What’s a Monograph, Anyway?

A monograph is akin to a full-on character profile, but for a plant; sometimes called a plant description. Think of it as a sacred dossier — part science, part story — that tells you everything you need to know about that plant: its names (aka’s, bka’s), how it grows, where it thrives, what it looks like in every season, and what it’s good for — medicinally, culinarily, spiritually, agriculturally.

Reading a monograph feels like sitting down with your wise auntie who knows plants like people while she spins the web of the whole lineage connecting personality, and uses of that particular green relative. These plant descriptions detail the soil type, sun preference, bloom time, and even warnings if the plant’s got a sassy side (aka toxic or needs careful handling).

Join the True Grit plant society to get plant descriptions of medicinal and ornamental vegetation. 

Why Are They So Dang Helpful?

Many people are reconnecting or building land-based systems with integrity — and that means knowing who we’re working with. Plant monographs help us:

Grow smarter – You’ll know what your plant babies need before you stick ‘em in the ground.  Harvest in rhythm – You learn when to sow, when to clip, and when to let rest, often in sync with the moon and season. 

Use with intention – Whether you’re blending tea, crafting tinctures, or designing a bouquet, you’ll know the properties and purpose of each plant. 

Teach the next ones – These monographs become our archives, our herbal legacy. So when we say “ancestral knowledge,” this is one of the ways we make it live on.

Bottom line: a plant description monograph is your go-to plant wisdom guide — clear, soulful, and grounded in tradition and truth. Around here, we don’t just grow plants. We grow relationship. And that starts with knowing their story. 

Want me to write one for a specific plant you’re working with? Leave a comment to let me know.

Plant descriptions detail many aspects of a plant and our personal relationship with it.