Introducing Motherwort to the Garden

This weekend is the annual herb festival. I was just chatting with a friend and told her that I had been so excited to go to the herb festival but I'm a beginner so it was difficult making choices and culling out what I really wanted, because what I really want is to make medicine. There today I realized that plants are like people. I want all these new friends, but I don't know them yet so I have to slowly get to know them. You don't just make a best friend. Friendship and plants take time to get to know/grow and I realized that I needed to get to know the ones I just met even more intimately to feel comfortable branching out, but the addict side in me wants it all NOW. I do love instant gratification! So one that I have been taking in tincture form for a while now is Motherwort. It's a great herb for strengthening and gladdening the heart. An herbalist told me once that it helps you to feel more secure like a mothering hug. Ahh, how nice. Yes, Motherwort is kind. Motherwort not only nourishes and strengthens the heart, and is good for hypertension and arrhythmia, it is also good for many women's health issues such as PMS and menopause. I use it in conjunction with Crampbark for menstrual cramps. It is also good for hot flashes, emotional outbursts, irritability and depression. It should avoided during pregnancy or if you are trying to get pregnant   Here is a picture of what I got today. It hasn't even been planted yet, but I'm so excited!

Isn't she so beautiful! Motherwort is a nervine, so it soothes the nerves. It's botanical name is Leonurus, which means lion-hearted. It's great for women who do feel like a mama lion both fierce and protective in their care. It is not a grounding herb so you could combine it with herbs such as sassafras or vitex. I took it for a couple of weeks and felt floaty, the opposite of grounded. Motherwort is a great herb to get to know and I'm so happy it will be a new addition to my garden. I'll keep you posted on the tincturing of this herb. Here is another pic.

Yay for friends, old and new!