Meadowsweet - Etymology :
Common name = Meadowsweet, Spirea ulmaire, false spirea : It likes particularly in the wet environments, in edge of water courses, meadows or fields. It is common in France and in all Europe, except on the Mediterranean coast.
Botanical name = Filipendula ulmaria :
Filipendula comes from the Latin filum, thread, and pendulus, which hangs, in reference to the tubers connected by thin roots that evoke hanging threads. Ulmaria comes from the Latin ulmus, elm, because the leaflets resemble the leaves of the elm.
Mythology and history :
The druids had placed meadowsweet as a sacred plant. They used it to cure fevers and to cast spells because it had the reputation of spreading love, peace and harmony to those who consumed it.
It was also found in bridal bouquets in the Middle Ages. The word "aspirin" derives from the name of the spirea (a-spira meaning the synthetic origin of the active ingredients).
Botanical description :
Meadowsweet is a plant of the Rosaceae family.
This melliferous plant measures between 50 and 150 cm. Its stems are robust of green or sometimes reddish color. Its leaves are divided into 3 to 15 toothed and unequal leaflets. When crumpled, the leaves have a cucumber smell.
Its flowers are white, fragrant, very numerous and arranged in clusters. Its usual name "queen of close" comes from the shape of its cluster resembling the headdress of a queen. The small dry fruits visible in August are in spiral, from where the name of spirea. This perennial plant flowers between June and September.
Properties & Virtues :
Meadowsweet contains potassium salts which give it draining and diuretic virtues. They help to eliminate toxins from the body, reduce water retention and cellulite formation. These anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects have been demonstrated. It is viewed in herbal medicine as an alternative to aspirin.
These analgesic properties reduce joint pain, heartburn and indigestion, relieve headaches, flu and dental pain. Good astringent, Meadowsweet is also known in traditional herbalism to protect the gastric mucosa, heals cuts and small wounds. It is also antioxidant, tonic and sudorific.
Composition :
Rich in salicylic acid, the precursor of aspirin, it has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. It draws its antioxidant action from flavonoids. Tannins neutralize toxic substances in the gastrointestinal tract and make it a good astringent. Meadowsweet also contains other elements in smaller quantities such as sugars, iron and vitamin C. The latter is antioxidant and healing.
Meadowsweet and Beauty Garden :
With roots in the water and head held high, wearing a beautiful white wig, the meadowsweet marks the landscape by following the waterways and settling in the marshy areas around our garden. The flowering tops are harvested by hand in mid-July by our team and dried at a gentle temperature in our artisanal dryer.
We share with you these draining properties in our Meadowsweet Detox Oil, you can also find it in Anti-Rust Herbal Tea where you can appreciate its diuretic and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Bibliography :
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