Yellow Root Herbs:
Health, Herbs, and Heritage
By Shane Morgan
Some folks might not think of an herbs shop when they think of things to buy for around the home, but not only does Yellow Root Herbs in Somerset have about everything an herbs enthusiast might need— and then some— but they also offer items that come in handy around your house.
Yellow Root Herbs, now located at 400 East Mt. Vernon Street, Suite E— the former Somerset Police Station building— is not just the downtown go-to place for all things herbs, it also offers natural and effective products of practical use for the home.
These items include environmentally-conscious high-quality laundry and cleaning products, candles, scrubby pads, pot scrubbers, washcloths, whole or organic shampoos and conditioners, and soaps, among many other options.
Jennie Hall, founder and proprietor of Yellow Root Herbs, said these quality products are herbal in nature in some cases, and in others just " getting back to basic ingredients and with fewer ingredients."
The store also offers items that can be practical and / or decorative at the same time, such as mortar and pestles which can be used for grinding herbs or as delightful centerpieces for a mantle, bookshelf or as kitchen decor. Other items for the home include a variety of house plants.
Hall said she got her love for herbs and natural products from her parents and her grandmother, and more generally, from her ancestors, the peoples of the Cherokee and Choctaw Nations.
" The only medicines my ancestors had, they found in the wild and had to forage for," she said.
She remembers as a child her Native American mother and grandmother would school her in the knowledge of herbs.
" They showed me how to use herbs and how to help support my health and my family ' s health with what God
� Yellow Root Herbs has more than 160 herbs to choose from, and more varieties are becoming available every month.
Shane Morgan Photo gave us naturally," said Hall. However, her youthful state of mind was focused on youthful things at the time and she didn ' t get into it as much as she would later in life.
" In high school, I kind of dismissed it," said Hall.
But over the years, as her awareness grew, she said she more and more began to see the value of natural and traditional approaches to healthier living.
" I went back to my roots," she said.
" I was very blessed that herbal knowledge was passed down to me."
She added that is where her business got its name.
" Yellowroot is the very first herb that I went foraging for with my dad."
She said the herb yellowroot is considered a " bitter " and is " really good for stomach ailments and helps support digestion," among other potential benefits.
The herb yellowroot is not without controversy, she said, because of certain properties and some possible physical effects.
She added this is why it is essential for someone to work with their doctor to determine whether or not this particular, or any other particular herb, is right for them, and at what amounts.
This is true of everyone and especially so if they are being treated for a condition and are taking medications, she said.
� Jennie Hall, proprietor of Yellow Root Herbs, utilizes her experience with herbs to offer consultation on herb products and their uses.
Shane Morgan Photo
March 2026 SEKY- Southeast Kentucky Life • 15