Page 150 - Lost Book Remedies

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies

Wooly Lamb’s Ear,

Stachys byzantina

Wooly Lamb’s Ear was used in WWII as a field dress-
ing for wounds on the battlefield. It is easy to cultivate
in the garden in full sun. It is also known as wooly
wound wort, wooly betony and silver carpet. It is in the
Lamiaceae (Mint) Family.
Identification: This perennial plant has soft, fuzzy
leaves that are densely covered with silver-white or
gray hairs with the texture of velvet. Leaves have a
curved shape and are 2 to 4 inches (5 cm to 10 cm) long
with a rounded
point. The under- Wound Dressing: The soft, fuzzy leaves of Lamb’s
sides are more sil- Ear make an excellent dressing for wounds of all kinds.
very-white in color They are antibacterial, antiseptic, and anti-inflamma-
than the tops. Flow- tory and are said to combat MRSA. The leaves absorb
ering stems grow blood and encourage clotting. Place several whole
erect, with square leaves on the wound and cover it with a soft cloth or
stems, and are usu- gauze. Leave in place until it is time to change the
ally 1 to 2 feet (0.3 dressing.
meters to 0.6 me-
ters) tall. The flow- Wound Wash, Eye Wash, Conjunctivitis,
ering spikes are 4 to and Sties: Make a medicinal tea to use as an eye-
10 inches (10 cm to wash. When cool, the tea makes an excellent antibac-
15 cm) long with terial wash for wounds of all kinds. When using it as an
many purple flowers eyewash or to treat pinkeye, make the tea with distilled
crowded together on water and bring it to a full boil. Then strain it twice to
the stem. Small make sure no fine particles remain.
leaves appear on the
Wolly Lamb's Ear, Jean-Pol ANDMONT, flowering stems as Diarrhea, Fevers, and Internal Bleeding:
CC by SA 3.0 Wooly Lamb’s Ear works for internal bleeding, for di-
well. The crushed arrhea, and for reducing fevers. For these purposes,
plant has a pleasant scent, mildly like apple or pineap- drink Wooly Lamb’s Ear Tea (recipe found below).
ple.
Sore Mouth and Sore Throat: The same tea,
Edible and Other Use: The leaves are edible and used as a gargle, is effective for treating a sore throat
best when young and tender. Eat them fresh in salads or mouth. Swish the tea around in the mouth or gargle
or steam them as a green vegetable. Wooly Lamb’s Ear with it several times a day. It relieves the pain and the
is soft and very absorbent, which makes it a good sub- antibiotic properties help cure the underlying infec-
stitute for toilet paper. The highly absorbent properties tion.
of the leaves make it useful as a feminine hygiene prod-
uct too. Liver and Heart Tonic: The healthful benefits of
Wooly Lamb’s Ear make it a good general tonic, espe-
Medicinal Use: Lamb’s Ear is antibacterial, anti- cially for the liver and heart. Take the tea daily or con-
septic, antispasmodic, and astringent. It is also a diu- sume the leaves as an herb or vegetable.
retic, febrifuge, good for digestion, styptic, tonic, ver-
mifuge, and wound-healing. Insect Bites and Hemorrhoids: The anti-in-
flammatory benefits of lamb’s ear make it effective in

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