Sage Plant - Sage Tea - Sage Benefits

Sage Herb Picture

Botanical Name: Salvia officinalis

The many varieties of common sage are all shrub-like herbs with rough, wrinkled leaves. Sage is a perennial herb with gray-green, pebble like, textured leaves in a long, oval shape. It grows wild in the Mediterranean regions like Britain, Europe, Spain, Turkey, USA. Sage is also widely cultivated for its culinary and medicinal properties.

Sage Benefits

New research suggests that sage may restore mental function and improve memory. The herb acts on the cortex of the brain thereby eliminating mental exhaustion and improving concentration.

Sage Tea

Preparation of sage tea: It can be prepared by pouring a cup of boiling water over 1 teaspoon of dried sage leaves with lid on. It should be infused for few minutes before straining and sweetening with honey, if desired. In case of fresh leaves, a tablespoon of chopped sage leaves can be used and the tea be prepared similarly.

Sage Tea Benefits: Sage tea is beneficial in coping with stress. It is astringent, sedative and expels gas; it clears the respiratory tract, makes a good gargle for sore throats and helps overcome colds.

Sage is useful for night sweats as it reduces sweating. It also reduces milk flow in nursing mothers prior to weaning, prevents the formation of kidney stones by dissolving residues of uric acid, and regularizes menstruation. An infusion of sage can be applied to the scalp to reduce dandruff.

Precautions: In high doses, sage can overstimulate and should be avoided by anyone who suffers from epilepsy. It should also be avoided in early pregnancy.

Agrimony Herb Uses and Medicinal Properties

Agrimony is not commonly used today, but has its place in traditional herbal medicine.

This herb is safe for use for minor ailments in most healthy people. Like most herb simples, the uses to which it is put are remarkably varied. The English use it to make a delicious "spring" or "diet" drink for purifying the blood. It is considered especially useful as a tonic for aiding recovery from winter colds, fevers, and diarrhea. Agrimony contains tannin and a volatile essential oil.

As Agrimony also possesses an astringent action, it is frequently used in alternative medicine as an herbal mouthwash and gargle ingredient, and is applied externally in the form of a lotion to minor sores and ulcers. Agrimony has also been recommended, as a strong decoction, to cure sores, blemishes, and pimples.

Agrimony is called XIAN HE CAO in Chinese herbal medicine and is used to stop bleeding.
- Dr. Michael Tierrra L.Ac., O.M.D., The Way of Chinese Herbs

Caution: This is an astringent herb, do not use if constipated. Do not use internally during pregnancy without discussing with your obstetrician.

Habitat and Description

Agrimony can be found growing extensively throughout Europe, Canada, and the United States. A hardy perennial, its natural habitat is woods and fields, but it takes to cultivation easily. Agrimonies have one to two foot branchy stems covered with a fine, silky down and terminate in spikes of yellow flowers. Both the flowers and the notched leaves give off a faint characteristic lemony scent when crushed. After the flowers fade they give place to tiny clinging "burrs" which will quickly adhere to your clothing if you brush by an it plant in a hedgerow.

How to grow Agrimony

For garden growing, give Agrimony sun or partial sun and regular watering, a plant from seed or propagate by root division in spring or fall. Gather the herb in summer while the flowers are in bloom.

Harvesting Information

Agrimony is usually common enough to harvest freely in the wild, as long as you take only a small portion from any given area. Tie in small bundles and hang in a dark, dry place for a few days to a week depending on temperature. Or place small amounts in large paper bags. Dry herbs in well ventilated areas away from smoke, pets, and rodents. Harvest Agrimony seeds in late summer or early fall, and plant right away or store in freezer.

History and Folklore

Witches used it in spells to dispel negative energies, and to ward off hexes. Agrimony was said to cause a deep sleep. When placed beneath a mans head this sleep would last until it was removed. This passage is from an old English medical manuscript:

If it be leyd under mann's heed,
He shal sleepyn as he were deed;
He shal never drede ne wakyn
Till fro under his heed it be takyn.'

Author Jessica Houdret says The Anglo Saxons included Agrimony in charms and dubious preparations of blood and pounded frogs.

Herbal Tea Recipe

Agrimony Herb Tea: Infuse 1 teaspoon dried Agrimony root, leaves, or flowers in 1 cup of boiling water for 15 minutes. Strain and flavor with honey and a little licorice root if desired. Take up to 1 cup per day. Said to be a good blood purifier.

Bach Flower Remedies : Agrimony

Homeopathic Remedy for: "The jovial, cheerful, humorous people who love peace and are distressed by argument or quarrel, to avoid which they will agree to give up much. Though generally they have troubles and are tormented and restless and worried in mind or in body, they hide their cares behind their humour and jesting and are considered very good friends to know. They often take alcohol or drugs in excess, to stimulate themselves and help themselves bear their trials with cheerfulness."