Madeline,
No, they do not have to be wild. I get mine from my own property and a
local state park. I know they are not sprayed wtih pesticides. Rinse the leaves
and let them dry on a flat surface if you feel this is necessary. I use a tip I
picked up somewhere for drying them out. Put them in a paper bag and fold over
the opening. Stow them in your car trunk for about a week. Your s’posed to shake
them every day but so far I seem to forget that part of the process everytime
with no adverse affects. Take them from the bag when dried and place in a jar of
some sort. Keep in a mild temperatured dark place. I crush them as needed and
use about a tablespoon per cup of tea.
When my endo. has been very bad I have drank up to 4 cups in a day with no
adverse effects. Emmy