What if one of the most beloved herbs for emotional healing isn’t just uplifting—but helps us gently reconnect with parts of ourselves we’ve had to tuck away to survive?

In this episode, I sit down with CoreyPine Shane to discuss mimosa (Albizia julibrissin), often affectionately referred to as the “tree of happiness.” And what a fitting name! Mimosa is celebrated as a joyful, uplifting herb, and is commonly reached for to help relieve anxiety and depression—though as CoreyPine shares in this conversation, its benefits are much more nuanced than that.

CoreyPine also shares thoughtful insights about trauma, the body, and emotional healing, describing how herbs like mimosa may help us gently release what’s been held for too long. Along the way, we explore what it means to work with plants not just as remedies, but as companions for moving through life’s most tender and transformative moments—and the deep comfort of making connections with the living world around us.

Don’t miss CoreyPine’s Peach Mimosa Elixir recipe! This fragrant, uplifting cordial might just be “happiness in a bottle”. You can download your beautifully illustrated recipe card here.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► The important differences between mimosa flower and bark medicine

► Eight different herbs to pair with mimosa (and when to reach for one over another)

► What it means when emotions become “stuck” in the body—and why mimosa is such a helpful herbal ally for helping to move them along

► Important considerations for when NOT to use mimosa

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know him, CoreyPine Shane is Director of the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine, and a core member of the mutual aid group, The Appalachian Herb Collective. He has been teaching and helping clients for 30 years, artfully blending Chinese and Western herbal traditions with a focus on local plants. His book Southeast Medicinal Plants covers how to identify, ethically harvest, and use the wild plants of the Southeastern United States.

Whether you’re navigating transition, tending old wounds, or simply delighting in the beauty of mimosa flowers, may this episode remind you that healing often begins with connection: to our bodies, to each other, and to the rest of the living world around us.

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Get full show notes, transcript, and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

Would you prefer watching this episode? If so, click here for the video.

You can find CoreyPine at BlueRidgeSchool.org and PinesHerbals.com.

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

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On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.