Also known as : Common agrimony, fairy’s wand, church steeples, sticklewort, Cocklebur and Garclive
Scientific Name : Agrimonia, eupatoria
Properties : Astringent, tonic, diuretic, coagulant, Carminative, amenorrhoea, vulnerary, antiseptic, anti-rheumatic and anti inflammatory
Uses : sleep, stress disorders, jaundice, cystitis, IBS, sore throats, Migraines, prevent heart attack, diarrhoea and improves liver and gallbladder function. It is still used in Chinese hospitals to control bleeding.
Try It : An old hedge witch decoction to cure IBS (Diarrhoea aggravated by stress) take 1 ounce of dried herb to 1 pint of boiling hot water, steep for 10min and strain. To be taken 1 hour before food and when symptoms occur.
Warnings : Don’t take with other diarrhoea cures.
Parts used: Above ground sections make the best preparations, but the roots can be used.
Magic : sleep charms, protection against magic
Folklore : This is one of the oldest healing herbs. The Saxon would mix it with human blood and crushed frogs to cure internal bleeding. In the uk it was a common tool for cunning folk, it would be planted around the farmhouse to repel evil magic and keep dark witches away. In folk magic it was placed under the pillow to aid sleep, although you had to remember to remove it in the morning, following this rhyme.
If it be leyd under mann’s head,
He shal sleepyn as he were dead;
He shal never drede ne wakyn
Til fro under his head it be takyn.’
Plant Tips : sow seeds in the spring, it likes a well drained soil and grows to around 100cm (39”). Harvest in July when flowering but before the hard spikes start to form.
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