This posting is about the variety of Wood Betony that goes by the botanical name Betonica officinalis or Staychys botanica. Isn’t this a beautiful picture? It was borrowed from Wikipedia.
Like many medicinal herbs, this one has a list of historical uses, but the one that is most prominent in my thinking and experience is the relaxing affect it has on muscles “tightened” by a stressed nervous system. It is one of several herbs that support the nervous system.
Some find it helpful for headaches, and it is said by some that it helps with headache by relaxing the muscles in the neck area, others claim that it benefit circulation to the head area. I have used this herb and found it to be mild and helpful for this purpose.
It is the aerial part of the plant, not the roots, that are used for medicinal purposes.
Plants can be found along the edges of woodlands, along roadways, and are a welcome addition to an herb garden…they grow easily and spread. If you like butterflies, you may want to add this to your Butterfly garden.
Here is some Wood Betony all prepared and ready to use, and Nerve Control which contains Wood Betony and other nervine herbs.