Medicinal Plants - Simple Living by Design

Photo of medicinal herbs in a rock garden taken on Refugio de Los Angeles — A medicinal herb garden on Refugio de Los Angeles.

The Nicoya Peninsula is one of five Blue Zones in the world, where people commonly live active lives well into their 9th decade. Refugio de Los Angeles is located on the Pacific Slope of this region in the small farming town of Quebrada Grande. Inhabitants of this village have worked the land for generations and have a healthy appreciation for the trees and plants that grow abundantly throughout this mountainous terrain. Long before the Costa Rican government sent doctors into these remote villages, the elders were using the many varieties of trees and plants for medicine, both curative and preventive, with positive results.

Photo of a blue bowl full of fresh picked Turk's Cap Hibiscus — Turk’s Cap Hibiscus.

The medicinal plant knowledge of the elders is passed down with great veneration to the next generation. Women of all ages initiated a community medicinal plant project to gather species in a nursery built in the heart of the village so that this knowledge would be preserved and used in their daily lives. Medicinal plants are grown in the nursery and then transplanted to their home gardens for easier access and use.

Photo of two women pruning and picking plants in a nursery dappled with sunlight and shadow. — Quebrada Grande’s medicinal plant nursery.

Refugio de Los Angeles has gardens dedicated to the preservation, growth, and use of medicinal plants. A noni orchard is the source of daily doses of this potent health drink, followed by a tea of insulin that grows near the kitchen for easy access. This tea helps control cholesterol levels. Carao trees provide the nutritious dark red syrup used as a blood and immune system builder. The workers drink teas daily made from a variety of plants in the gardens, as well as fruit shakes blended with assorted fresh fruits grown on the property. Medicinals are an essential part of the daily diet at Refugio de Los Angeles. Guests remark that after spending time here they feel rejuvenated, energized and restored to good health.

Photo of a Noni tree with Noni fruit — Noni tree with fruit.

Medicinal plant nursery at Refugio de Los Angeles — Medicinal plant nursery on Refugio de Los Angeles.

Partial List of Medicinals at Refugio de Los Angeles

Field studies are in progress to identify other medicinals on the property.

English	Spanish	Latin
Aloe	Sábila	Aloe

Angel’s Trumpet

Reina de la noche

English	Spanish	Latin
Anise	Anis	Pimpinella anisum
Arnica	Arnica de monte
Bananas (4 Varieties)	Bananas	Musa
Basil	Albahaca	Ocimum basilicum
Bitter Melon	Sorosí	Momordica charantia
Bitterwood	Hombre grande	Quassia amara
Blue Mate/Blue kills	Azul de Mata	Justicia tinctoria
Brazilian Copal/Stinking Tree	Guapinol	Hymenaea courbaril
Bushy Matgrass	Juanilama	Lippia alba
Cacao	Cacao	Theobroma cacao
Carpenter’s Bush	Tilo	Justicia pectoralis
Cayenne	Chile picante/Chile rojo	Capsicum

Photograph of a bush of cayenne chilis. — Cayenne chilis.

English	Spanish	Latin
Cecropia Tree	Guarumo	Cecropia obtusifolia
Century Plant	Cabuya

Photograph of a large century plant, which looks like a giant asparagus stalk. — A Century plant sends out an asparagus-like spike when it is about to reproduce.

English	Spanish	Latin
Chamomile	Manzanilla
Chan	Chan/Chia
Cilantro	Culantro Coyote	Eryngium foetidum
Citrus	Cítrico	Citrus
Coconut tree	Palma de coco	Cocos nucifera
Coffee	Café
Common Plantain	Llantén	Plantago major
Coral Shower Tree/Sandal	Carao	Cassia grandis

Cis Wilson, owner of Refugio de Los Angeles, and Jesus pose with Jesus' quick, post lunch, harvest of plantains, — Cis and Jesus with plantains grown on Refugio.

English	Spanish	Latin
Dandelion	Diente de Lion	Taraxacum officinale
Dwarf Poinciana	Hojasén	Caesalpinia pulcherrima
Feverfew	Altamisa	Tanacentum parthenium
Ginger (2 kinds…Sweet and Strong)	Jengibre	Zingiber
Golden Shower	Cañafistula	Cassia fistula
Guacimo/West Indian Elm	Guacimo	Guazuma ulmifolia
Guava	Guayaba	Psidium guajava
Hibiscus	Rosa de Jamaica (Flor de Jamaica)
Hibiscus /Turk’s Cap (many species)	Amapola
Hollowheart	Guitite
Horsetail	Cola de Caballo
Indianhead Ginger/ Crepe Ginger	Cana Agria
Insulin	Insulina	Justicia spicigera
Jackass bitters	Gavilana	Neuroloena lobata
Leaf of Life	Hoja del Aire	Kalanchoe pinnata
Least Mallow	Malva
Lemon balm	Melissa
Lemon grass	Zacate de limon	Cymbopogon citratus

Photograph of lemongrass growing in a raised bed — Lemon grass bed.

English	Spanish	Latin
Mexican marigold/Mexican tarragon	Pericon
Moringa	Moringa	Moringa oleifera
Mother of cacao/Quick stick	Madero negro	Gliricidia sepium
	Mozote caballo	Triunfetta lappula
Naked Indian tree/Gumbo limbo	Indio desnudo	Bursera simaruba
Nance/Shoemaker’s tree	Nance/Nancite	Bryrsonima crassifolia
Noni	Noni	Morinda citrifolia
Nutmeg	Nuezmoscada
Oregano	Oregano
Papaya	Papaya	Carica papaya
Passionflower	Calzoncillo	Passiflora biflora
Pau d’arco	Cortez negro	Tabebuia impetiginosa

Photograph of a red petalled flower with a white bloom and lush green leaves — Passionflower.

English	Spanish	Latin
Peppermint	Yerba buena
Pichichio/Cow udder	Pichichio	Solanum mammosum
Pink Trumpet Tree	Roble de Sabana	Tabebuia rosea
Prickly Pear Cactus/Nopal	Tuna	Nopalea cochenillifera

Photograph of a Prickly Pear Cactus (Tuna) — Prickly Pear Cactus (aka Tuna).

English	Spanish	Latin
Rosemary	Romero	Rosmarinus officinalis
Rue	Ruda	Ruta graveolens
Sage	Salvia	Salvia officinales
Scarlet bush/Polly red head	Pico de pajaro	Hamelea patens

English	Spanish	Latin
Sensitive plant	Dormilona	Mimosa pudica
Snake plant	Oreja de mula/ Lengua de suegra	Ruta graveolens
Soursop	Guanábana	Annona muricata
Spearmint	Mentha spicata

Photograph of spearmint leaves soaking in a pot in preparation for tea. — Spearmint.

English	Spanish	Latin
Spearmint	Mentha
Spinach	Espinaca	Spinacia oleracea
Spineless yucca	Itabo
Spiral Flag	Caña Agria	Costus spicatus and C. ruber
Sulfatillo	Sulfatillo	Leonorus sibiricus
Thyme	Tomillo	Thymus vulgaris
Tree Spinach	Chaya	Cnidoscolus chayamansa
Turk’s Cap Hibiscus		Malvaviscus penduliflorus

Photograph of a Turk's Cap Hibiscus bush in dappled sunlight. Red blooms in a splash of greens and yellows. — Turk’s Cap Hibiscus.

English	Spanish	Latin
Vetiver Grass	Vetiver	Chrysopogon zizanioides

Photograph of vetiver grass lining a trail — Vetiver grass and Cabuyas.

English	Spanish	Latin
Wandering Jew	Hoja del Milagro	Tradescantia zebrine

Partial List of Medicinals at Refugio de Los Angeles

A Private Nature Preserve For Sale