The 38 Bach Flower Remedies: A Complete List and What Each One Is For

The Bach flower remedies are 38 natural preparations, each matched to a specific emotional state. They were developed by Dr Edward Bach, a London physician, in the 1920s and 1930s. Bach grouped them into seven families of emotion. Below you’ll find all 38, what each one is traditionally used for, and the positive quality it is said to support.

Who was Dr Edward Bach?

Edward Bach (1886–1936) qualified as a doctor at University College Hospital in London and worked as a bacteriologist and later at the London Homoeopathic Hospital. He noticed that patients with the same illness responded differently to treatment, and that their personality and mood seemed to matter more than the diagnosis. In 1930 he left his Harley Street practice to search the countryside for plants that could help with emotional states. He found the first three — Impatiens, Mimulus and Clematis — in 1928 and completed all 38 in 1935.

His guiding principle was: treat the person, not the disease.

How the remedies are made

• Sun method: fresh flowers float in spring water in a glass bowl in sunshine for about three hours. Most of the first 19 remedies are made this way.

• Boiling method: flowering twigs of trees and shrubs are boiled for about half an hour. Most of the second 19 are made this way.

• Stock bottles: the resulting essence is mixed with alcohol as a preservative. The stock bottles you buy are prepared with alcohol.

37 remedies come from plants. One, Rock Water, is made from water from a natural healing spring.

The seven groups at a glance

Group	Theme	Remedies
1. Fear	known and unknown fears, panic	5
2. Uncertainty	self-doubt, indecision	6
3. Not enough interest in the present	daydreaming, the past, exhaustion	7
4. Loneliness	difficulty connecting	3
5. Oversensitivity to influences and ideas	losing yourself in others	4
6. Despondency or despair	burden, guilt, shock, grief	8
7. Over-care for the welfare of others	controlling, rigid, critical	5

1. For fear

Remedy	When it may help	Positive quality
Rock Rose	sudden panic or terror, after an accident or nightmare	calm courage
Mimulus	known fears: the dark, illness, public speaking; shyness	quiet courage
Cherry Plum	fear of losing control, feeling close to breaking point	composure under pressure
Aspen	vague anxiety of unknown origin, a sense of foreboding	inner security
Red Chestnut	excessive worry for loved ones	calm, trusting care

2. For uncertainty

Remedy	When it may help	Positive quality
Cerato	doubting your own judgement, always asking others	trust in your intuition
Scleranthus	swinging between two choices, changeable moods	balance, decisiveness
Gentian	discouraged by small setbacks	faith and perseverance
Gorse	hopelessness, “nothing will help”	renewed hope
Hornbeam	Monday-morning tiredness at the thought of a task	freshness, energy
Wild Oat	talented but unsure which path to take	clarity of purpose

3. For not enough interest in present circumstances

Remedy	When it may help	Positive quality
Clematis	dreamy, absent-minded, not quite here	grounded presence
Honeysuckle	living in the past, nostalgia, homesickness	living in the present
Wild Rose	resignation and apathy	renewed interest in life
Olive	deep exhaustion after illness or a long, hard period	restored energy
White Chestnut	repetitive thoughts that won’t switch off at night	a quiet mind
Mustard	gloom that descends for no clear reason	lightness and joy
Chestnut Bud	repeating the same mistakes or relationship patterns	learning from experience

4. For loneliness

Remedy	When it may help	Positive quality
Water Violet	calm, independent, a little aloof	warm connection
Impatiens	impatient, irritated by slowness	patience, understanding
Heather	fear of being alone, talking constantly about oneself	empathy, listening

5. For oversensitivity to influences and ideas

Remedy	When it may help	Positive quality
Agrimony	hiding pain behind a cheerful face	honest inner peace
Centaury	unable to say no, exhausted by serving others	healthy boundaries
Walnut	times of change: moving, a new job, divorce, puberty, menopause	protection, adaptability
Holly	jealousy, suspicion, anger	open-hearted love

6. For despondency or despair

Remedy	When it may help	Positive quality
Larch	“I can’t” — not trying for fear of failure	self-confidence
Pine	guilt and self-blame, even for others’ mistakes	self-acceptance
Elm	normally capable but overwhelmed by responsibility	perspective, capability
Sweet Chestnut	extreme anguish, “I can’t bear any more”	light in the darkness
Star of Bethlehem	shock, bad news, loss, old or recent	comfort, recovery
Willow	resentment, “why me?”	forgiveness
Oak	struggling on past exhaustion, never giving up	strength that knows its limits
Crab Apple	feeling unclean, shame about appearance	self-acceptance, cleansing

7. For over-care for the welfare of others

Remedy	When it may help	Positive quality
Chicory	possessive love that expects something back	unconditional love
Vervain	over-enthusiasm, trying to convert everyone, tension	balanced passion, rest
Vine	strong-willed, dominating, expecting obedience	wise leadership
Beech	critical, intolerant of others’ faults	tolerance
Rock Water	strict self-discipline, perfectionism, self-denial	flexibility, self-compassion

The crisis blend

Bach also combined five remedies — Star of Bethlehem, Rock Rose, Impatiens, Cherry Plum and Clematis — into a blend for emergencies, now sold as Rescue Remedy®. Read What Is Rescue Remedy and How Do You Use Bach Flower Remedies?

How to choose your remedies

Think about how you feel right now and the kind of person you usually are. Most people need several remedies, typically up to six or seven in one bottle. Start with what feels strongest today; deeper patterns tend to show themselves later. I explain this layered approach in Peeling the Onion.

Frequently asked questions

How many Bach flower remedies are there?

There are 38, plus the five-remedy crisis blend.

What are the seven groups of Bach flower remedies?

Fear; uncertainty; not enough interest in present circumstances; loneliness; oversensitivity to influences and ideas; despondency or despair; and over-care for the welfare of others.

Which Bach remedy is for anxiety?

It depends on the type of anxiety. Mimulus is for known fears, Aspen for vague unexplained anxiety, Rock Rose for panic, Red Chestnut for worry about loved ones and White Chestnut for racing thoughts. Persistent anxiety should be discussed with your GP.

Are Bach flower remedies safe?

They are generally considered gentle, with no known side effects or interactions. Stock bottles are prepared with alcohol, so if you avoid alcohol, are pregnant, breastfeeding, or giving them to a child, ask a practitioner about suitable alternatives.

Is there scientific evidence for Bach flower remedies?

Clinical trials have not shown effects beyond placebo. Many people still value them as a gentle tool for emotional awareness and reflection. They are a complementary approach and never a replacement for medical or psychological care.

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About the author: Mehtap Özcan is a chemist, naturopath and herbalist based in London, and the founder of Hecna Natural. She uses Bach flower remedies alongside naturopathy and herbal medicine, and works with clients worldwide. Book a Bach Flower Emotional Balance Session to explore a personal blend.

This article is for information only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.