Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)

Meadowsweet

Meadowsweet(Filipendula ulmaria): a wild flowering plant, common to damp parts of woods and meadows. The pale yellow flowers which come out between June and August form clusters. The tiny flowers are each made up of five petals. It was prinicipally used for its antisceptic and fragrant properties. Its old botanical name 'Spirea Ulmaria' gives aspirin its name, as its is one of its ingredients.

With permission of Paula O'Regan

Meadowsweet
With permission of Paula O'Regan

Meadowsweet

Meadowsweet(Filipendula ulmaria): a wild flowering plant, common to damp parts of woods and meadows. The pale yellow flowers which come out between June and August form clusters. The tiny flowers are each made up of five petals. It was prinicipally used for its antisceptic and fragrant properties. Its old botanical name 'Spirea Ulmaria' gives aspirin its name, as its is one of its ingredients.

With permission of Paula O'Regan

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Meadowsweet is a common wild flower of the countryside found in damp meadows, near streams and on roadsides during the summer months flowering between late June and September. It has clusters of pale yellow flowers with a beautiful perfume and grows from 2 - 4 feet in height. It is a member of the rose family and the resemblance can be seen in the leaves and in the stems that are often tinged with red. This photograph was taken in Cabinteely Park near the river.

Meadowsweet is known in Irish as Airgead Luachra meaning Rush Silver. Perhaps it derives its name from its leaves which are a silvery green underneath and the fact that the herb grows in damp areas. Meadowsweet was considered a sacred herb in ancient Celtic rituals. Few of its medicinal uses were known in the past when it was used mainly for scouring milk churns in Co Mayo and strewing on floors. At the same time in parts of Ireland country people tended to be wary of the plant and some wouldn't allow it into the home believing it induced sleep from which they could not awake. In Co Kerry a black dye was obtained and used from the roots.

Its medicinal properties have only been used in recent times, possibly since it was discovered that the plant contained salicylic acid, one of the main ingredients for Aspirin. The old name of the plant was Spirea (Ulmaria) from which Aspirin derives is name.

Like Aspirin, Meadowsweet is used mainly to relieve pain. It is suitable as a diuretic, being useful for kidney and bladder complaints such as cystitis. Since it contains mucilage, it is ideal for problems concerning the stomach lining - gastritis, ulcers, hiatus hernia etc. It also reduces stomach acidity and is good for rheumatic conditions, as it rids the body of excess uric acid.

To prepare Meadowsweet add 1 pint of almost boiling water to 1 oz. of the flowers. Cover and leave to infuse for 10 minutes and take 3-4 cups per day between meals. This can be taken regularly for three weeks. Compresses soaked in the above infusion or poultices made from the flowers will relieve pain when applied directly to joints affected by rheumatism and neuralgia.