Agrimony, Cocklebur

A perennial from Europe.

Has dark green, toothed, hairy underneath leaflets which are mostly found at the base if the plan...Read Moret. Bears long spikes of 4/5 petalled, bright yellow flowers. The fruit is shaped like a spinning top and has many hooks to catch in clothing and animal fur.

Flowers June to August.

Found in open grassland and under hedges, seems to prefer a well drained soil in a sunny position. It lives im my garden on the poorest clay which is dry as a bone in summer and too wet to walk on in winter with a north facing aspect. To me it is one of the most important plants because very little else will grow there.

Agrimony was used in the Holy Salve of the Anglo Saxons who believed it kept them free from evil spirits and poisons. They also used to pound it with frogs blood to cure all sorts of things but the idea is far too repulsive for me.

It was used in the treatment of stomach aches, as an eye salve, liver complaints (Gerard called the problem Naughty Liver and probably wagged his finger as he spoke to patients who had it) and a cold compress for wounds. It was also used for old sores and skin ulcers (when mixed with pig grease according to Culpepper).

It's made into wine, tissane and in a tea to refresh mind and body, it was also a cold cure.