The Herbmonger

Herb Soceity logo

Vervain Flower Remedy

Vervain (Verbena officinalis) is a very old British herb. Mentioned in the Leech Book of Bald (c AD 900-950) the earliest herbal written in Anglo-Saxon, vervain is a summer herb. It is alleged that garlands of vervain and mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) were worn during summer solstice celebrations -- although St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) had pride of place. Certainly the Druids held the herb in esteem; it was one of their sacred herbs.

Vervain is not just history or magic. It is a herb for the pressurised, modern world. It is a relaxant and antispasmodic, and it used in the treatment of various nervous complaints. The flowering herb is used in all preparations, and vervain should be ready for harvesting between July and September.

Ingredients:

The flowering herb
50ml (3.3 tbsp) brandy
small bottle of pure water -- any still mineral water is good, but distilled water is too dead.
100ml clean amber bottle.

Method: The remedy is made using the sun method.
Identify accurately: make sure you have the correct, medicinal vervain.
Pick on a sunny morning after the dew has dried but before the sun has dehydrated the flowers. Pick quickly, taking open blooms from various parts of the plant and from various plants. Touch them as little as possible.
Put the bowl in an open and sunny place. Fill with the spring water. Float the flowers on the water -- covering the surface. Let stand.
After 2 hours, remove the flowers and pour 50ml of the flower water into the clean, amber bottle and add the brandy. Label and date.

Notes: The vervain flower remedy is for workaholics who push through life on will-power and for strong-minded individuals who rarely change their minds. Believing they are always right and that others would be happier if they adopted the same views; they can seem insensitive and intolerant. Vervain is used for over-enthusiasm and stress, to balance personal will with tolerance and understanding.

Double Vervain Remedy: It is sometimes useful to add four drops of the flower remedy to a simple of vervain tea (an infusion made from only one herb) in cases where there are elements of "overtrying" -- pushing too hard and too fast. This is especially applicable in cases of depression, nervous exhaustion, and convalescence where rest and time are important parts of the healing process and necessary for a full recovery. Drink 2-3 cups daily. The regime will also help to relieve tiredness and tension due to overwork.

Coming Next Month...

Sage is a general tonic, useful for weak and exhausted states and particularly good for the tiredness that typically follows a viral infection. Next month read about ways to use this versatile herb to make beneficial teas and vinegar amongst other things.

This recipes above are courtesy of Christopher Hedley, AHG and Non Shaw. The Herbmonger first appeared on the Herb Society website in 1998 and continued until about 2002. It is the creation of Christopher Hedley AHG and Non Shaw. And reappears back on the Herb Society website with the kind permission of Chris and Non.

Both are practising medical herbalists in London and have co-authored Herbal Remedies: A Practical Beginner's Guide to Making Effective Remedies in the Kitchen. Parragon Press, 1996 ISBN-10: 0752577514 .

Click here to go back to Herbs In Medicine main page

To make comments on this article, go to our Forum.