Effect:
astringent
Areas of application:
Digestive problems, stomach pain, promotes blood circulation, skin redness and other skin problems, painful arthritis
Plant parts used:
young leaves and shoots
Collection time:
Spring to mid-summer
To find:
Mostly found in human-influenced ruderal areas, wet fields, rubble dumps, dumps, roadsides or river banks.
Ingredients:
?
Miscellaneous:
The Lady's thumb grows to a height of 30 to 90 cm and is an upright plant. The 5 to 15 cm long leaves are alternate, narrow and lance-shaped with wavy edges. They usually, but not always, have a dark green to purple spot in the center. The leaves may be hairless or sparsely covered with small, stiff hairs. The leaf nodes are surrounded by a thin papery membrane that wraps around the stem. The small, dark pink (rarely white) flowers are clustered in 2.5 cm large, spike-like terminal clusters. They open like spikes, while those of the pale, similar-looking sharpleaf remain closed (pale sharpleaf also lacks the purple spot). Each flower has five petals and is approximately 0.35 cm in diameter. The fruits are brown to black and shiny. They have three sides and are egg-shaped. Each fruit contains a tiny seed. The nutrient-demanding plant is a strong nitrogen indicator.
The Lady's thumb leaves and young shoots can be eaten raw or cooked. If they are over-ripened, they become very peppery and inedible.