EUROPEAN MICHAELMAS DAISY: HISTORY OF HEALTH BENEFITS OF THE MICHAELMAS DAISY

EUROPEAN MIACHAELMAS DAISY, ASTER AMELLUS  

The European Michaelmas daisy gets its name because it blooms around the time of St. Michael’s day (Michael the archangel) which is celebrated on the 29^th September. It is also called Italian starwort and in Italian is Astro di Vergilio, or Virgil’s Aster. This is no doubt because Virgil mentions it in his Georgics written more than 2,000 years ago. This is a translation of the passage in which the asters are mentioned

“There is a useful flower                                                                     

Growing in the meadows, which the country folk

Call star-wort, not a blossom hard to find,

For its large cluster lifts itself in air                                                   

Out of one root; its central orb is gold

But it wears petals in a numerous ring

Of glossy purplish blue; ’tis often laid

In twisted garlands at some holy shrine.

Bitter its taste; the shepherds gather it

In valley-pastures where the winding streams

Of Mella flow. The roots of this, steeped well,

In hot, high-flavored wine, thou may’st set down

At the hive door in baskets heaping full.”

  From this passage we assume that it was placed on some altars to the ancient gods, perhaps because It was a late bloomer, although there are other legends associated with the aster such as the one that when Astraea a goddess fled Earth with the rest of the gods, she looked down at it and wept for the folly of mankind. Another legend says that Virgo scattered stardust on Earth and asters bloomed where it fell.

  It does indeed have a bitter, acrid taste, but the leaves of the young plant are cooked and are nutritious, containing vitamins A and C they were useful against the onset of scurvy, and they also contain some of the B-complex vitamins, particularly thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2) and niacin (B3). They are potassium rich and also contain the minerals calcium, iron and phosphorous.

These plants are native to Europe and East Asia and have been cultivated in Britain at least since 1596, as we know that they grew in John Gerard’s Holborn Physic garden then.

  Mediaeval herbalists used this plant to treat tumours, obstruction of the bowels, hysteria and epilepsy- some very diverse diseases. They actually can help with coughs, and have anti-inflammatory properties, and can help eliminate toxins from the body. They are used to treat bronchial and chest complaints and to check bleeding.

  Pliny believed that a tisane made with asters was good for snakebites and he encouraged people who suffered from sciatica to wear an amulet of these plants. The ancient Greeks burnt the leaves to get rid of evil spirits and snakes.

  Michaelmas daisies mean ‘farewell’ in the Language of Flowers. They are members of the daisy, Asteraceae or Compositae family and so are related to pellitory or Roman chamomile, marigolds, bur marigolds, purple goat’s beard (salsify), yellow goat’s beard, the Sea Aster or Sea starwort (which they closely resemble) elecampane, the ox-eye daisy, holy thistles, costmary, tansy, feverfew, groundsel , fleabane and yarrow, just to list a few of its relatives.