RED DOCK, CULPEPER'S BLOODWORT; HISTORY OF USES OF RED DOCK

RED DOCK, BLOODWORT, RUMEX AQUATICA

Red dock is native to Europe although not to Italy and the Balkans, and to Northern Asia. As its botanical name suggests it likes living on the edges of swampy ground and can be found in damp ditches and along margins of fields. It can grow up to 6 feet tall when it is in flower during July and August. As the English name says, it has red flowers and these give way in September to red-cased seeds. It is related to Rumex acetosella or sorrel and more distantly to rhubarb as they are all members of the Polygonaceae family of plants. It is also closely related to yellow or crispy dock and to the common dock (Rumex obtusifolia) which is the antidote to nettle stings.

  The leaves may be cooked and eaten as this will remove most of the oxalic acid present in them; they can be used like spinach, if necessary. However it is not advisable to ingest this plant if you suffer from rheumatism, gout or arthritis. An infusion of the whole plant can be used externally however on sores and ulcers to cleanse them. If taken internally this infusion is said to detoxify the body. The roots can be boiled and used as a poultice on rheumatic joints to alleviate the pain, and the powdered root has been used as toothpaste.  The root has also been used in the treatment of mouth ulcers, as has the dock leaf R. obtusifolia.

  The root can be harvested in spring when it is said to be at its most potent in medical terms, and dried for later use. The tannin in the plant makes it a useful astringent and can be used for diarrhoea and stomach upset, while the anthraquinones in the plant make it a good laxative, which is milder than senna and, of course jamalgota. If you take an overdose of the plant you will suffer nausea, stomach pains and gastric problems and perhaps dermatitis if used externally.

  Culpeper recommended the red dock or bloodwort: -

“All Docks are under Jupiter, of which the Red Dock, which is commonly called Bloodwort; cleanseth the blood and strengthens the liver.”

 He emphasizes this by ending his description of the docks by saying: -

   “Bloodwort is exceeding strengthening to the liver, and procures good blood, being as wholesome a pot herb as any growing in a garden.”

   However all docks have gone out of culinary use; the information here is for curiosity's sake only.

RAMSON, WILD OR BEAR'S GARLIC, EUROPEAN NATIVE: HISTORY,USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF WILD GARLIC

WILD GARLIC, BEAR’S GARLIC, RAMSON,ALLIUM URSINUM

I grew up in a place where wild garlic proliferated, and hated the smell when the plant was in flower. I was amazed that such pretty flowers could smell so awful. I’m not sure that the acrid smell is like that of garlic, but it is strong and hangs heavily in the air around the growing plants.

  Apparently it is called bear’s garlic in Latin because the European brown bears were partial to the bulbs and would gorge on them when they awoke from their hibernation period. It is a native to Western and Central Europe and parts of Asia. In Germany there has been a movement to use edible wild plants in haute cuisine and chefs have been putting bear’s garlic in their dishes, which seems a bit of a waste, as, like fresh coriander leaves, the broad chopped leaves are best added to piping hot food and stirred into it just before serving. Cooking it like spinach or leeks rather diminishes the flavour. You can add the leaves to soups as you would sorrel, but again you lose most of the flavour, but do have a smelly kitchen.

  All parts of the plant are edible and our ancestors seemed to have utilized it as remains of pollen have been found in Neolithic settlements in Sweden and in Mesolithic ones in Denmark. It is a member of the onion family and closely related to chives.

  The plant leaves are high in vitamin C and also contain vitamins A and the minerals, manganese, copper, iron, magnesium and traces of selenium. The leaves also contain adenosine which is believed to play a key role in regulating high blood pressure and tachycardia.

   Throughout history the plant has been used as a spring tonic to cleanse the blood and boost the immune system, as it is believed to work to boost the functioning of the internal organs. It was named “1992 Medicinal Plant of the Year” by the Association for the Protection and Research on European Medicinal Plants, and there have been some clinical trials carried out on this plant along with true garlic Allium sativa. Bear’s garlic comes out top in terms of sulphur content although most of the relevant literature says that it has a weaker medicinal action than Allium sativa.

  If you go foraging for this plant simply follow your nose. There have been reports of people suffering the effects of poisoning from confusing the leaves of Bear’s garlic with those of lily-of-the-valley, or cuckoo pint and even dying after eating too many leaves of the autumn crocus, or meadow saffron (Colchicum autumnale). The smell of garlic will come from this plant and doesn’t from the others, which don’t really bear it too much resemblance, so if you follow your nose on this you shouldn’t encounter a problem.

  If you use the bulb it is best harvested between the months of July and December or early January, although if you start to dig up bulbs you are depleting the wild stock of plants. It’s best to just stick to eating the leaves. The plant has antifungal and antiviral actions and has been used in the past as household disinfectant - the juice from the plant is good for this, although you still have to deal with the odour. The plant itself is useful in gardens as it repels insects and burrowing moles.

  The juice is said to be good for weight loss, and its mild action can be a counter irritant if applied to places where you have rheumatic pains. It increases the blood circulation locally and does ease pain in arthritic joints.

  The plant has been used for asthma and emphysema sufferers as well as in cases of bronchitis, and is said to be effective.

  The name ramson which is the plant’s English name gives rise to some confusion as there is a plant called rampion, which is a member of the Campanulaceae family, and not a relation to this one, and in the US in the Appalachians there is a plant locally called ramps which is a relative of this, but they are not the same plant. The US plant is a wild onion and its botanical name is Allium tricoccum.

RAMPION BELLFLOWER - ORNAMENTAL, HERB AND VEGETABLE WITH HEALTH BENEFITS

RAMPION, CAMPANULA RAPUNCULUS

Rampion is a flower, a herb and vegetable all rolled into one plant. Its roots look a little like an undernourished mooli or a pale parsnip, and is a root vegetable which can be boiled as you would boil a carrot. However, it is a member of the Campanulaceae family of plants which includes the Harebell (Campanula rotundiflora) to which rampion is a close relative. The stems of both plants contain a milky sap, which was once used as a facial treatment to whiten the skin and free it from blemishes. The distilled water from the plant was also once used for such purposes.

  The rampion was widely used in Britain in Shakespeare’s time as most of the plant is edible. The young shoots were blanched and used as a substitute for asparagus, while the leaves, which are rich in vitamin C, can be used in winter salads. They can also be substituted for spinach. It is a native of Europe, Asia and North Africa.

  These days, the plant is mostly seen as a garden ornamental, as the flowers which are generally lilac, are very attractive and like the harebell. However, the root is quite palatable and a little sweet like a parsnip and the leaves are edible too, so try some if you have it in your borders.

  The Brother’s Grimm featured the rampion in their tale of “Rapunzel” and that name seems to have its origins in the Latin name for the plant, rapunculus, which means little rapa or turnip. One version of Rapunzel tells us that a man and his wife had waited to have a baby for years, so when the woman eventually became pregnant, her husband would do anything for her. They lived near an enchantress who grew rampion in her garden, and the woman began to crave this plant. Her husband dutifully climbed over the wall and got her some one evening, and on subsequent ones, but the enchantress caught him as he was scaling back over the wall. She threatened him with enchantment or death for stealing her rampions and he promised, in return for his life being spared, that he would give her the baby his wife was carrying when it was born. The baby was Rapunzel who was duly handed over to the enchantress. You probably remember the rest of the story so I won’t bore you with it.

  There is an old superstition from Italy which says that children will quarrel if they are close to rampion or if they pull it up. In Calabria in southern Italy, there is an old legend that says that a young girl once uprooted rampion and found a staircase which led to an underground palace. No good came of it!

  According to the 16^th century herbalist, John Gerard, a decoction of the plant was used to ease sore throats and to soothe inflammations in the mouth. However there is no scientific evidence to support any medicinal uses of rampion.

  

WYCH ELM - MYTHS, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF WYCH ELM

WYCH ELM, ULMUS GLABRA

The wych elm is the only elm tree which is native to Britain and is also native to Scotland, which can only boast around twenty indigenous trees. It is known as the Scotch elm too because of this and has given rise to the names of Loch Leven and Loch Lomond. Loch Lomond is a corruption of the name Leamhán which is Scots Gaelic for elm, as is Leven. In Irish Gaelic the elm is slόibhe. Not to be outdone the Welsh epic poem, The Battle of the Trees, Cad Geddau, supposedly written in the 6^th century by the bard Taliesin, features the elm as being steadfast and unyielding in battle. The wood from the wych elm was used by mediaeval Welsh archers to great effect. The English bowmen favoured the wood of the yew tree. However the wood of the elm is flexible which is reflected in the Old English word, wice, meaning pliant or supple which became wiche in Middle English and hence wych.

  The wych elm has the largest leaves of all British trees and seems to be more resilient to the ravages of Dutch elm disease, caused by the Ceratocystis ulmi fungus, than other elms. In Britain more than 20 million elm trees have been lost to this disease since the 1970s.

  The wych elm is associated with death and has been since at least the time of the ancient Greeks. There is a myth which tells how the first elm grove sprang up when Orpheus paused to play a love song on his lyre for his wife Eurydice whom he had just rescued from Hades (the Greek name for the Underworld). Other Greek myths say that Orpheus and his Argonauts met the Hesperides in their garden and the nymphs transformed themselves into trees; Erytheia became a wych elm which in Greek is ptelea. This story can be found in the work of Apollonius Rhodius. Homer relates that nymphs planted trees on the burial mound of the King of Trojan Thebes, King Eetion, after he was slain by Achilles. Virgil says that Oneiroi, the spirit of dreams, slept at night in a wych elm which guarded the entrance to Hades.

  Greeks planted the wych elm in burial grounds and regarded it as sacred to Dionysus as it was used to support grape vines; Dionysus was the god of wine and debauchery whose Roman equivalent was Bacchus.

  There are other reasons why the wych elm has been associated with death, one being that its branches fall unexpectedly and can kill anyone underneath them at the time. There have been several deaths recorded because of branches falling on them. The wood was also favoured for coffin-making because of its resistance to water.

  In the 17^th and 18^th centuries in Britain wych elm wood was used to make underground water pipes in cities such as Bristol and London and these have stood the test of time remarkably well. The wood has been made for groynes (wooden breakwaters in the sea) and for piers and harbour works. Waterwheels have also been made from this wood as have the ‘platforms’ from which church bells are swing in bell towers. The wood is used for furniture and to make smaller decorative items and it is truly a beautiful close-grained wood. It has also been employed in boat-building to make keels and rudders as well as boards.

  Wych elms can tolerate the most polluted cities as you will see if you visit Thessaloniki on the Greek mainland and stroll down Tsimiski Avenue. The poor trees have been pollarded and endure exhaust fumes on a daily basis but are still growing despite the odds.

  The trees can grow to around 70 feet tall and have broad canopies. They can also live for many years and there are some examples still left in Europe of really ancient wych elms. Yellow dye can be obtained from the tree and the inner bark fibres can be used for tie dying fabrics and for securing thatch as well as for caning traditionally made wooden chairs.

  Pollen from wych elms found in archaeological sites in Scotland has been dated to 8,500 years ago, showing that they have been growing there for at least that long. There is also evidence from sites in Britain that the tree was used to make bows as far back as the Mesolithic Age. According to tradition, magicians favoured wands made from wych elm wood.

  The young leaves of the wych elm are edible and can be eaten raw or cooked, but have a mucilaginous texture. The fruit (seed) is also edible; the inner bark has sometimes been dried then ground to a powder and used to thicken soups and stews and added to flour to make bread.

  The inner bark of the wych elm has also been used in traditional medicine as a remedy for rheumatism, when used internally as a tisane or externally on the affected area. It has astringent properties and is said to be a useful remedy for diarrhoea. The tisane made from this also has a mildly diuretic action.

  Sometimes galls grow on the wych elm leaves as they do on the oak leaves, and the water found in them has been used in traditional medicine as according to the 17^th century English herbalist Nicholas Culpeper, “the water that is found in the bladders (galls) on the leaves is very effectual to cleanse the skin and make it fair.” In autumn the insects inside these galls die and the yellow or black balsam that is left has been used for chest ailments.

  In the UK there are some projects designed to help ensure the continued existence of these trees and hopefully soon there will be a cure for Dutch elm disease. These trees need all the help they can get.

  

HAREBELL - THE BLUE BELL OF SCOTLAND: SUPERSTITIONS AND MEDICAL USES OF HAREBELLS

HAREBELL, CAMPANULA ROTUNDIFLORA 

Harebells are the Bluebell of Scotland, although they are not called bluebells elsewhere. These are delicate flowers that grow on a long, thin stem which produces a milky sap when cut. The stem is so thin that the weight of the flowers makes them bend; the flowers themselves are paper thin however and do not weigh much. They have been little used in traditional medicine in the UK as there are various superstitions attached to them. In Scotland they are known as Aul Man’s Bells and the old man in question is the Devil. They have sinister reputations and are linked with witches, as it was believed that they put the juice from the stems in ointments to make flying potions. In Scotland the plant is also known as Milk-ort, or milk plant, the name deriving from the sap found in the plant.

  More benignly these delicate bell-shaped flowers were also associated with fairies in Victorian times, and were said to be fairies’ sleeping bowers, or their drinking goblets, for dew. Some superstitions say that these plants help you to see the fairies or the little people and it was believed that they could help transport a mortal to Faerieland. It was supposed that they could part the veil between this world and that of the faeries.

   Some of the Native American tribes used the sap from these flowers to cure earache and a decoction of the plants was used as eyewash. The root was chewed for heart and lung problems.

  It is said that the plants have antifungal and antiviral properties, as well as possibly having compounds in them which might help in the battle against cancer. The leaves are edible and so are the flowers which can be added to salads.

  It has been considered unlucky to pick the plants in the UK because of their associations with witches and fairies, and it was believed that their wrath would fall on people who picked the flowers.

  For those of you who are interested, here are the lyrics to the Blue Bells of Scotland song.

   

  Blue Bells of Scotland

 

Oh where, tell me where, is your Highland laddie gone?

Oh where, tell me where, is your Highland laddie gone?

He's gone wi' streaming banners where noble deeds are done

And it's oh, in my heart I wish him safe at home

Oh where, tell me where, did your Highland laddie dwell?

Oh where, tell me where, did your Highland laddie dwell?

He dwelt in Bonnie Scotland, where blooms the sweet blue bell

And it's oh, in my heart I lo'ed my laddie well

Oh what, tell me what, does your Highland laddie wear?

Oh what, tell me what, does your Highland laddie wear?

A bonnet with a lofty plume, and on his breast a plaid

And it's oh, in my heart I lo'ed my Highland lad

Oh what, tell me what, if your Highland laddie is slain?

Oh what, tell me what, if your Highland laddie is slain?

Oh no, true love will be his guard and bring him safe again

For it's oh, my heart would break if my Highland lad were slain

DOCK LEAF - ANTIDOTE FOR NETTLE STINGS: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF DOCK LEAF

DOCK LEAF, BROAD-LEAVED DOCK, BUTTER DOCK, RUMEX OBTUSIFOLIA

Dock leaves are commonly found growing with stinging nettles and are a useful antidote when you get stung. I always did as a child because I couldn’t understand how stinging nettles worked. My father would crush a dock leaf and wrap it around the area that had been stung which gave instant relief. There seems to be some debate about whether this actually works, but it does, although the red dock and crispy or yellow dock don’t. Perhaps the wrong dock leaf has been applied to the sting?

  Here is a poem about the dock leaf which I think is apt: -

The Dock
Come here, son: look! that leaf is dock,
Beside the dandelion clock.

Wherever stinging nettle grows
There, too, the healing dock leaf blows

As if to show some grand Design
Of Mother Nature, all benign,

Who suffers with her children's pain
And longs to make them well again:

Who cannot but provide relief
As in this sting-­removing leaf.

      ………………………..

Or are there flowers that can abate
The pain when people love, or hate?

No: men and towns to dust return:
The fires drink up the clouds, and burn.

Oh no, relief is never there.
Come, we must go: and son, beware,

For where the balmy dock leaves stand
Are stinging nettles close at hand. 

Or perhaps the dock leaf didn’t work because this rhyme wasn’t said when the dock leaf was applied?

'Nettle in, Dock;

Dock in, Nettle out

Dock rub Nettle out,”

This is a traditional rhyme that country people used to say on such occasions.

  Nicholas Culpeper writing in the 17^th century wrote about docks in particular and in general, and although the red dock, or bloodwort was commonly used in medicine he says that other docks such as the common one had similar properties: -

“The seed of most of the other kinds, whether gardens or fields, doth stay laxes and fluxes of all sorts, the loathing of the stomach through choler, and is helpful for those that spit blood. The roots boiled in vinegar helpeth the itch, scabs, and breaking out of the skin, if it be bathed therewith. The distilled water of the herb and roots have the same virtue, and cleanseth the skin from freckles, morphewa, and all other spots and discoloured rings therein. All Docks being boiled with meat, make it boil the sooner.”

 While it is true that young dock leaved can be used as a pot herb, it isn’t to be recommended as even grazing animals avoid them.

  The dock is related to sorrel as both belong to the Rumex genus, and so are also related to rhubarb as they are in the Polygonaceae family of plants. The dock leaf contains an antihistamine, chlorphenamine, which is responsible for it astringent action. The bruised leaves have been used to treat burns and scalds too by country people throughout the ages as they have cooling properties. The plant is called Butter dock because farm made butter was wrapped in the big, broad leaves to keep the butter cool while it was transported to markets. Mention of this use is made by George Eliot in her 19^th century novel, “Adam Bede” in chapter 8 when Mrs. Poysner summons Molly.

   “Molly,” she said rather languidly, “just run out and set me a bunch of dock leaves: the butter’s ready to pack now.”

  Dock leaves have had many uses in the past, and next time you get stung by nettles, make sure you pick the right kind of dock leaf to treat the sting!

CLARY (SAGE) - HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS

CLARY (SAGE), SALVIA SCLAREA

It is thought that Clary originated in Syria or south west and central Europe where it can still be found growing wild. It was known to the ancients and the essential oil was prized by Dioscorides, Theophrastus and Pliny. This is still used in cosmetics and the perfume industry as a fixer and cultivated for these industries in France and Russia. It is a member of the sage family and closely related to the sage we commonly use in cooking. Clary can be used in exactly the same way if you have any growing in your garden, or know where to find the herb growing wild.

  These days clary is little used except for its essential oil in aromatherapy. It seems that it acts on the hypothalamus, a ‘primitive’ part of the brain and is used to relieve anxiety, fear and paranoia. It also provokes vivid dreams and gives clarity to them so that you will easily recall those dreams that have troubled you during the night. The calming effect of clary was known to the Physicians of Myddfai who had this to say about its use.

  “If you would never be in an envious mood, drink as much as would fill an egg shell of the juice of the herb called wild clary, and you will not after fall into an evil temper. If you would be always in good health, drink a spoonful of the juice of the herb mallows, and you will always be so.”

  Many Internet sites say that clary can be used to make fritters, and I suppose you could put them in pakoras, but tastes have changed over the centuries, so clary might be something of an acquired taste. The idea that you can cook fritters with them seems to have originated from the Complete Herbal by Nicholas Culpeper, who wrote this in the 17^th century. He wrote this about clary.-

  “The seed put into the eyes clears them from motes and such like things gotten within the lids to offend them, and it also clears them from any white and red spots which may be on them. The mucilage of the seed made with water, and applied to tumours or swellings, disperseth and taketh them away. It also draweth forth splinters, thorns, or other things got into the flesh. The leaves used with vinegar, either by itself or with a little honey, doth help boils, felons, and the hot inflammations that are gathered by their pains, if applied before it be grown too great. The powder of the dried root put into the nose provoketh sneezing, and thereby purgeth the head and brain of much rheum and corruption. The seeds or leaves taken in wine provoketh to venery. It is of much use both for men and women that have weak backs, and helpeth to strengthen the reins; used either by itself or with other herbs conduces to the same effect, and in tansies often. The fresh leaves dipped in a batter of flour, eggs, and a little milk, and fried in butter and served to the table, is not unpleasant to any, but exceedingly profitable for those that are troubled with weak reins, and the effects thereof. The juice of the herb put into ale or beer, and then drunk, bringeth down women's courses and expelleth the after-birth.”

  It is from Culpeper then that we learn about the use of clary as an aphrodisiac (“venery” is sexual activity), as well as its use for kidney (reins) problems. There is no medical evidence to support these statements, so if you use clary for any of these ailments, remember that such uses belonged in the 17^th century. Please also note that pregnant women should not use this herb as it acts on oestrogen production and the uterus. While it may help some menopausal problems it is not advised to take it while pregnant as its effects are not known.

  The herb has been used not only to flavour ale (which didn’t traditionally use hops), but also some liqueurs and vermouth. Wine can be made from the flowering plant too, but it taste better when mixed with other flowering herbs and blossoms such as elderflowers. Also the herb may be infused in other white wine to give it a muscatel flavour.

   It is also found in some cosmetic products such as shampoos to increase sebum production and in some ointments and creams.

  The Latin name “sclarea” is a corruption of “clarus” meaning “clear” and it is thought it got this name because it was used to get foreign bodies out of the eyes. Salvia means salvation or to save, and this is because of the reputation the plants of the sage family had in ancient times. It is thought to be a native of south western and central Europe and parts of Asia; in other places such as Britain it is naturalized.

  The leaves when young can be eaten raw, or you can add them to dishes as you would sage, but use the young, tender leaves only, as older ones tend to have a bitter taste. The flowers are also edible and can be added to salads.

  Clary is a herb which has been overlooked in modern times, but perhaps we should be using it more as it was so prized by the ancients, who, when all is said and done, knew a thing or two about medicine that we have forgotten.

ROSE BAY WILLOW HERB - PROLIFIC HERB WITH MEDICINAL BENEFITS; HISTORY AND USES OF FIREWEED

ROSE BAY WILLOW HERB, EPILOBIUM ANGUSTIFOLIUM

Rose Bay willow herb is also called Fireweed, as it is a pioneer species, which is one of the first to sprout after a fire. It was a common sight on London bombsites during the Second World War. In the 16^th century John Gerard writes that it was a rarity in Britain, although he got some for his garden from a friend in Yorkshire.

  Seemingly the plant has now grown much more common all over the UK and Ireland where it is called Lus na tine or in English Blooming Sally, perhaps because it has leaves like the willow tree, of the genus Salix. It has often been remarked that the leaves actually look a little like those of the bay tree too. Some have referred to it as a “bothersome weed” as it spreads easily.

  It spreads by seeds which are attached to white hairs which have been used for stuffing, like kapok. These appear in autumn when the seed pod splits into four and ejects the hairs and seeds which are carried on the wind to new blooming places.

  Despite its apparent rarity, Culpeper used it in the 17^th century for its antispasmodic properties for asthma and whooping-cough. An infusion of the leaves is used for these purposes. The plant is native to parts of Europe and southern Asia and also grows in North America, although whether it has been introduced or is a native species is open to debate.

  In Britain it was cultivated in Victorian gardens because of its spikes of pink-mauve flowers and perhaps it escaped from these gardens to become the prolific plant we have now. It can be seen along railway tracks with buddleias and in waste ground almost everywhere. The flowers, which are in bloom for about a month, are a haven for bees which collect the nectar and mice nest in thick patches of this plant so it is good for wild life in Britain.

  The leaves can be made into a tisane but have been used as an adulterant in some tea. The root can, like chicory roots, be made into a coffee substitute. It is a member of the Onagrariaceae family of plants, and is also known by the Latin name Chamaenerion angustifolium, although this is sometimes misspelled as Chamerion. The stems look red, and this has given rise to another name for this plant, Blood Vine, although it is an erect plant and certainly not a vine. It can grow to heights of between four and eight feet.

  The French Canadians of the Gaspe Peninsula call the plant ‘wild asparagus’ and eat the young shoots in the same way that you would asparagus. The roots are edible and can be boiled and eaten as you would a Jerusalem artichoke, or added to soups and stews. The leaves can be made into a tisane and these contain vitamins A and C as well as at least one of the B-complex vitamins, riboflavin. They also contain the mineral phosphorous.

  The powdered root has been used to stop internal bleeding, but the plant is mainly used now in tisanes- leaves and roots for diarrhoea, dysentery and stomach cramps, while an extract of the leaves may have anti-inflammatory properties scientists believe. A poultice of the leaves has been used in folk medicine for mouth ulcers and in Germany and Austria the Rose Bay willow herb has been traditionally used for prostate gland problems. The stems are edible and have laxative properties, apparently! A poultice of the peeled roots has been used to heal burns and other skin problems.

  It’s a very attractive plant and it seems to have health benefits too, as well as most of it being edible.

YELLOW BEDSTRAW:- USED IN CHEESE-MAKING ORIGINALLY: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFTS OF YELLOW BEDSTRAW: TISANE RECIPE

LADIES BEDSTRAW, YELLOW BEDSTRAW, GALIUM VERUM 

Ladies Bedstraw is also called Our Ladies Bedstraw, as it was once believed that it was one of the dried kinds of plants that were laid in the manger by Jesus’ mother Mary to make it comfortable for him. It is also known as Curdwort and Cheese Rennet as in the past it was used to curdle milk and process cheese. The yellow colour that Cheshire cheese was famous for was produced by this plant. John Gerard writing in the 16^th century explains this, saying that the best Cheshire cheeses were made in Nantwich. Today the yellow food colouring is from annatto. The whole chopped plant is used for rennet.

  This plant was used in Nativity scenes in churches, dried, as we can see from this extract from the Red Book of Hengist and the works of the Physicians of Myddfai,

“The bite of the spider, will not be found venomous, save from the feast of the nativity of the Virgin Mary, to that of her purification, and then by applying the yellow bed straw thereto bruised, the venom will be extracted therefrom.”

The Physicians of Myddfai also used yellow bedstraw for swellings :-

“For a swelling, the result of an injury. Take the juice of the yellow bed straw, the juice of the plantain, rye meal, honey and the white of eggs. Make into a plaster, and apply thereto.”

  More traditionally however, the plant has been used as a diuretic in the treatment of gout and other diseases whose symptoms include excess fluids in the body.

  Given that it has the name Bedstraw, you might guess correctly that it was used in the past to stuff mattresses with, as it is sweet-smelling, like freshly cut hay and is reputed to have insect-repellant properties. It is also said that if you put a sprig of this in your shoes if you are walking a long way, you will not get a blister. It is closely related to Sweet Woodruff, Galium odorata.

  This plant is native to Europe and western Asia, and is a common sight in waste land, and in fields. The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, like spinach, and the seeds when roasted are said to make a good coffee substitute, like chicory or dandelion roots. (Coffee, of course is also in the Rubiaceae family of plants.)  In Britain the plant is in flower in July and August and can be collected then and dried for later use. The root leaves and stems produce a yellow dye which women used to dye their hair blonde in Britain in the Renaissance. It may be that in France men also made use of this dye as there it was called “Petit muguet” or “little dandy” and this was adulterated into another English name for this plant, Petty Mugget. The roots alone produce a red dye like that of Madder (Rubia tinctorum) to which yellow bedstraw is related as it is in the same Rubiaceae family of plants.

  The flowering tops have been used as a folk remedy for epilepsy and are thought to have antispasmodic properties. Culpeper writing his Complete Herbal in the 17^th century believed that yellow bedstraw was good for all kinds of internal bleeding and for nosebleeds.

   An infusion or decoction of the plant has been used in the past to remove stones and gravel from the internal organs, although I don’t think it is used for these ailments today.

  The flowering plant used to be made into an ointment for skin problems and a powder from the plant can be applied directly onto the skin to stop itching and inflammation. A poultice of the chopped plant, heated can be applied to heal wounds and clean them too.

  The plant contains asperuloside which produces coumarin and it is this which is responsible for the smell of new mown hay which the plant emits. This can be further converted to produce prostaglandins which are hormone- like compounds that stimulate the uterus and affect blood vessels, so the pharmaceutical industry is currently very interested in this plant, although little research has yet been published on it.

  You can make a foot bath to relieve swollen or aching feet by boiling the stems and flowers in water. If you take a cupful of the herb and boil it in a couple of pints of water for half an hour, reducing it to a simmer after boiling point has been reached, then pour it into a bowl and add more hot water to cover your feet, you should feel a little better after a period of soaking your feet.

YELLOW BEDSTRAW TISANE

Ingredients

2 tbsps fresh flowers of Yellow Bedstraw

1 cup boiling water

honey to taste

Method 

Put the flowers in a large mug and pour the boiling water over them.

Leave to steep for 15-20 mins.

Strain and flavour with a little honey.

This is a useful diuretic.

This has Taste and is a Treatment).