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Agrimony
- Agrimonia
eupatoria
An
erect growing, perennial herb, 30 - 60cm tall with
downy, serrated leaves and a reddish stem which
is covered in long hairs. Yellow flowers with 5
petals are produced on tall flower spikes which
flower throughout the summer. Favours field edges
and dry roadsides.
Agrimony has been used as a wound herb since saxon
times - and in the 15th Century was the prime ingredient
of Arabesque Water, a battlefield remedy
for early gunshot wounds.
A strongly astringent herb, contracting blood vessels
and tissues to stop bleeding and secretion, Agrimony
contains traces of Iron, some B Vitamins, and has
a high silica content - a great skin healer. It
has a slightly bitter taste, and is good for kidney
and urinary problems as it increases urination,
it is also said to be good for naughty livers.
It has a tonic effect on the digestion system, and
is particularly useful for those prone to food allergies
as it helps food absorption whilst repairing gut
damage caused by the allergens.
It is also widely used as a remedy for diarrhoea
- and for this reason it should be avoided by anyone
prone to constipation! Nursing mothers can successfully
treat constipation problems in their babies by drinking
a cup of weak Agrimony infusion (15g of herb to
500ml of water) about two hours before feeds, up
to four times a day.
A healing tonic for the gums can be made by infusing
1 and a half teaspoonfuls of dried agrimony in a
cup of boiling water for about 10-15 mins - this
can then be used as a warm mouthwash.
Folklore tells us that Guernsey girls wishing to
dream of their future husbands would cross two 9
leaved fronds of agrimony, secure them with two
new pins, and place them under their pillows.
The folk name Church Steeples comes
from the tall spikes of yellow flowers that agrimony
produce. |
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