I love it when plants from disregarded places have good uses! The Bogbean (aka. Buckbean, Marsh Trefoil; Menyanthes trifoliata) is one of those, as it is considered to be a diagnostic species for a type of wetland called a fen—what most people would disregard as a swamp.
It is distributed through Northern Hemisphere areas across Europe, Asia, and North America, particularly in wetland ecosystems.
The Bogbean plays a role in stabilizing the soil with its thick roots and cleaning the water (as many wetland species do) in these habitats. It is also used for soil stabilization, and sometimes a source for natural green dye.
It has trifoliate leaves (like a clover) and erect racemes of pale pink to white flowers, which are beautiful with their “fuzziness”.
The Bogbean has been used as a famine food—its food use limited as it has a very acrid taste which needs treated before making palatable enough to eat through cooking, drying, grinding, washing and other methods.
Its bitterness has also been used as a flavoring, especially in home brewing, as it has sometimes been used as a substitute for hops for making beer and also for the characteristic flavor in schnapps.
The Bogbean is also a bitter that is related to one of the main famous bitter herbs called Gentian. It is used in a similar way, as a digestive, carminative, astringent, anti-inflammatory, stomachic, and tonic. However, it may also have a cathartic effect and cause vomiting, especially if used fresh instead of dried or in large doses. It is sometimes used topically for skin irritations and swellings.
The Bogbean is used herbally, usually in combination with other herbs for conditions associated with weight loss and lack of vitality, but not for people with diarrhea.
The Bogbean is also known in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as one of the “sleeping herbs”, or “herbs that calm consciousness”, and used in states of insomnia and restlessness.
Through scientific investigation, the Bogbean has been found to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and hepatoprotective activities.
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**This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician.
Medicine from the Swamp
