Agrimonia eupatoria
Agrimony
a perennial member of the Agrimonia genus in the family Rosaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
A refreshing tea is made from the fresh or dried leaves, flowers and stems[11][10]. It can be drunk hot or cold[10]. It was formerly very popular either on its own or added to China tea, having a peculiar delicacy and aroma[19]. Seed - dried and ground into a meal. A famine food, used when all else fails[9]. This report could refer to A. pilosa. Ledeb. (q.v.).
- Plant part
- Seed
- Product or use
- Tea
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Agrimony has long been used as a popular domestic herbal remedy[19]. An astringent and mildly bitter herb, it is a helpful remedy for diarrhoea and a gentle tonic for the digestion as a whole[18]. The whole plant is antiaphonic, astringent, blood purifier, cholagogue, diuretic, tonic and vulnerary. It contains up to 5% tannin, which has a strongly astringent effect[17]. When taken internally, an infusion of the plant has a great reputation in the treatment of jaundice and other complaints of the liver[19][22][23][3][5][14][7], it is also used to treat diarrhoea and as a gargle for sore throats[17]. Externally, a strong decoction is used to treat wounds, skin problems, haemorrhoids etc[19][22][15][17]. The plant is harvested in late spring and early summer and can be dried for later use[23]. The plant is used in Bach flower remedies - the keywords for prescribing it are 'Mental torture' and 'Worry, concealed from others'[13].
- Product or use
- Antiaphonic
- Product or use
- Astringent
- Product or use
- Bach
- Product or use
- Blood purifier
- Product or use
- Cholagogue
- Product or use
- Diuretic
- Product or use
- Hepatic
- Product or use
- Skin
- Product or use
- Tonic
- Product or use
- Vulnerary
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
A yellow dye is obtained from the root[1][16][21] - from whole plant according to other report,[19][20] - and from the leaves according to another[6]. Harvested in autumn[2], the yellow becomes deeper the later that the plant is harvested[19].
- Product or use
- Dye
Environment
- Range
- Most of Europe, including Britain, south to N. Africa and east to Iran.
- Habitat
- Fields, stone walls, waste ground and roadside verges[22][8], usually on alkaline soils[12], preferring sunny positions[7].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - can be sown in spring or autumn, either in pots in a cold frame or in situ. It usually germinates in 2 - 6 weeks at 13°c[4], though germination rates can be low, especially if the seed has been stored[17]. A period of cold stratification helps but is not essential. When grown in pots, prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in late spring or early summer. Division in autumn[12]. Very easy, the divisions can be planted straight out into their permanent positions.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Easily grown in most soils[4][12], preferring a calcareous soil[3]. Thrives in a dry lightly shaded position[5], though it prefers full sun[15]. Plants usually self-sow quite freely when growing in a suitable position[15]. The seeds are contained in burrs that can easily attach themselves to clothing or animal's fur, thus transporting them to a new area where they can germinate and grow[17]. The cultivar 'Sweet scented' is popular in France for making tea because the whole plant is sweet scented and the flowers have a spicy apricot-like fragrance[10].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.
Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-600-33545-3
Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 1. Thompson and Morgan. 1987-00-00
Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-87857-262-7
Niebuhr. A. D. Herbs of Greece. Herb Society of America. 1970-00-00
Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00
Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Chancellor. P. M. Handbook of the Bach Flower Remedies C. W. Daniel Co. Ltd. 1985-00-00 ISBN 85207 002 0
Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
Baines. C. Making a Wildlife Garden.
Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs Pan Books Ltd. London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30725-8
Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148
Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.
Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2