[Douglas]

OK Katerina, I’ll give it a try. Part of the Advanced Course at the Herbal Academy is producing up to 20 monographs, and I am working on medicinal plants that grow in my area especially if they are indigenous to the area and were used by Indigenous People in this area. This one is for Agrimony, which I planted in my medicinal garden from seeds collected from wild plants. There are some native Agrimony species, but I do not know which exact species my plants are from, so I refer to them as Agrimonia spp.

Common Name: Agrimony, Beggar’s Lice, Stickle wort
Botanical name: Agrimonia spp
Family: Rosaceae

[Douglas]

Oh brother… I hit the wrong key and posted prematurely. Now the system will not post the completed monograph. Sigh

[Douglas]

Here is the draft Agrimony Monograph:

Common Name: Agrimony, Church steeple, Beggar’s lice

Botanical name: Agrimonia spp.

Family: Rosaceae

Parts used: aerial parts, root

Native region: Northern Hemisphere

Geographic range: There are around 15 Agrimonia species. Agrimonia gryposepala and A. parviflora are native to North America. Agrimonia eupatoria, which is native to Europe, North Africa, Southwest Asia, and Macaronesia, was introduced to North America

Habitat: Field edges, roadsides, dry thickets.

Botanical description: Agrimony is a perennial that blooms from early summer to early autumn with a spike of small bright yellow flowers on a hirsute stem above a leafy base. The plant may reach 2 feet in height. The leaves are sharply toothed, and the leaves at the base are much larger than the leaves further up the stem. The flowers face upward toward the sun, pointing downward after full flowering. The seed has a ring of bur-like spikes which will cling to passersby. Both the flowers and leaves may be fragrant.

Harvesting guidelines: Aerial portions of agrimony are generally harvested just prior to flowering or during flowering. Herbalist Matthew Wood (2008) has noted that agrimony is more astringent and less sweet in its post-flowering phase and accordingly has suggested that it be picked when there is a strong odor about the plant. The leaves may be picked from the sides of the stem to leave the main stalk to go to seed (Wood, 2008).

Constituents: Tannins (3% to 21%), Coumarins; flavinoids (glycosides of luteolin, apigenin, and quercetin); polysaccharides; glycosidal bitters. (Hoffman 2003)

Taste: Bitter, Astringent, sweet

Affinities: Lungs, Digestive system, Liver

Actions: Astringent, tonic, bitter, diuretic, vulnerary, antispasmodic, diaphoretic, carminative, hepatic, cholagogue (Hoffman 2003)

Energetics: Cooling, Drying, Warming

Tissue states: Constriction, relaxation, atrophy (Wood)

Planetary ruler: Jupiter

History and Uses: “Agrimony (agrimonia) is hot… If someone produces or throws off mucus and much phlegm from his sick intestines, and has a cold stomach, he should frequently drink wine in which agrimony is placed before and after meals. It diminishes and purges the mucus, and warms the stomach.” (von Bingen c.1158) “Astringent, tonic, diuretic. Agrimony has had a great reputation for curing jaundice and other liver complaints.” (Grieve) Agrimony is an astringent that improve tissue tone, but also has been used to relieve tension — was used for the tense intermittent chills of malaria back to the time of Dioscorides (Wood 2008) “The combination of astringency and bitter tonic properties in agrimony makes this herb a valuable remedy. This is especially true when astringent activity is needed in the digestive system, as agrimony also contributes a tonic action through bitter stimulation of digestive and liver secretions. (Hoffmann 2003) Matthew Wood (2008) quotes Dr Bach as saying, Agrimonia is suited to conditions where the person is “tortured to capture the breath.” noting its usefulness in bronchitis and asthmatic conditions.

Preparations & Dosage: Hoffmann – Tincture 1:5 @ 45%; Infusion: pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 – 2 tsp dried herb and infuse for 10 to 15 minutes. Drink 3 times a day Easley & Horne – Tincture: Fresh leaf 1:2 @ 95%, dried leaf 1:5 @ 50% 5 drops to 3ml 3 times daily; infusion 4-8 oz 1 to 4 times daily; Topical use – apply salve as needed, or prepare compress from strong infusion or decoction several times daily.
Wood – Tincture 1 – 15 drops 1 to 3 times daily

Safety & Interations: No side effects or drug interactions reported.

Contraindications: None reported

References: Blumenthal, M.; The Complete German Commission E Monographs – Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines; 1998
Fuchs, L., The New Herbal, Taschen GmbH, 2021 (Originally published in 1543)
Grieve, M., A Modern Herbal; (1931) 1971
Hoffman, D.; Medical Herbalism, 2003
https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/monograph/agrimony/
Junius, M., Spagyrics – The Alchemical Preparation of Medicinal Essences, Tinctures, and Elixirs, 2007
von Bingen, Hildegard; Priscilla Throop trans; Hildegard von Bingen’s Physica; 1998
Wood, M; The Earthwise Herbal Vol I – A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants; 2008

• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by  Douglas.

[Douglas]

Katerina, I think you had an excellent idea.

[Douglas]

Yes, over the years I have spent many hours pulling this plant out since it is (or was) rampant in some areas or our yard. Last year I realized it had valuable medicinal properties so this year I will probably save some to tincture.

[Douglas]

I will look for my list from a couple of years ago when I identified 54 medicinal species in our yard and/or the woods around our house (there are 20 acres of northern mixed-species forest with several wet spots, and we abut a marsh/wetland). Then I will edit this and list the species.
This is a great idea Katerina!

[Douglas]

I will have to come back to this as the formatting went totally haywire.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by  Douglas.

[Douglas]

Trying again…

This is a list of plants in our yard, also in our vegetable garden or medicinal herb gardens (cultivated plants are indicated with an asterisk *). We have 20 acres, including 18 wooded acres and we are abutted by a marsh/wetland. All plants listed are within a 10 minute walk of the house. I have arranged them in a not-very-aesthetic alphabetic list and included Latin binomials and sometimes multiple common names.

I am still having crazy formatting issues, but I’ll be back…

• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by  Douglas.

[Douglas]

Trying again…

This is a list of plants in our yard, also in our vegetable garden or medicinal herb gardens (cultivated plants are indicated with an asterisk *). We have 20 acres, including 18 wooded acres and we are abutted by a marsh/wetland. All plants listed are within a 10 minute walk of the house. I know I have left some out but they have eluded my recall. I have arranged them in a not-very-aesthetic alphabetic list and included Latin binomials and sometimes multiple common names.

Agrimony (Agrimonia spp)*
Angelica (A. archangelica & A. atropurpurea)*
Artichoke (Cynara cardunculus) for the leaf*
Barberry (Berberis vulgaris)
Bayberry (Myrica cerifera)*
Black Birch, Sweet Birch (Betula lenta)
Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)
Borage (Borago officinalis)*
Burdock (Arctium lappa)
Calamus (Acorus calamus, var americanus)
Calendula (Calendula officinalis)*
California Poppy (Eschsholzia californica)*
Catnip (Nepeta cataria)*
Cayenne (Capsicum spp)*
Celandine (Chelidonium majus)
Chaga (Inonotus obliquus)
Chamomile, German (Matricaria chamomilla)*
Chamomile, Roman (Chamaemelum nobile)*
Chickweed (Stellaria media)
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)
Comffrey (Symphytum officinale) [probably a garden escape]
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Cramp Bark (Viburnum opulus)
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Echinacea (E. angustafolia, e. atropurpurea, & E. pallida)*
Elder (Sambucus nigra)*
Elecampane (Inula helenium)*
Ephedra (Ephedra spp.)*
Epimedium, Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium spp.)*
Erigeron, Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron annus)
Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis)
Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)*
Garlic (Allium sativa)*
Ghost Pipe (Monotropa uniflora)
Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)*
Gold Thread (Coptis trifolia)
Goldenseal (Hydrastus canadensis)*
Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
Ground Ivy, Gill-over-the-ground (Glechoma hederacea, Nepeta hederacea, etc.)
Heal-all, Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris)
Hop (Humulus lupulus)*
Horehound (Marrubium vulgare)*
Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana)*
Houttuynia (Houttuynia cordata)*
Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)*
Joe-Pye-Weed, Gravel Root (Eutrochium purpureum)* [planted from wild seed]
Kinnikinnick, Uva-ursi (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)*
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)*
Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus)*
Lobelia (Lobelia inflata)
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)
Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens)
Peony (Paeonia lactiflora)*
Pippsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata)
Pleurisy Root (Asclepias tuberosa)*
Poke Weed (Phytolacca americana)
Poppy (Papaver somniferam)*
Pulsatilla, Anemone (Anemone pulsatilla, Pulsatilla vulgaris)*
Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)
Reishi (Ganoderma tsugae)
Sage (Salvia officinalis)*
Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis)*
Shepard’s Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)
Skullcap (Scutellaria laterafolia)*
Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum Biflora)
Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor)
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)
Vinca, Periwinkle (Vinca major, Vinca minor)
Violet (Viola spp.)
White Pine (Pinus strobus)
Wild Cherry (Prunus serotina)
Wintergreen, Checkerberry (Gaultheria procumbens)
Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)*
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

[Douglas]

The original of my draft monograph exists as a Filemaker database record, which has photos as well as a picture of Agrimony from Fuch’s “New Herbal” of 1543. I retyped the text in order to post it but I can see if I can include the photos in order to post it.