Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris) is a herbaceous perennial native to Europe with lobed and corrugated leaves that are popular in shady gardens for the way they capture rain drops.
Each plant mounds to only about a foot tall and wide and then sends up bright green clusters of flowers which seem to dangle or float over the mounds of mantle-like leaves. The Leaves and flowers are sometimes used as cut flowers in the floral trade.
The rainwater that collects in the leaves is a marvel to look at and has historically been thought to hold magic powers—thus giving rise to the genera name “Alchemilla”.
In fact, the rain water that collects in the Lady’s Mantle leaves was a key ingredient in many alchemical formulas. It has also traditionally been used in beauty creams.
Lady’s Mantle is a European folk medicine with a long history of use, and is also considered edible (though not very tasty). The leaves are consumed either raw or cooked with a dry astringent flavor.
The plant has other uses, such as for tanning leather and for its use in preparing a natural dye with greenish-yellow hues.
In herbal medicine it is considered an astringent and anti-inflammatory herb and used mostly for wound healing (topically), and for gynecological and gastrointestinal conditions (internally).
Topically, it is not only for assisting with wound healing, but also for skin conditions involving inflammation and acne.
The leaves and roots are used internally for improving digestion and also for regulating heavy or unpredictable menstruation, as well as postpartum recovery.
Lady’s Mantle is also used for cardiovascular health for people of both sexes, and in preclinical studies its vasorelaxant and hypotensive effect has been confirmed.
Lady’s Mantle tea has been historically used for aiding women throughout their live stages and the tea is thought to be a tonic for the female organs.
Through scientific investigation, Lady’s Mantle has been found to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, astringent, blood sugar balancing, genoprotective, antitumor, antimelanoma, and anti-ulcer properties.
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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.
The Alchemical Key Ingredient.
