Beautiful leaves which look like large three leaf clovers, but more triangular adorn the side of the grass. With yellow flowers growing, you could easily be forgiven for walking past Lady’s mantle. Sometimes, I wonder how I haven’t known about these plants and weeds until now, however we all come to different learnings at different points on our path.
So what is Lady’s mantle?
Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla Mollis) is a member of the rose family. It has been widely used as folk medicine for many years. Alchemilla, the Latin name, when translated means “little alchemist” In the morning when there is dew on these leaves, the water sparkles and shines. It is this which alchemists used to collect and use in their potions. The leaves themselves contain tannins and salicylates, in layman’s terms astringent, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic. Nature is wonderful in that a lot of what we need, she provides.
So what is Lady’s mantle good for?
Well, I’m pleased you asked. It is good for diarrohea, hemarroids, ulcers, hernias, sores and wounds.
It is a powerful woman’s herb. It can restore tone and vitality to the uterus. Can aid in painful periods, irregularity, lack of bleeding, excessive bleeding, headaches and endometriosis. Apparently, it is one of the best herbs to combat fertility issues. It has the ability to regulate menstruation by stimulating the production of progesterone. It can help with perimenopause and menopausal symptoms including hot flushes and night sweats. As women produce more oestrogen and less progesterone it helps to keep our hormones in balance.
How to use Lady’s Mantle?
It can be used topically for the skin. As it is an astringent it can help to tighten and tone the skin. It protects newly formed elastin fibres. Steep some Lady’s Mantle in hot water and once cooled you can use on your face. It is also helpful for treating insect bites and stings, eczema and any sores or wounds on the skin. It can also be used for vaginal discharge and infections. The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked like spinach. You can add them to salads, stews, soups and sandwiches.
You can dry the leaves as I have done to make a tea for the winter months. August is the best time to pick these leaves. You can make a tea from the fresh leaves. Just pop a couple of leaves in a cup of hot water and allow to steep for 5-15 minutes. I have also made a tincture which is currently sat in a dark cupboard. I used a large mason jar and stuffed it with leaves approximately three quarters of the way and covered it with nearly a litre of vodka. It will sit there for 2-3 weeks before I strain out to make a tincture. This can then be used 2-3 times per day, approx 2-3ml at a time in water or tea.
If you have enjoyed this post let me know in the comments below and if you want to explore more of the offgrid life you can find my latest book here
Lindsay x
The Journey 
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