Agrimony
Photo: Amy B.
About
Rarely used today, this herb is medicinal. Grows in the wild in most of the states, it has bright yellow flowers. Agrimony contains tannin and a volatile essential oil. Can be made into teas and tonic.
Information
Other names: common agrimony, church steeples, philanthropos, sticklewort, cockeburr
Translations: Dadzis, Dadzis, Petrovac, Dược thảo trị bịnh đau cổ, Rzepik, Agrimonie, Agrimônia, Репейник, الغافث, 짚신 나 물속, Řepík, 仙鹤草, Serverola, Petrovac, Repík, Agrimonia, אבגר, BORRE, Петровац, キンミズヒキ, Aigremoine, Agermåne, Agrimonia, Реп'яхи, Punalatva, Камшиче
Physical Description
This perennial herb is slightly aromatic, and grows up to 150 cm high. Stems are cylindrical and slightly rough, bearing only a few branches. Leaves are downy, green and made up of serrated leaflets arranged in large and small alternate pairs. Flowers are numerous, small and yellow borne on long spikes.
Selecting and Buying
Procuring: Agrimony can be easily propagated from seed and root divisions. Seeds should be stratified for a period of 6 weeks. Seeds germinate in 14-24 days.
Agrimony plants are cut when they are flowering, avoid any flower spikes that have started to develop sharp burs.
Preparation and Use
Agrimony is sed as an herbal tea; added to mead and beer.
Conserving and Storing
Cut leaves as needed and hang to dry.