Herons, Giggers Green Road, Aldington, Kent, TN25 7BU
Tel/Fax: 01233 720907
Hardy annual. Member of the Primrose family. Grows 2 - 12 in (5 - 30 cm) high. Pretty scarlet flowers. Also known as Poor Man's Weatherglass and Shepherd''s Clock because it was thought to forecast the weather - if the air is moist with rain it won't open its flowers. Flowers close in the evening. Alleged that fresh leaves pressed against a splinter in the flesh would extract it. Found on wasteground and dunes, any soil.
The plant was once used in treating depression - indeed, the word anagallis comes from the Greek word "anagelas" - to laugh. If dropped into moving water it goes against the flow! Believed to be able to protect against the enchantments of witches.
It was once believed that holding the plant would endow you with second sight and render you able to communicate with animals and spirits! There was a ritual to gathering Scarlet Pimpernel in some places - collect it before sunrise, bid it good morning three times before saying anything else that morning, dig it up and throw it in the air: only then can the juice be expressed.
The seeds are poisonous. Plant has been used since antiquity to treat insect stings, the bite of a mad dog and other venomous animals - this remedy was prepared as follows: dry the herb and reduce it to powder Alternatively the leaves and root could be made into an infusion. Put about a teaspoon of the infusion of 20 grains of the powder into a cup with 15 drops of spirit of hartshorn and administer a dose every 6 hours for 15 days Rags steeped with the infusion can be applied to the wound.
Also believed to be able to cure madness. The ancient Greeks used the plant for treating eye disease. They also used the juice to dilate the pupils before cataract surgery. It has also been used for obstructions of the liver and spleen, melancholy, hydrophobia, epilepsy, urinary problems, rheumatism and the early stages of consumption. Powder the plant and sniff it up the nose for toothache. Juice mixed with honey can help bruises.
In animals, Scarlet Pimpernel can be used for epilepsy, liver and kidney problems. Birds like the seeds.
Flowers June to October. Plant out in full sun from May.
*This sheet is provided for information only and is in no way a prescription for use. Please seek the advice of a qualified herbalist before using*