk herbalist and magical practitioner, tattooer, author, and crafts woman. She studies and teaches foraging, regional folk medicine and handicrafts at her home in the mountains of Western North Carolina through her school, Blood and Spicebush School of Old Craft, and tattoos at her studio, Pars Fortuna.

This conversation is full of history, heart, and plant wisdom. Whether you’re new to spicebush or already love the plants of Appalachia, I know you’ll come away inspired by Rebecca’s joyful relationship with this fragrant, generous shrub.

What You'll Learn from This Episode

• [1:09] Introduction to Rebecca Beyer
• [2:59] Rebecca’s plant path
• [9:16] How Rebecca came to know spicebush
• [12:11] Medicinal benefits of spicebush
• [18:32] Spicebush Honey Bounce recipe
• [21:25] Spicebush in food and tradition
• [25:48] Rebecca’s new book, The Complete Folk Herbal
• [35:27] Rebecca’s current herbal projects
• [38:42] What Rebecca wishes she’d known when she first started out with herbs
• [41:50] Student spotlight
• [42:58] Herbal tidbit

Get Your Free Recipe!

Connect with Rebecca:

• Website | BloodAndSpicebush.com
• Instagram | @bloodandspicebush
• Facebook | Blood and Spicebush

Connect with Rosalee

• On Instagram | @rosaleedelaforet

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

• Website | herbswithrosalee.com


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