Helpful Plants
Helpful plants for survival are the herbs, flowers and wild greens that can feed your family, soothe minor complaints, or stretch a pantry when supplies run short. We gather them here for families who garden, forage, or want one more skill in their preparedness kit. Preppers often start with a few kitchen herbs and branch out from there.
Wild plants are part of the picture too. For finding and safely identifying edible plants outdoors, read about food foraging. For one common roadside plant that can serve as food and as a coffee substitute, read about chicory.
Common Helpful Plants
- Lavender: A popular herb with a sweet, floral scent, long used in herbal tradition to ease stress and anxiety, lift mood, and promote restful sleep.
- Rosemary: A fragrant herb that seasons dishes and has been used traditionally to support memory and relieve stress.
- Aloe Vera: A succulent known for its soothing gel, used on the skin for minor burns and irritation.
- Basil: An aromatic herb that seasons dishes and has been used in traditional medicine for digestive and respiratory complaints.
- Chamomile: A flowering herb with a sweet, apple-like scent, often brewed as a tea to calm nerves, aid sleep, and settle an upset stomach.
Grow a few of these in pots or a garden bed, and you have food and comfort close at hand when the store is out of reach.






