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March 16, 2020

The Muthi Flora of southern Africa is BIG Business

The Top Traded Medicinal Plants of southern Africa

The trade in the medicinal plants of southern Africa is a vibrant and growing industry. It is an important livelihood option for rural women, and for those involved, it is a major contributor to household incomes. It is valued at R2.9 billion annually in South Africa and at least 133 000 households in South Africa are dependent on this rich floral heritage.

According to Arnold et.al. (2002), the current number of medicinal plants used in traditional medicine in southern Africa includes 215 families, 1 240 genera, and 3 689 taxa (species, subspecies and varieties), representing 15% of the regional flora. Of these, 771 taxa are actively traded.

From a family herbalist point of view, having such a large number of muthi flora at our disposal is exciting. Very exciting! But it is also overwhelming. Somehow, one has to whittle the list down to a more manageable size.

We’ve narrow the number down to 125 plants. You can view the list HERE! Enjoy!

The Digital Muthi Flora Inventory

The definitive reference work for every southern African Family Herbalist and Inyanga.

A one-of-a-kind digital inventory of the Muthi Flora of southern Africa. Featuring medicinal and magical plants from the region.

The basic and advanced search facilities will help you find muthi plants to add to your own materia medica. PLUS, you can add a listing to the Expanded Monograph cue.

Visit The Digital Inventory HERE.

Article Archive

You can view the Muthi flora Article Archive HERE!

Take Action

  1. Make a shortlist of three indigenous healing plants to add to your own materia medica. Don’t overthink this. And don’t spend too much time on making the list.
  2. Share your three plants in a reply below.
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Article by 191 Comments

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  1. Pippa Langley says

    January 24, 2023 at 12:34 pm

    Cape honeysuckle
    Sensitive plant
    Common wild pear

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  2. Heather Thompson says

    January 11, 2023 at 9:50 pm

    Asphodelaceae: Aloe ferox
    Asteraceae: Artemisia afra
    Moringaceae: Moringa oleifera

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  3. Jessica Keefer says

    January 8, 2023 at 7:33 am

    I chose the following: Pittosporum viridiflorum, Leonotis Leonurus and Aloe vera. Excited to learn more on the different species of Aloe!

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  4. Denise Steyn says

    December 26, 2022 at 5:08 pm

    Cannabis Sativa is definitely one of the ones that I’m learn g about and so is Aloe ferox and Moringa

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  5. Larissa Llave says

    December 24, 2022 at 10:41 am

    Ashwagandha
    Astragalus
    Tulsi

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  6. Tashinga Ndawona says

    November 28, 2022 at 9:35 pm

    Aloe ferox
    Lavender
    Nettle

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  7. Michele Wilkerson says

    November 23, 2022 at 2:33 pm

    Calendula
    Mullein
    Redclover

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  8. Michele Wilkerson says

    November 23, 2022 at 2:32 pm

    Mullein
    Red clover
    Calendula

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  9. irene naberman says

    October 18, 2022 at 6:57 pm

    Anemone fanninii
    Loxostylis alata
    Turraea floribunda

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  10. Rhiannon Mitchell says

    October 18, 2022 at 4:14 pm

    Truth be told, I don’t live in Southern Africa, I live In Ireland. This just means I will have to do some extra research of my own into the herbs, spices and plants at my disposal here.

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  11. Xoliswa Mafutha says

    October 16, 2022 at 11:56 pm

    I know of morning and aloe this are the top two I’m familiar with

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  12. S Opperman says

    September 29, 2022 at 4:59 pm

    Bulbine Frutescens, Salvia Aurea, Lobostemon Fruticosis

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  13. Cynthia Santos says

    September 23, 2022 at 1:52 am

    1. Hyacinthaceae
    2. Ranunculaceae
    3. Euphorbiaceae

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  14. Angela Pitout says

    September 16, 2022 at 6:58 am

    Aloe
    Rosemary
    Lavender
    I have chosen these as I grow them in my little kitchen garden already

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  15. Stephanie Malan says

    September 15, 2022 at 2:39 pm

    Shortlist of three indigenous healing plants to add to my own materia medica

    #1 Asphodelaceae: Aloe ferox
    #2 Moringaceae: Moringa oleifera
    #3 Asphodelaceae: Bulbine asphodeloides

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  16. Crystal Brunsdon says

    August 26, 2022 at 6:17 am

    Centella asiatica
    Aloe ferox
    Cannabis sativa

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  17. Carmen Booyse says

    July 20, 2022 at 9:19 pm

    Hypericum perforatum (St John’s wart)
    Calendula officinalis (Marigold)
    Hypoxidaceae (Star Lilies)

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  18. Alicia Fisser says

    July 17, 2022 at 4:16 pm

    Valerian
    Aloe vera
    Nettle

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  19. Amber Jaramillo says

    June 13, 2022 at 3:45 am

    aloe vera
    dandeliones
    nettles

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  20. Gabi Neukom says

    May 22, 2022 at 3:12 pm

    Daturla stramonium
    Aloe Ferox
    Vachellia karroo (Acacia karroo) (Soetdoring, Sweet Thron, umuNga)

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  21. Alida Allchin says

    May 9, 2022 at 7:04 pm

    Pelargonium sidoides
    Carpobrotus edulis
    Taraxacum officianale

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  22. Tidimalo Reagile Setshedi says

    April 19, 2022 at 2:59 pm

    Aloe ferox
    Aloe vera
    vachellia root

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  23. dheeonline says

    April 18, 2022 at 5:21 pm

    Three herbs that I will include will be Hyacinth, Passionflower and Moringa oleifera.

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  24. Jessica Bryant says

    April 11, 2022 at 9:13 pm

    Plantain
    Red Clover
    Dandelion

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  25. Natasha Ottermann says

    March 29, 2022 at 4:31 pm

    Dandelion
    Yarrow
    Ranunculales

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  26. Megan Keyser says

    February 22, 2022 at 12:53 am

    Cottonwood Buds (for the resin)
    Dandelion (leaf and root)
    Lungwort

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  27. Megan Steinhaus says

    February 15, 2022 at 5:24 am

    Dandelion
    Black walnut
    Echinacea

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  28. Ponkie Thekiso says

    February 11, 2022 at 3:30 pm

    Aloe maculata
    Hypoxis rooperi
    mint

    Log in to Reply
  29. Colin Jardine says

    February 8, 2022 at 10:06 pm

    Datura stramonium

    Ekebergia capensis

    Hypoxis hemerocallidea

    Log in to Reply
  30. Veronica Rafferty says

    January 7, 2022 at 10:47 pm

    Dandelion, Plantain, Yarrow

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  31. Stacey moss says

    January 2, 2022 at 5:42 pm

    I live on the line of 2 distinct environments in the US- the Eastern coast and the Midwest. I am fortunate to have abundant flora from both regions here.
    I chose Great Mullein, Burdock, and Mustard Garlic.

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  32. Roy Brewer says

    December 16, 2021 at 9:00 pm

    Mint
    Parsley
    Garlic

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  33. LINGANISILE SIYOYO says

    December 16, 2021 at 6:10 pm

    Bearberry,calendular,valerian

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  34. Anjanette Segura says

    November 22, 2021 at 1:34 pm

    I’m not in South Africa but I chose parsley, dandelion, and agave

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  35. Percy Nengobela says

    November 15, 2021 at 1:32 pm

    Long
    Parsely

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  36. Tanya Lochner says

    October 24, 2021 at 7:06 am

    Lemon verbena
    Dandelion
    Parsley

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  37. Vici Kiehm says

    October 11, 2021 at 11:10 pm

    Dandelion
    Spek plant
    purslane

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  38. Vici Kiehm says

    October 11, 2021 at 11:09 pm

    wow, I heard a discussion on RSG radio whereby they said they were replanting indigenous herbal healing plants at the voortrekker monument as some of the plants were forgotten or going extinct. They also said that about 50% of all of Africa’s healing plants were found in South Africa.

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  39. Anna Ruizendaal says

    September 29, 2021 at 1:31 pm

    Bulbinella
    Lemon Verbena
    Mint
    Lemon grass
    Ginger
    Parsley

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The Budding Herbologist
Module 1 Plan Your Learning Road Map-
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