In 2005, Desert Tortoise Botanicals was launched by John Slattery to provide access to and renew awareness of local medicinal plants and their preparations.  Since that time we have grown to encompass education which begins in the field, with the Earth, in a holistic fashion, with the addition of modern scientific knowledge, all anchored in its humble beginnings - starting from the ground up.

    In this site you will find information about indigenous plants of the American Southwest and northern Mexico, upcoming classes and events, and as we shape our educational program geared towards developing the herbalist through direct experience with plants, these offerings will be shown here.  Applications for our Sonoran Herbalist Apprenticeship Program are currently being accepted.  Interviews for this Program will begin after November 1, 2010.  In addition, a variety of monographs of local plants will be published in Herb Profiles.

Desert Tortoise Botanicals

    For information on our line of botanicals, including tinctures, salves, syrups, tea blends, oil infusions and prickly pear concentrate, click here.  Our preparations are made from primarily locally wildcrafted plants, including some organically grown supply when necessary.  We believe that the healing power inherent in wild plants is more refined, bringing a greater depth of healing power or healing frequency to the preparations.  Our wildcrafting is done in accordance with the availability of wild plants.  If there is a scarcity of a particular herb, then we will not harvest for that year.   It is our goal to obtain a dynamic harmony with our local environment, continually learning from the plants, from the ecology of our surroundings, working to establish strong, sustainable relationships with the plant medicines.