medieval herbs
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Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) was an important mediaeval herb. It is a bushy perennial with feathery, bright green leaves and small, daisy-like white flowers with yellow centres, similar to chamomile but its flowers are flat-topped. Its name, feverfew, or ‘fever reducer’ derives from the Latin febrifugia, meaning ‘to put fever to flight’. It was used, as…
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Lovage (Levisticum officinale), a tall, leafy perennial with a strong scent, was popular in mediaeval times, used for medicinal purposes, in cooking and famously, in love potions because of its name, from Middle English ‘love-ache’, where ‘ache’ meant parsley. Its use dates back to the 12th century. Medicinal Uses- Medieval people used all the parts…
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Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) is a fascinating herb with a rich history. It is a hardy perennial herb with fern-like leaves and bright yellow flowers, growing up to three feet tall. It prefers moist soil and full sun to partial shade and is commonly found growing in rough ground, on field boundaries. Tansy contains compounds such…