I’ve always been enchanted by Claire Fraser’s herbal world in Outlander. She doesn’t just patch wounds or ease fevers—she converses with plants in a way that bridges centuries. Claire’s botanical lexicon is robust, rooted both in 20th-century medical knowledge and 18th-century herbal lore. And as a fan of Claire's, I often find myself dreaming: what if Claire walked into my apothecary? At which of my tinctures might she nod approvingly?
Below, I walk you through a selection of herbs Claire uses (in U.S. editions), what she uses them for (as far as the text or reputable herb indices allow), and how those intersect with what you’ll find in my shop today.
Note: Because of copyright constraints, I reference herb usages from trusted secondary sources and botanical compendia rather than quoting full passages.
Claire’s Herbal Apothecary
| Herb | Usage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Comfrey (“knitbone”) | Used for hemorrhoids, as a poultice, and for wound salves | As she first shows her herbal leaning, she notes “good for haemorrhoids” in Outlander. |
| Garlic | Antiseptic, wound cleansing / infection prevention | Mrs. Fitz brings Claire garlic to help with Jamie’s wound in Outlander / Dragonfly in Amber contexts. |
| Willow Bark | Pain relief, mild analgesic (a natural source of salicylates) | In the books, Claire uses willow bark + teas to ease Jamie’s pains and mouth rinses. |
| Thyme | Wound dressing, cleansing and antimicrobial wash | Mrs. Fitz gives Claire thyme for treating breaches in the skin barrier. |
| Celandine (greater celandine / Chelidonium) | Used by Davie Beaton for liver / jaundice / internal cleansing | Claire finds references in Beaton’s surgery. |
| Yarrow | Disinfection, staunching bleeding, first aid | In Outlander, yarrow is explicitly noted for its use in wound care and as a disinfectant. |
| Marigold | Skin ointments, anti-inflammatory, wound healing | Used in Claire’s (and Mrs. Fitz’s) garden / healing mixtures. |
| Foxglove (digitalis) | Extract for cough / heart palpitations | She drafts a digitalis preparation from dried foxglove to help Alex Randall. |
| Raspberry leaf | Used in pregnancy / uterine toning, to support birthing | Grannie McNab and Mother Hildegarde reference raspberry leaves in Dragonfly in Amber. |
| Anise, Angelica, Horehound, Peppermint | Digestive relief (particularly constipation, indigestion) |
In later volumes Claire prescribes a tea combining these to relieve bowel sluggishness. |
As the saga moves to the Americas and into frontier life, Claire expands her herbal toolbox, often borrowing Native American knowledge or improvising with local plants.
| Herb | Usage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jesuit’s bark (Cinchona) | Antimalarial (source of quinine) | Claire seeks it (or substitutes) in the backcountry to treat malaria. |
| Dogwood bark | Fever / “febrifuge” substitute when Jesuit’s bark unavailable | Claire uses a bitter brew of dogwood to damp fevers in locales without cinchona access. |
| Catnip & Coneflower (Echinacea family) | Fever reduction, supporting immune response | Secondary sources say Claire uses catnip and coneflower to treat fevers. |
| Goldenseal | Fever, infections (as febrifuge / antimicrobial agent) | She attempts goldenseal in fevers while at Ste. Anne de Beaupré. |
| Ginger | To counteract seasickness, digestive upset | On the ship Artemis, she grates fresh ginger for tea aimed at mitigating nausea. |
| Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) | Contraception / “stopping pregnancy” (as warm infusion) | In later volumes / adaptations, Claire notes mugwort’s traditional use to halt pregnancy. |
| Horehound | Digestive, coughs, easing “hangover-type” headaches | She mentions trying horehound with fennel for phantom-limb / digestive pain support. |
| Horsetail | Cardiac herb / tonic (in apothecary) | Claire finds horsetail in Haugh’s apothecary and recognizes its tonic potential. |
Over time, Claire’s herbal practice is enriched by many more plants, garden cultivation, and improvisation. Some of these are more faintly documented but appear in herbal compendia or fan lists.
| Betony (Wood Betony) | Purging / internal cleansing | She carries it and references its purgative potential in Paris / voyages. |
| Bistort | Astringent, wound care, internal bleeding control | Added to her kit when preparing for voyages (West Indies, etc.). |
| Bladderwort | Treat systemic infection | In Voyager/Drums lore, Claire notes bladderwort as a possible systemic infection remedy. |
| Bogbean | Febrifuge (fever control) | Tried at Ste. Anne de Beaupré. |
| Burdock | Used as a fever reducer, general tonic | Employed in febrifuge preparations. |
| Goldenrod | Wound healing, medicinal support in injuries | She includes goldenrod when bringing herbs for Mary Hawkins’s injuries. |
| Hyssop | Fever / antiseptic / as a febrifuge | She tries hyssop at the abbey. |
| Lavender | Calming, sleep support, aromatic, salves | Used in calming mixtures + in salves. |
| Saxifrage | Support for bleeding control in pregnancy | Mother Hildegarde sends Claire saxifrage among other agents to “stop bleeding” during her pregnancy. |
| Storksbill | Headache relief, astringent | Claire mentions its use for headache and menstrual issues. |
| Plantain (Plantago) | Wound care, burns, poultices, infection control | She applies plantain ointment to thumb infection; uses plantain juice on burns. |
| Poppy (Opium / Poppy Juice / Poppy Syrup) | Sedative, analgesic, sleep induction | In Dragonfly in Amber contexts she uses small doses / preparations for sleep or sedation. She also uses the smoke to induce a dreamlike state at the end of the first book, when she rescues Jamie from prison and is nursing him back to health at the Abbey. |
| Anise / Angelica / Peppermint | Digestive, carminative, supports digestion | They are components in her prescribed teas for digestion. |
Morningstar Medicinals & the Outlander Herb Bridge
When I conceived Morningstar Medicinals, I set out to honor both the spirit and science of plant wisdom. If Claire strolled in today, I imagine she’d gravitate toward certain tinctures and formulas that echo her herbal vision. (Of course, she’d also raise an eyebrow at anything overly commercial or mass-produced—but that’s why I keep mine handcrafted!)
Here are a few herbs from my shop that beautifully resonate with Claire's world:
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Angelica — Claire is known to use angelica for digestive and carminative support.
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Burdock Root — As a general blood purifier: burdock is in Claire’s extended pharmacopeia in the frontier volumes.
- Blue Vervain — Claire might use this nervine herb to treat anxiety, insomnia, and stress-related conditions.
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Calendula — Claire uses marigold / calendula in wound salves and skin healers.
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Chamomile — Gentle, calming, soothing—herbal comfort medicine, much like what Claire might brew when illness or fatigue strike.
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Chaste Tree Berry — Aligns with Claire’s use of reproductive herbs (raspberry leaf, mugwort) — chaste tree (Vitex) might have been in her extended circle of uterine / hormone support.
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Dandelion Root — Supporting liver / detox / digestive function. Claire’s holistic care often acknowledges internal detox pathways.
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Mugwort — Claire is historically aware of mugwort’s use in regulating menstrual cycles and, in folk tradition, to stimulate uterine contractions if needed. Claire could brew a tea to calm nerves, reduce anxiety, or help with sleep during high-stress moments on the frontier or in Paris. On the magical note, she might use it while scrying, as shown to her by Geillis Duncan.
- Shepherd's Purse — Claire might use shepherd’s purse on cuts or battlefield wounds as a poultice or in salves, during childbirth or miscarriage to help control postpartum hemorrhage, or to staunch nosebleeds or minor bleeding episodes.
So when I talk about “Outlander Herbs”, I don’t just mean herbs Claire uses in fiction—I mean the living lineage of those same plant allies, passing through time, coming to your apothecary shelf. Claire’s legacy is not just a fictional enchantment, but can be a living, breathing lens for your own herbal journey to come alive.
Can you think of other herbs that Claire might appreciate in the Morningstar shop?