Exotic, Erotic Damiana

For the past few years it has been common to have loving debate between some of my close herbal friends. Maca and Damiana both being the host of debate. It is true that both plants can have fertility effects. What I have noticed is that some are more drawn to one or the other. Possibly this will relate to what that person needs, if it is their own body craving that plant medicine to assist in fertilization.
It is true that both herbs are very good at assisting health and sexual functions.
It is my understanding that the Inca's used Maca for their sexual health. In fact, many studies have shown this plant has improved infertility in males and females as well as helping men overcome erectile dysfunction. So it has great value indeed, but I tend to take the side of damiana, since I have personal experience with this plant.

Also known as herba de la pastora, Turnera diffusa is the botanical name.
Open a bag of Damiana and the aroma itself is enticing.The flavor is much like what your nose picks up in the scent. It is different and herbacious, but not like a basil, dill, type of flavor, but of a wild herb on the bitter side.
Damiana lives in the West Indies, Mexico and South America so what we usually obtain in the United States is imported from Southern Baja California peninsula. It grows 4-6 feet, has sweet smelling leaves about 4-10 inches long.Summer brings yellow flowers which turn into a fruit that apparantly tastes like figs.
The Mayan and Aztecs used this plant as an aphrodisiac.
You may also have heard of damiana used in smoking blends, which goes back to the tradition of intaking the smoke of damiana for easing the nerves.
The actions of Damiana are to assist depression, anxiety, erectile dysfunction, enhance libido and orgasm.
Traditional peoples also used Damiana to promote fertility in both sexes.
I have also read that tequila originated using Damiana. In fact, there is a liqueur of Damiana that is used in margarita's with a bottle of either a pregnant woman or goddess. It is a bit too sweet for my taste, but I love the bottle!


As a young herbalist a few years ago, the information about Damiana was alluring. At the time of my hearing about this plant, I decided I wanted to see what it was like and get to know it better. At that particular time of my life, I made strong infusions with everything. Taking about 1 oz of herb, adding it to a quart mason jar, and filling it with boiling water, capping rather quickly and steeping a few hours.
I would consume these strong infusions and noted the energy in my pelvis. I felt more sexual, like the wild woman inside was stirring. I actually enjoyed my infusions of Damiana and consumed them regularly until to my surprise, I became pregnant with my 7th child.
I was not hoping to get pregnant, it just came with the properties of those strong infusions. So now we have my darling Olivia as a result of Damiana.
So my argument of Maca root vs. Damiana comes from my personal experience of what I experienced during my friendship with this plant.