Hi blueridgemtngrl/Jeanne, I'm a little confused by you saying you have enough for one trade, Pipsissewa are individual plants, from what I can tell. Are you for sure speaking of or Chimaphila maculataSpotted Wintergreen (Striped Wintergreen, Spotted Pipsissewa) There are a lot of things that go by the name of wintergreen so just want to be sure. Off to email you now! Sue...all excited Sue

And a Great big WELCOME BACK to you. Great to see you posting. I have a vitex, but I'm not sure exactly which one it is. Here it only gets a about 3-4' tall and pretty well dies back each winter. I'm sure there are some seeds hanging on it yet if you'd like them. Also, I have a club moss, though no seeds. I'm not sure of the name, but if you might be interested in a little plant trade later, I will try to get it identified and attempt to transplant some. It is so pretty in the woods year round here where there is little else green except for the ceders and the invasive honeysuckle. Let me know if you are interested in the Vitex. if so, I'll harvest some. Sue...so glad to see you back

Most leaves work ok as a tea, and most are ok dried (echinacea leaves are usually best fresh; the root is best fresh but can be used dried, depending on the species). Barks and roots usually require a cold infusion (cold water overnight) or a strong decoction (add boiling water, let sit overnight). For details see Michael Moore's materia medica manual, available online. Milk thistle is usually prepared as a tincture for medicinal use; some people grind the seeds and eat them as food. Burdock root is also commonly eaten in soups, and you could make a fine spring salad with several common weedy greens, such as young dandelion, chickweed, and miner's lettuce.

It isn't Miners Lettuce. It's very clearly a Euphorbia. Look at the flowers again - they are quite different. Not mention the leaves. Euphorbias have milky white sap which can be irritant, so eating this would not be a good idea. If you are into foraging you need to be really clear on ids.