Sorry for the late post (if there is anyone who is actually keeping track of this) but today has been a long one. Since I've reported on many of the more noticeable plants, I decided to use a plant that’s not as obvious as some of the others. I took the time to walk around the house seeing if anything enticed me. I was striking out until I saw the ornate leaves on this plant. I looked a little closer to notice some purple buds popping out of the top of the stem and knew this was the weed I was going to use this Wednesday
Ground Ivy: A Drug the Pharmacy Doesn't Want You to Know About
nice
As I mentioned earlier, the intricate detail of the veins of the leaves is what enticed me to look closer which lead me to find the little purple balls near the top. After taking pictures, I picked one to look at it with more detail and I noticed the stem had a square shape to it. Thanks to the knowledge I gained from writing about the purple deadnettle, I knew this plant was in the mint family. Plants in the mint family tend to be very aromatic and this is no exception.
The glechoma hederacea (what science calls this plant) goes by many names. Alehoof, Catsfoot, Cat's-Paw, Courroie de la Saint-Jean, Creeping Charlie, Gill-Go-By-The-Hedge, Gill-Go-Over-The-Ground, Haymaids, Hedgemaids, Herbe de Saint-Jean, Lizzy-Run-Up-The-Hedge, Robin-Run-In-The-Hedge, Tun-Hoof, and Turnhoof just to name a few. It is a native of Europe and southern Asia introduced to North America around 1627 and was used in place of hops in beer and served many medicinal purposes. It fascinates me that plants were brought to other counties as medicine before drugs existed.
I knew this Weed Wednesday would be good when I typed “Ground ivy” in google and the next suggestion was “Uses” folloed by “Medical Benefits”. In order to get the most of the medicinal properties out of the plant, it is recommended use 1oz of leaves to 1 pint of water and let it sit over night to make what is called Gill Tea. the recommended dosage is 3-4oz daily.
Lets get on to the list of medical benefits:
- Diuretic
- Astringent
- Induces Perspiration
- Relieves Headaches
- Relieves Coughs, Bronchitis, and Athsma
- High in Vitamin C
- Suppresses Tinnitus
- Aids in Hearing
- Purifies Blood
- Promotes Proper Kidney Function
- Cleanses Sores and Ulcers
- Reduces Joint Inflammation
- Clears heavy metals from the blood such as Lead
- Relieves Constipation, Hemorrhoids, Stomach Pain, and Kidney Stones
Aside from the medical benefits of this plant, it is also said to have spiritual benefits. The Ground ivy is considered a safeguard against sorcery and was worn by milkmaids when first milking cows in pastures to prevent the cows from enchantment. It also promotes sleep, pleasant dreams, meditation, healing, love, friendship and fidelity.