Desert Moon Botanicals

12/21/2025

Winter Solstice

The shortest day.
The longest night.
The quiet hinge of the year.

Today marks the low point of light, and the moment it begins its return. In many earth-based traditions, this night belongs to the dark—not as something to push through, but as something with its own purpose.

This year drew Desert Moon inward.
Aligned with loss, transition, and time spent away, it asked for slowing rather than building. For listening instead of shaping. For work that didn’t need to be visible.

In herbal practice, winter works this way. Roots hold fast. Energy turns inward. What matters most is happening below the surface.

As the year turns, the light will return slowly. With it will come a new look, new products, and new offerings shaped by this period of honest, inward work.

Thank you for being here through this season—for your patience, your trust, and your continued presence.

The light returns gradually.
We’ll move with it.

— Jennifer, Desert Moon Botanicals

11/29/2025

Small Business Saturday means a lot to me, because when you support a small business, you’re supporting a real person, real work, and real passion — not a corporation or an algorithm.

Every order placed with a small maker keeps skills alive, strengthens local communities, and allows people like me to continue creating meaningful, handcrafted products. None of this happens on Amazon or inside a warehouse. It happens at a table, in small batches, with intention and care.

To everyone who has supported Desert Moon Botanicals — whether through a purchase, a class, a plant walk, or simply sharing my work — thank you. It truly matters.

This weekend, enjoy 15% off all handcrafted herbal goods, plus free shipping on orders of $75+ with code HOLIDAY15.

Thank you for choosing small, choosing local, and choosing makers whose work is done by hand and from the heart.

Shop at desertmoonbotanicals.com.

11/28/2025

Black Friday and Small Business Saturday are here!

This weekend only, enjoy 15% off all handcrafted herbal goods, plus free shipping on orders of $75 or more.

Use code HOLIDAY15 at checkout.

As always, thank you for supporting small-batch herbalism, plant walks, and the work I do here in the desert. Your support makes it possible for me to continue creating high-quality herbal products and sharing herbal education with our community.

Shop the sale at desertmoonbotanicals.com (link in bio)

05/12/2025

HURRY AND SIGN UP!!

I'm doing a plant walk this weekend for Herbal Wisdom Institute in the Superstitions. Weather is supposed to cooperate and cool down a bit. Join me if you haven't been on this walk! Sign up at https://herbalwisdominstitute.com

Ooooo Jojoba!! The source of that luxurious oil we all know and love for skin and hair! It grows throughout the desert Southwest, and you will learn about all of its parts, its many mesicinal qualities, and maybe even about making Cowboy coffee from it!
Join Jennifer for a guided plant excursion in the Superstition’s next Saturday! Details on the site, or send us a message for more info. The walk is one week from today, so get your spot saved!

04/26/2025

It never stops amazing me — seeing plants here in Australia that feel so familiar to those back home in Arizona.

Old Man Saltbush (Atriplex nummularia) grows across the dry plains and coastal areas here, with its silver-grey leaves and tough spirit. Aboriginal peoples have long used it for food and medicine, taking advantage of its mineral-rich leaves.

Back in Arizona’s desert riparian areas, we have a close cousin — Quailbush (Atriplex lentiformis). It thrives in salty desert soils too. Indigenous communities there used it for food, and even for natural soaps and cleansers.

We actually saw and tasted it during our plant walk at the Riparian Preserve in March!

Even on the other side of the planet, these plants remind us how nature always finds a way — offering nourishment, medicine, and resilience where it’s needed most.

04/23/2025

Herbalist Abroad: Wattle Wisdom from Down Under

Walking among the golden Wattles of Australia, I was struck by just how familiar they felt. These beautiful Acacias are related to the Catclaw, Whitethorn, and Shoestring Acacias that grow across the Sonoran Desert back home in Arizona.

But it’s more than just resemblance—both the wattles of Australia and the Acacias of the Southwest have long histories of use as medicine, food, and spiritual allies in Indigenous traditions. Today, many of those uses continue to guide herbalists and plant lovers like us.

✨ In my latest blog post, I dive into the cultural and medicinal stories of Wattle (aka Acacia), from Aboriginal bush medicine to Native American traditions of the Southwest. It’s a journey through plant connection, healing, and deep respect for the wisdom held in the land.

👉 Read it here: https://desertmoonbotanicals.com/blog/f/herbalist-abroad-wattle-wisdom-from-down-under or click link in bio for Instagram.

04/22/2025

Happy Earth Day 🌿

Today and every day, I’m grateful for the plants, the land, and the timeless wisdom held in nature. From the Sonoran Desert to the Australian bush, I’m constantly reminded that the Earth provides medicine, connection, and healing—if we choose to listen.

Let’s continue to honor, protect, and learn from our mother.

💚 What are you doing to connect with the Earth today?

04/21/2025

Eucalyptus trees are such an iconic part of the Australian landscape, those tall, graceful figures with silvery leaves, curling bark, and that unmistakable scent carried on the breeze. You can’t walk through the bush without feeling their presence.

Locally known as "gum trees," they’re deeply rooted in both the ecology and cultural memory of this land. There are over 700 species (yes, really!), many of them perfectly adapted to the dry heat and fire-prone conditions. Here in South Australia, one you’ll often come across is Eucalyptus globulus, also called Southern Blue Gum or Tasmanian Blue Gum.

For thousands of years, Aboriginal communities have known the healing power of these trees. The leaves were crushed and inhaled to ease congestion, brewed into teas for fevers and immune support, or used in steam baths and smoke rituals for cleansing and protection. That kind of deep plant knowledge has been passed down through generations—and it's still relevant today.

These days, eucalyptus is still one of our go-tos for respiratory support. You’ll find it in chest rubs, steams, salves—even natural cleaning products and insect sprays, thanks to its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory magic.

And of course, I can’t leave out the koalas. 🐨They’re famously picky eaters, choosing only certain species—like Eucalyptus globulus, E. viminalis (Manna Gum), and E. camaldulensis (River Red Gum). They even prefer specific trees based on taste and moisture. I love that.

Being here, surrounded by these old giants (or broccoli trees as my daughter calls them), reminds me of how much medicine is all around us—how plants and people are intertwined in ways that go beyond words. It’s humbling. It’s beautiful. And it fills me with so much gratitude.

04/14/2025

Traveling across time zones can really throw off your body’s natural rhythm, I know! A few trusted plant allies can make a world of difference!

On long flights, I like to keep it simple and supportive:

• Homeopathic - there are a few you can use, but Arnica seems to work the best. A few doses during the flight and after arrival can help with the physical stress of travel.
• Rescue Remedy or Kava - wonderful for calming the nerves if flying makes you anxious. I also like Mind Soother by Herb Pharm for any anxiety.
• Eleuthero (Siberian Ginseng) and a good B Complex — take in the morning at your destination to help boost natural energy.
• Valerian, Chamomile, and Passionflower — helpful at night to encourage restful sleep and help the body adjust.
• Vitex (Chaste Tree) — thought to support healthy melatonin production, helping reset your internal clock.

When you arrive:

• If it's daytime, try to get outside and soak up the sunlight - it helps your body sync to the new time zone.
• If it's nighttime, focus on relaxing rituals like a hot bath with a few drops of Lavender oil to signal your body it’s time to rest.

Most of all...HYDRATE!

Plant medicine truly shines when it comes to nurturing our bodies during big transitions, and jet lag is no exception.

Safe travels, and may your journey be grounded, resilient, and full of good plant allies!

04/13/2025

Hello from beautiful Adelaide!

South Australia is a land of incredible diversity — from coastal beaches and ancient eucalyptus forests to dry inland deserts and rugged mountain ranges. The climate shifts from Mediterranean-like breezes along the coast to the arid heart of the Australian outback, creating landscapes full of resilience and wild beauty.

Here, native plants like wattles, emu bush, and saltbush thrive, each uniquely adapted to the challenges of drought, intense sun, and low rainfall. Many of these resilient plants carry deep traditional wisdom and have been used for generations by the Kaurna Aboriginal people for food, medicine, and ceremony.

I’m thrilled to spend time exploring these varied landscapes, connecting with family, and discovering the rich herbal traditions they hold. Follow along for plant wisdom, adventure, and a deeper connection to the healing power of nature!

04/11/2025

Here’s a peek inside my herbal travel kit!

I’m heading from Phoenix to LA, then all the way to South Australia — about 18+ hours of flying (not even counting the airport time!). On these long hauls, you definitely want all your plant allies with you — both herbal and homeopathic.

Whether you’re making your own formula or picking up a few great products from the store, try to prepare for anything that might come your way:

- Sleep support
- Anxiety and nerves
- Motion sickness
- Jet lag recovery
- Immune boosters

Plants can make all the difference in keeping your mind and body grounded through the journey!"

03/23/2025

Another great weekend of plant walks and teaching about our amazing and resilient desert plants. Thank you everyone who came out!

In the last few weeks we have gone from brown dead looking plants to spring bloom! Thank you RAIN! 🌦️ I really hope we have some more moisture in our future to give these babies a boost to last through the summer.

This is going to be my last walk for the spring but I will be back in May so look out for some more in the near future. 🌵🌿