Whole Plant Echinacea Tincture

Excerpted from Herbs for Children's Health, 3rd edition with permission by Storey Publishing, LLC.

In spring when the leaves are fresh and just maturing, harvest a handful and place in a half-gallon wide-mouthed glass jar. Add just enough 80-proof alcohol to cover the plant material by 2 to 3 inches. You will be repeating this process each time you add plant material. Cover the container and let it sit in a warm, shady area.
As flower buds begin to open up, pick two or three to add to the leaves in the jar. Add alcohol to cover.
At the end of the season when the seeds have ripened in their cones, add three or four whole ripened seedpods to the jar. Add alcohol to cover.
Now late fall has arrived, and the energy of the plant has returned to the root. It is time to harvest the root medicine. Ideally with your child by your side, pick a nice autumn day to harvest your Echinacea root. You might wish to create a little gratitude ceremony before harvesting and scatter some of the plant’s seeds close by.
Dig the root, clean it well (it will require vigorous scrubbing to get off all the dirt), and chop the root finely. Add to the jar, then add alcohol to cover by 2 to 3 inches.
Place the jar in a warm area and allow to macerate (steep) for another 4 to 6 weeks before straining.
Strain well using cheesecloth over a fine-mesh strainer. Discard the spent herb and rebottle the liquid. Be sure to label with the name, date, and alcohol used.

All Content [copy] 2019 The Science & Art of Herbalism