Vervain

General Characteristics

Common names include vervain, common verbena, wild verbena, Druids weed, pigeons grass, holy herb, enchanter’s plant, wizards herb, juno’s tears, mosquito plant, wild hyssop, Indian hyssop, herb of the cross, simplers joy and many more. The Romans knew vervain as 'Veneris herba' or 'herb of Venus' using it in all manner of love rituals. The Druids revered it as an all round magical herb, offering protection, used for divination, prophetic or magical dreaming, promoting allies and friendships and as an all round general healer.

Vervain is a member of the Verbenacea family, a family containing mostly tropical shrubs and trees, often displaying flower spikes or dense small clusters of flowers. It is a perennial plant preferring dry, sandy or well draining, sunny positions. It reaches around 40-60 cms high. It begins with a dense green rosette of leaves close to the ground before it sends up tall thin stalks which eventually open up into spikes of tiny pale pink flowers.

It can be found on the European, Asain and American continent.

Interestingly, vervain seems to have strong associatioins with iron.

Organic Vervain dried herb and tincture are available to buy in our herbal shop.

Harvesting and Preparation

The whole flowering plant can be harvested just before flowering (usually June/July), cut the whole aerial parts quite low to the bottom of the plant, shake off any dirt and insects and hang in a dry place, away from direct sunlight. The plant may even have another flush of green growth the same season

Organic Vervain dried herb and tincture are available to buy in our herbal shop.

Therapeutic Actions and Uses

Anti-spasmodic action on muscles so can help relieve muscular tensions and spasms anywhere in the body, works as an anti-convulsant used in epilepsy and seizures.

Used in magical protection charms, especially against malign outside influences or 'psychic attack' and to lift curses. As a herb of Venus, our ancestors believed that rubbing vervain over the body could rekindle a dying love or generally enhance and attract love into ones life.

Vervain has a long and well deserved reputation as a relaxing nervine tonic, suitable in cases of mild to moderate depression, is an anti-anxiety remedy, improves and brightens the mood (thymoleptic), relaxes yet strengthens the nerves, eases headache pain and pain from lumbago, can help to induce sleep and reportedly stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. Also known as a painkiller for nerve based pain.

An excellent herb for emotional shock. Used as a Bach Flower Remedy for perfectionism and

Bitter tonic action. Vervain has a strong bitter taste and its bitter prinicples encourage the liver and gallbladder to self cleanse and drain of congestion, making it useful for conditions such as jaundice. Its anti-viral actions make it useful for infectious hepatitis. Vervain is also considered to protect the liver from damage from certain drugs and chemicals. Eases diarrhoea.

It is very effective against fevers and infectious diseases, stimulating a healing and cleansing sweat when given as a warm tea and is also anti-viral and anti-fungal. It is also excellent for conditions such as post viral fatigue. It makes a fine tea to consume when exhausted and depleted when recovering from a fever or infectious condition.

The energetic properties of vervain are cooling and drying.

Vervain has a strong galactagoue action so increases breast milk production for nursing mothers. Use in equal parts as a tea with fennel seeds, holy thistle leaf, fenugreek seeds, marshmallow root, alfalfa leaf for a rich milk promoting brew. It also has a stimulating effect on the female reproductive system, bringing on delayed or absent menstruation (so avoid in pregnancy). It can be useful in formulas aimed at alleviating certain menopausal symptoms such as hot sweats. Vervain also stimulates the secretion of luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone and inhibits human chronic gonadotropin, so has proved to be a useful herb against endometriosis. Used in fomula with dandelion root and yarrow, it can be very helpful to alleviate painful menstruation when congestion of blood is the cause.

As a herb of Venus, it was historically used for 'hysteria'.

It also has a good reputation for gingivitis and encouraging good gum health generally as it works to cleanse the mouth of peridontal bacteria.

Has antiproliferative effects, in other words it can be useful in certain cancers, read more here.

The Bach Flower Remedy is used for those who are overly concerned about others and are perfectionists.

A link to a great PubMed paper on vervain and its many medicinal components and uses.

Dosage and Cautions

*Avoid in pregnancy due to its uterine stimulant action

**Adult**

Dried herb in tea form: 1 teaspoon per cup, infuse for 15 minutes. Up to 3 cups daily.

Tincture: 5- 10 mls in a little water, up to 3 times daily.

**Children**

Add 12 to the child’s age. Divide the child’s age by the total.

Eg. dosage for a 4 year old .... 4 {age} divided by 16 {age + 12} = . 25 or 1/4 of the adult dosage.