Ask me about herbal medicine

[teledhelwen]

I could talk about it all day.

 

[CupofJoe]

Good to know
And thank you!

 

[pmmg]

Two things I am always looking for.

Plants that stop bleeding, and plants that dull pain (and plants that glow in the dark as a third).

Often, I have to make them up.


I generally look for these in two climates. A cold northern climate, and a warm southern climate.

What would you expect I would find?

 

[Finchbearer]

I’m interested in hearing your answers!

 

[skip.knox]

I'm with pmmg. I sometimes will take a browse through plant lore, like browsing a catalog. But when it comes time to write, I invent what the story needs. One of the advantages of writing fantasy.

 

[Finchbearer]

Plants that stop bleeding, and plants that dull pain (and plants that glow in the dark as a third).

I hope you found Achillea / yarrow for helping clotting, as I know it’s a coagulant. Glow in the dark plants you could look at ‘moon planting’. Lots of mallows have white flowers that ‘glow’ in the dark - or essentially in the light of the moon.

 

[pmmg]

Ah...the one I used I pseudo made-up.

I was visiting one of the colonial battlefields some years back, and part of the tour included the surgical tent. The tour guide held up a root they called dragon-root, which was used to staunch bleeding....but I must have the name wrong, cause I cannot find it in any internet search. Maybe one day I will go back and see if I heard it wrong. I'd like to know what that was.

 

[Finchbearer]

Ah...the one I used I pseudo made-up.

I was visiting one of the colonial battlefields some years back, and part of the tour included the surgical tent. The tour guide held up a root they called dragon-root, which was used to staunch bleeding....but I must have the name wrong, cause I cannot find it in any internet search. Maybe one day I will go back and see if I heard it wrong. I'd like to know what that was.

My suspicion is that it could have been geranium maculatum, or cranesbill, with the roots being used to staunch bleeding. I don’t know if this might have come from Native American herbal medicine or European, or a blend of the two. The little seed heads really do look like little cranes bills. ‘Dragon root’ might have been a colloquialism, but certainly lends itself well to a fantasy setting.

With the achillea, you’ve heard of Achilles heel right?

 

[teledhelwen]

Two things I am always looking for.

Plants that stop bleeding, and plants that dull pain (and plants that glow in the dark as a third).

Often, I have to make them up.


I generally look for these in two climates. A cold northern climate, and a warm southern climate.

What would you expect I would find?

Hi, thanks for getting this started!
Plants that stop bleeding are actually incredibly common.

Yarrow is the most powerful and impressive - think staunching the bleeding of a gunshot wound. Some Native American tribes would choose their battleground based on where it grew. It spreads through rhizomes and can cover a whole lawn or meadow in some places. It also enjoy rocky soils and I've seen it thriving directly on cliffsides in the Niagara river gorge and the upper peninsula of Michigan. Maybe I'll find you a picture - I was impressed. Yarrow grows through temperate zones in North America, Europe and Asia.

Shepherd's purse and Amaranth are common weeds that have use as (less powerful) hemostats. Water lilies were used by Native Americans (the root). Actually, because hemostatic herbs are so common, it's probably best to break it down your choices based on your preferred ecosystem. Where are your characters gathering their medicine? Is it forest, bog, arid, meadow? Probably have access to a few of these - I will make a few more suggestions. A northern plant (up to the Arctic) in rocky, sandy soils is Bearberry or Uva Ursi. For drier soils across the US from MO to Mexico, Yucca root is a good choice. I mostly work with my locale so I'm sorry I don't know a whole lot further south. In rich woods, north from Georgia, Butternut bark (juglans cinerea) in a strong warm tea. Close relative of the common Walnut. There's also a lot of herbaceous remedies in the woodlands, and just a lot in general.

 

[teledhelwen]

Oh and plants for pain!

Valerian root will make you relax and sleep and relieve some pain. California Poppy, of course the Oriental (opium) Poppy, Wild lettuce (great), and the endangered Indian Pipe. <This could also "glow" in the dark and is an excellent "eerie" plant. And mildly psychoactive.> Toothwort root and Spilanthes have "numbing" effect. You have your "aspirin" from White Willow bark which relieves pain by moving the blood and calms fevers. Warm spicy Ginger can relieve pain this same way, though it's usually indicated for nausea. Camphor was used in the bloody medic tents of the civil war as an analgesic. Hyssop and fennel are good and I have used myself to good effect. Thyme for sore muscles and infected wounds. Comfrey for sprains and bone breaks.

So once again, there are many many choices. It always depends on the exact use of the plant, the type of wound or illness and where it is located.

Moonflowers, Or Angel's Trumpets (Datura) is a great suggestion for plants that (seem to) glow in the dark. There are a few plants and algaes with a true bioluminescence that I don't know the specific names for.

 

[teledhelwen]

I give you... Yarrow!

photo 1
photo 2

 

[Finchbearer]

The only thing I thought about willow bark is that I thought you had to consume it in relatively large quantities to benefit from the amounts of salicin it contains for pain relief. Certainly in the UK meadowsweet contains high amounts of salicylic acid and grows more abundantly than willow, like a weed really. And it’s used to flavour mead, which I presume is where the name mead comes from. So I also have to assume me that it has more pain killing properties than the alcoholic content!

 

[teledhelwen]

interesting! I appreciate the new information about meadowsweet. I might have to learn more about that as partner to a mead brewer and herbalist

yes - willow bark is typically extracted to get its full benefit. the extract can be used topically for sprains and sore muscles. As a tea, it's best for fevers with some use for headaches.

 

[Finchbearer]

interesting! I appreciate the new information about meadowsweet. I might have to learn more about that as partner to a mead brewer and herbalist

yes - willow bark is typically extracted to get its full benefit. the extract can be used topically for sprains and sore muscles. As a tea, it's best for fevers with some use for headaches.

Your partner brews mead? I love the smell of the flowers, a bit like elderflower to me. So it grows abundantly in North America I take it?

Only thing about salicylates is that unfortunately I’m allergic!

 

[teledhelwen]

Meadowsweet is not native to N America and I'm not sure if I've met it in person.

That's unfortunate about the allergy! I'm sadly allergic to chamomile, stevia, and many asters.

I do love me some elderflower!!