There are many Chinese herbs that have filtered into Western herbal practice. Herbs such as Asian ginseng, rhodiola, ginger, and lingzhi (aka reishi mushroom) are so common in Western herbal practice that the origins of those plants are sometimes forgotten. In this class, Dr. Thomas Avery Garran, PhD will guide you through the materia medica of 5 plants that he believes no Western herbalist should be without. The class will include an overview of each herb, including botany, processing, actions, indication, dosages, and combinations so that students will finish the class with a clear picture of how and when to apply these 5 medicinal plants in clinical practice.

Dr. Thomas Avery Garran, PhD has been studying plant medicine for over 30 years. He lived in China from 2007–2023 and received his PhD in Materia Medica studies and Plant Pharmacy at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences in Beijing: National Center for Materia Medica Resources and Daodi Herbs (the first non-Chinese recipient of this degree). Dr. Garran is the executive director of the East West School of Herbology and president of Herb Whisperer, Inc. which focuses on agriculture of medicinal plants and education.