On Agrimony and Tansy, from Hortulus

Comments

  • MaryRowe
    MaryRowe Posts: 736 ✭✭✭✭

    "And If an enemy blade happens to wound us..." --Walafrid's world coming through....

    But this one also set me on a bit of a chase through through the modern world as well. Tansy...first thought: wait a minute, isn't that one highly toxic? But a quick google showed me the difference between the common tansy, Tanacetum vulgare, which he is no doubt writing about, and the toxic one, tansy ragwort, which can be Jacobaea vulgaris or Senecio jacobaea or both, apparently, depending on the source....

  • judsoncarroll4
    judsoncarroll4 Posts: 5,490 admin

    Here is some info... a lot of herbs are dangerous in high doses. Vulgare is quite useful in reasonable amounts.

    http://www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/t/tanacetum-vulgare=tansy.php

  • MaryRowe
    MaryRowe Posts: 736 ✭✭✭✭

    Hmmm......still don't know a whole lot about medicinals, so I think I'll leave that one alone a while longer. I don't think I have ever seen it around here anyway. Interesting that it has been used as a cinnamon and nutmeg substitute though. I wonder if its culinary uses are what had Walafrid wondering if it might be the classical ambrosia.

  • jamie.davis
    jamie.davis Posts: 5 ✭✭✭

    Hmm. I have swamp agrimony in the yard. Locals call it cockleburr. If it touches your skin, it makes your skin very sensitive to sunlight. Have made tincture but not tea yet.

  • judsoncarroll4
    judsoncarroll4 Posts: 5,490 admin

    I can't find much on herbal use for Swamp Agrimony. In fact, all I have found is from wiki, which isn't the most reliable source. "Agrimonia parviflora has been used by Native Americans including the Cherokee. The burs of the plant can be used as an antidiarrheal and to help reduce fevers. The root of the harvestlice can pulverized and implemented for several medical treatments. This includes: increasing red blood cell count, gastrointestinal aid, topical treatment for certain skin issues like pox, and as a dietary aid." So, I would advise caution and more research. Hopefully, you have a very useful herb, but better safe than sorry!