I
Goal match
Does this plant’s primary indication line up with what you asked for? Weighted highest because nothing else matters if the plant isn’t for the job.
Open · the recommendation engine→
Start witha goal— we map the plants.
Every recommendation is weighed by published evidence, your constraints, and the plant’s fit for the chosen goal. Each match comes with an explanation and a confidence band — never a single number, never a popularity rank.
Ranked by composite
evidence · safety · fit.
evidence · safety · fit.
EXPLAINED · NEVER OPAQUE
5D
SCORING
DIMENSIONS
DIMENSIONS
NO POPULARITY
WEIGHT
WEIGHT
ISection · 01
The five dimensions
— Every plant gets scored on the same five axes. The composite is a weighted blend — never a single black-box number.
II
Evidence quality
Meta-analyses and RCTs outrank case reports. Quality scores are inherited from the source paper, not invented locally.
III
Safety profile
Contraindications from EMA/HMPC and the rest of the literature. A plant is downgraded if it conflicts with your constraints.
IV
Usability
Form fit (tea / tincture / capsule), preparation time, and shelf availability. A great molecule you can’t source doesn’t help.
V
Novelty
A small bonus for under-prescribed plants with solid evidence — so the same five candidates don’t always win.
IISection · 02
The engine
— Pick a goal, set your constraints. The list re-ranks on every change — composite scores, full reasoning, and a direct link to the plant profile.
#PLANTCONFIDENCEEVIDENCEACTION
01
Lavender
Lavandula angustifolia
Improves sleep onset and quality
goal 85 · safety 86 · dose 1-2 g
4 refs
linked citations
02
Valerian
Valeriana officinalis
Reduces sleep latency
goal 70 · safety 79 · dose 2-3 g
2 refs
linked citations
03
Chamomile
Matricaria chamomilla
Mild improvement in sleep quality (elderly)
goal 39 · safety 86 · dose 1.5-3 g
4 refs
linked citations
04
Passionflower
Passiflora incarnata
Improves sleep quality
goal 39 · safety 86 · dose 1-2 g
2 refs
linked citations
05
Lemon balm
Melissa officinalis
Supports sleep quality (mild)
goal 35 · safety 93 · dose 1.5-4.5 g
4 refs
linked citations
06
Coltsfoot
Tussilago farfara
Traditional-use note: Coltsfoot appears in herbal sources around evening relaxation and bedtime routines, often as a tea. PlantSage presents this as ethnobotanical context, not as medical advice.
goal 21 · safety 100
0 refs
linked citations
07
Valerian
Valeriana capitata
Traditional-use note: Valerian appears in herbal sources around evening relaxation and bedtime routines, often as a tincture. PlantSage presents this as ethnobotanical context, not as medical advice.
goal 21 · safety 100
0 refs
linked citations
08
Mongolian Lime
Tilia mongolica
Traditional-use note: Mongolian Lime appears in herbal sources around evening relaxation and bedtime routines, often as a decoction. PlantSage presents this as ethnobotanical context, not as medical advice.
goal 21 · safety 100
0 refs
linked citations
09
Prickly Lettuce
Lactuca serriola
Traditional-use note: Prickly Lettuce appears in herbal sources around evening relaxation and bedtime routines, often as a tea. PlantSage presents this as ethnobotanical context, not as medical advice.
goal 21 · safety 100
0 refs
linked citations
10
Passion Flower
Passiflora actinia
Passion flower is traditionally used to support better sleep, often consumed as a tea before bedtime in European and American herbal traditions.
goal 21 · safety 100
0 refs
linked citations
11
western valerian
Valeriana occidentalis
Traditional-use note: western valerian appears in herbal sources around evening relaxation and bedtime routines, often as a tea. PlantSage presents this as ethnobotanical context, not as medical advice.
goal 21 · safety 100
0 refs
linked citations
12
Wild Lettuce
Lactuca quercina
Traditional-use note: Wild Lettuce appears in herbal sources around evening relaxation and bedtime routines, often as a tea. PlantSage presents this as ethnobotanical context, not as medical advice.
goal 21 · safety 100
0 refs
linked citations
13
Indian Lettuce
Lactuca indica
Traditional-use note: Indian Lettuce appears in herbal sources around evening relaxation and bedtime routines, often as a decoction. PlantSage presents this as ethnobotanical context, not as medical advice.
goal 21 · safety 100
0 refs
linked citations
14
Carolina Basswood
Tilia caroliniana
Traditional-use note: Carolina Basswood appears in herbal sources around evening relaxation and bedtime routines, often as a tea. PlantSage presents this as ethnobotanical context, not as medical advice.
goal 21 · safety 100
0 refs
linked citations
15
Western Wild Lettuce
Lactuca ludoviciana
Traditional-use note: Western Wild Lettuce appears in herbal sources around evening relaxation and bedtime routines, often as a tea. PlantSage presents this as ethnobotanical context, not as medical advice.
goal 21 · safety 100
0 refs
linked citations
16
White Basswood
Tilia heterophylla
Traditional-use note: White Basswood appears in herbal sources around evening relaxation and bedtime routines, often as a tea. PlantSage presents this as ethnobotanical context, not as medical advice.
goal 21 · safety 100
0 refs
linked citations
17
Passiflora herbertiana
Passiflora herbertiana
Traditional-use note: Passiflora herbertiana appears in herbal sources around evening relaxation and bedtime routines, often as a tea. PlantSage presents this as ethnobotanical context, not as medical advice.
goal 21 · safety 100
0 refs
linked citations
18
Japanese Hop
Humulus japonicus
Traditional-use note: Japanese Hop appears in herbal sources around evening relaxation and bedtime routines, often as a tea. PlantSage presents this as ethnobotanical context, not as medical advice.
goal 21 · safety 100
0 refs
linked citations
19
Tilia oliveri
Tilia oliveri
Traditional-use note: Tilia oliveri appears in herbal sources around evening relaxation and bedtime routines, often as a tea. PlantSage presents this as ethnobotanical context, not as medical advice.
goal 21 · safety 100
0 refs
linked citations
20
Passion Flower
Passiflora umbilicata
Passion flower is traditionally used to support better sleep, often consumed as a tea before bedtime in European and American herbal traditions.
goal 21 · safety 100
0 refs
linked citations
20 matchesbrowse all plants →
IIISection · 03
A note on methodology
— The engine is not a diagnosis tool. Every score is auditable. Every weight is documented. Here’s the short version.
01
No popularity weighting
Search volume and citation count are deliberately ignored. A plant that’s common in blog posts but thin on trials will not outrank a less-known plant with strong RCTs.
02
Constraints are hard limits, not soft hints
Tick “pregnancy-safe” and contraindicated plants drop off the list entirely. We don’t bury them — we exclude them. The same goes for medication conflicts.
03
Every score is reproducible
The engine code is open in the repo. Run the same query twice with the same plants and you get the same number. No model, no temperature, no surprises.
❦❦❦❦
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