Exploring Common Hmong Medicinal Herbs and Their Uses

DESCRIPTION: This talk delves into the rich tradition of Hmong herbal medicine, highlighting key medicinal plants and their applications. It also explores the intricate process of documenting these herbs, including the use of DNA sampling to preserve and verify their identity. Through this journey, we uncover the deep cultural knowledge embedded in Hmong healing practices and the scientific methods used to safeguard them for future generations.

SPEAKER BIO: Zongxee Lee is a Hmong herbalist, registered nurse, self-taught ethnobotanist, floral farmer, photographer, and author. Rooted in a lineage of Hmong herbalists and shamans, she self-published “30 Days of Purification” in 2016, a postpartum guide highlighting traditional Hmong plant medicine. She is the founder of Zooxis Conservatory and Botanical Garden LLC, a cultural and botanical initiative focused on researching DNA sequence of Hmong postpartum herbs, preserving, and educating about Hmong medicinal plants and holistic healing practices. Her work has been featured at national conferences and universities, bridging ancestral wisdom with modern wellness.

Alongside her mother, Mayyia Lee, and sister, Mhonpaj Lee, Zongxee helped launch Minnesota’s first culturally-based healing meals using traditional Hmong herbs, offering integrative care to patients. Through workshops, public exhibits, and seed-to-bloom storytelling, she continues to inspire communities to reconnect with healing tradition, plant by plant, story by story.