My HERBARIUM

What is a HERBARIUM?

Traditionally an herbarium was a book of collected raw plant material that had been pressed or preserved to aid in the research of using plants for medicinal purposes. Usually, all parts of the plant were represented including the roots, stems, leaves, and fruits. The collector would then annotate the page with identification remarks and findings.

Today an herbarium has evolved to a place where such documentation resides. More of a library or museum with huge data banks of material for education and research. One of the largest Herbaria is the Kew Herbarium located in England with more than 6 million specimens. In the US, there are several; the two largest are the New York Botanical Herbarium and in DC the US National Herbarium, each housing around three million specimens.

For me I am wanting to put together a collection of plants I want to grow in my garden as well as some for medicinal use… Obviously being a work from home mom, I need to get my kiddos involved in some of these activities or they just wont get done..

Make your own your Herbarium Journal:

• Collect some specimens of flowers including the roots, stems, and flowers.
• Press them in our Cabin FlowerPress until dry.
• Mount them on the pages provided on our free prinatble, or cut out and use the specimen name labels provided and stick them on water-colour/craft paper. Use washi tape or glue, get creative..
• Hand-write the scientific name and common name, the date collected and any other notes about your collection.
• see the example provided.
• Punch some holes on the side, and hold them together with some string or ribbon and make your own book/journal