While Western science may struggle to measure “plant memory,” researchers are beginning to pay attention — especially in fields like ethnobotany (the study of indigenous plant knowledge), psychedelic therapy (learning from shamanic practices) and ecopsychology (exploring how nature “remembers” trauma or care).
These are increasingly gaining interest as many people remember plants to be sentient beings capable of communication, memory and intelligence — an idea that is familiar to many indigenous cultures around the world.
Africa is home to a vast range of indigenous plants that have been used for centuries for physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. These plants were not only used as “remedies” but were integrated into daily life and seen as allies and teachers, adding value and vitality to our lives. Much like Amazonian and Aboriginal cultures, indigenous Africans know plants to be memory keepers that transmit knowledge.
Traditional healers go through initiation processes where they learn plant alchemy and how to approach plants with a respect and intentionality before harvesting. The basic ritual is to first ask the plant for permission, explain your need for the plant and then give thanks.
In ancient Africa, plants were never viewed as passive resources, but as sentient entities, beings that carry spirit, memory and intention. They were commonly used by different types of healers — herbalists, midwives, diviners, and so on. During the colonial era, traditional plant medicine was outlawed in many places around the continent, with Christian missionaries labelling it as “witchcraft”.
Today, the urban youth of Africa do not have much awareness of the healing plants in their land. In more rural areas, where many of these plants still grow wildly, the knowledge holds and is freely shared. Many healers and elders maintain their strong relationship with medicinal plants, even under the pressures of Western medicine and land degradation.
The knowledge of plants is a form of intergenerational wisdom passed orally and held with deep respect by elders, traditional healers and herbalists. As any gardener or farmer will tell you, the more you intimately engage with plants, the more intuitive you become in how you engage with them.
It is a remembering we can all tap into — starting with these three indigenous low-maintenance plants to include in your home or garden:
isiCacane (Spekboom): The Silent Guardian
Native to SA’s Eastern Cape, this resilient, drought resistant plant is known for its miraculous carbon-sequestering abilities (ten times more effective than a rainforest tree).
Known as isiCacane in Xhosa, this carbon sponge is valuable in arid landscapes and enjoyed by elephants, goats, sheep, antelope as well as tortoises, birds and many insects as a thirst quencher.
The small, juicy leaves have a tangy, sour taste that is delicious when added to soups and salads. Historically, amaXhosa used the plant to treat dehydration, exhaustion and skin irritations.
It is a symbol of quiet endurance as it can grow and thrive in some of the harshest environments. In every drop of its sap is a story of survival and restoration.
Ikhala (Aloe Ferox): The Medicine of Matriarchs
Described as both fierce and tender, Aloe Ferox is a revered plant that grows wild in the Eastern Cape with a gel that is richer and more potent than that of the more commercially popular Aloe Vera.
Traditionally tended to by indigenous women in the area, Aloe Ferox has been used to treat scars, burns and inflammation for generations. The bitter, thick gel is loved by all skin as its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties promote hydration and skin repair.
A plant that soothes what the world wounds — its essence teaches us that softness is not weakness, but wisdom distilled.
Impepho (Helichrysum):
Impepho is one of Southern Africa’s most sacred medicinal plants, deeply woven into the spiritual and healing traditions of the region, especially among the Xhosa, Zulu, Sotho and Swati cultures.
Historically used for respiratory health, wounds, infections, tension headaches, anxiety and digestive issues — impepho is experiencing a resurgence among urban Africans who are recalling and reclaiming their traditional spiritual practices.
Commonly sold as dried bundles and essential oil, it is now used in ritual baths, air/environmental cleansing (smudging), during therapy sessions and even in yoga practices — bridging ancient tradition with modern wellness.
Plants may not hold memory the same way we do, but they are far from passive. “Priming” is a scientifically proven phenomenon where plants remember past events like insect attacks, drought and other temperature changes by changing their biochemical pathways and gene expression to respond better to future stress.
They are able to learn and adapt, preparing for the future based on the past — a kind of memory that is rooted on a cellular level rather than the mind.
