Agrimony is also known as church steeples, philantopos, cocklebur and sticklewort.
Agrimonia eupatoria L., Agrimonia procera, Agrimonia parviflora or Agrimonia Striata
Agrimony grows in long stems, which are covered with a very soft surface layer where tiny yellow flowers bloom. Upon maturing, these same flowers begin to fade and become sticky burrs that easily cling to anything that rubs against the plant. Typically found in the United States, Canada and parts of Europe, agrimony is a perennial plant that is part of the Rosaceae family that also produce roses. It can grow with little cultivation in wild habitats or can be nurtured in private gardens with at least partial sun and daily watering.
Agrimony should be harvested in the summer months when the fragrant flowers are in full bloom, They can then be ground into a powder and used as an herbal tea or its powerful essential oil and can be extracted for topical use.
Six ounces of agrimony in one quart of boiling water can be sweetened with pure organic honey and consumed in Ω pint doses up to three times per day for the treatment of a variety of ailments.
The tannin properties found in agrimony allow it to work very well as an astringent making it is useful in eliminating pimples and other skin blemishes. Agrimony has several other very remarkable uses, including:
- A mouthwash,
- A blood purifier
- A helpful aid in stopping diarrhea
- A cure for colds
- Treating minor sores
- Useful on snakebites
- Helps in withdrawing splinters
- Useful in treating fungus infections
- Helps in treating kidney stones
- Useful in treating rheumatoid arthritis
- Aids the kidney, gallbladder and liver in proper functioning
Known as xian he cao, agrimony is also is commonly used by Chinese herbalists to stop bleeding as it forms clots on open wounds.
Because the tannin properties help in linking proteins in the throat when sipped as a tea, agrimony is also believed to be helpful in avoiding a variety of infections.
Because of its strong astringent properties and the effect this can have on mucous membranes, agrimony should not be used by pregnant women or if a person is constipated.
For natural cures and home remedies, herbs like agrimony can be very effective treatments if used properly and consistently. As most herbs are safe to use for folk remedies, some may not interact well with other medications. Therefore, your medical doctor should always be consulted before starting a herbal regiment as alternative or complementary therapy to assure that herbs do not decrease the effectiveness of other prescriptions.
Whenever possible, a professional herbalist should also be consulted before starting a new herbal regimen.
