To ease hayfever in the summertime, make tea with elderflowers, fresh nettles, plantain, eyebright, mallow/marshmallow and mullein. Mix in a spoon of local honey if you can find it.

At this time of year there are the skeletons of teasel plants gracing us with their silhouettes.

We have been wondering what its uses are for quite a time. We recently found some of its story.

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Teasel

Dipsacus fullonum (D.Sylvestris)

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Folk Names

Card Weed, Barber’s brush, Gypsy’s Comb

Teasel close up

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Medicine

Teasel is a good plant for walkers. It helps injuries to your joints and tendons. It eases muscle pain and inflammation, weakness of legs, knees and lower back. It is the root that is used. Crush it as an external poultice or make a weak decoction (brew).

It strengthens the nerves and eases chronic fatigue.

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Practical

Taesan is the Anglo-Saxon name for ‘cleaning cloth’. Fuller’s Teasel is used to raise nap in freshly-made wool without breaking the cloth.

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Lore

The Bath of Venus is rainwater collecting in cups where the leaves surround the stem. This water is said to be a great cleanser, good as an eye wash, for beautiful skin and getting rid of warts.

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Sources:

Brunton-Seal, Julie, Seal, Mathew. Hedgerow Medicine. (Merlin Unwin Books, 2008)