Glancing up at the velvety Alchemilla vulgaris I cannot help but be drawn to its subtle beauty. Perhaps it’s the graceful, intricate folds of the leaves or the twinkle of the sparkling drops of water often nestled amongst them. Whatever it is, I could sit with this plant and get lost in time. I hope that you may be able to take time with Alchemilla vulgaris too!
Alchemilla vulgaris is a small creeping herbaceous plant with soft, velvety leaves that grow up to 15 cm across and have serrated edges. The lower, radical leaves, are large and handsome and are 15–20 cm in diameter and somewhat kidney-shaped with seven to 11 partially folded lobes, giving a pleated or fan-like appearance. The upper leaves are similar, though they have very short or no stalks at all. The foliage of Lady’s Mantle, as its commonly known, is light green to olive green.
The flowers grow in loose, divided clusters at the end of freely branching flower stems from a short stalk or pedicle. They bloom from June to August, are coloured yellow-green, and are numerous and small with a diameter of 3 mm. The flowers have no petals but do have four stamens on the mouth of the calyx with jointed filaments.
THE HISTORY OF LADY'S MANTLE
The name Alchemilla is derived from the Arabic word Alkemelych, meaning alchemy. The first description of the herb dates back to 1539 when the German physician and botanist, Hieronymus Bock (1498-1554) ascribed the Latin name Alchemilla vulgaris or “the little alchemical one” to the herb. Interestingly, this physician also known by his Latin name, Tragus, began the modernisation of the medieval body and laid the foundations of modern science with his detailed catalogue of 700 plants.
Medieval alchemists, in their search for the philosopher’s stone, collected “water from heaven,”—the pearly drops that lay in the plant’s cup-shaped leaves. The water droplets are not from rain or dew, they come from moisture emanating from the leaves themselves through small pores. According to a German myth, the droplets symbolise Frigga's tears: The queen of heaven who bemoaned the loss of her husband, Odin, who made too many trips to faraway places for her liking. The common name, Lady’s Mantle refers to the herb’s dedication to the Virgin Mary, as the scalloped-edged lobes of the leaves were thought to resemble Mary’s cloak.
According to Nicholas Culpepper, English botanist, herbalist, physician and astrologer (1616–1654), “Lady's Mantle is very proper for inflamed wounds and to stay bleeding, vomiting, fluxes of all sorts, bruises by falls and ruptures. It is one of the most singular wound herbs and therefore highly prized and praised, used in all wounds inward and outward, to drink a decoction thereof and wash the wounds therewith, or dip tents therein and put them into the wounds which wonderfully drieth up all humidity of the sores and abateth all inflammations thereof. It quickly healeth green wounds, not suffering any corruption to remain behind and cureth old sores, though fistulous and hollow.”
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES & INDICATIONS
Female Reproductive System
Alchemilla vulgaris offers support for a woman’s unique bodily rhythms and life cycles. It is a remedy for those who wish to be more in touch with the divine feminine within. It’s recommended for those who feel alienated from their feminine side, possibly because of negative experiences during childhood with women who had authority in their lives.
The herb’s affinity for water harmonises with the water element within the body, helping to address excess dampness and stagnation. The tannins give Alchemilla vulgaris the ability to be astringent, drying, hemostatic and binding, resulting in the reduction of heavy periods, fibroids, and endometriosis. The herb can heal the reproductive tract after trauma from miscarriage, childbirth, postpartum bleeding, and pelvic inflammation. It also helps the normal involution of the uterus after childbirth and reduces the risk of prolapse. It can provide relief from PMS symptoms with regular menstrual cycles and acts as an emmenagogue to stimulate menstrual flow in those with irregular cycles.
The herb lifts bogged-down tissues and structures like sagging breasts after lactation and abdominal tissue following childbirth. The herbal teacher of teachers, William LeSassier, noted the herb as useful for “pale, sensitive women with prominent blue veins.”
Indications
- Premenstrual syndrome
- Dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation)
- Menorrhagia (heavy, prolonged menstrual flow)
- Prolapse uterus (with Rubus idaeus)
- Endometriosis
- Leucorrhea (vaginal discharge; yellow)
- Vaginitis
- Yeast infection (especially in pale, anemic women)
- Menopause (hot flashes)
Integumentary system
Before the virtues of Lady’s Mantle as a female reproductive agent, it was an important herb for wounds. A strong extract of the root was recommended to stop all bleedings. The tannins help a wound to close quickly and the small amount of salicylate modulates inflammation, reducing pain, and encouraging healing. Herbalist Matthew Wood discusses using Alchemilla vulgaris for torn tissues and perforations, such as a perforated eardrum, tears in connective tissue, and intestinal permeability.
Indications
- Cuts
- Abrasions
- Perforated eardrum
- Infections in deep tubes (ears, after tooth extractions)
- Ulcers
- Sores
