Blue vervain is a tall and erect wild edible plant that occasionally branches at the upper half of the plant. General aches an… What is Blue Vervain? Warning: blue vervain can interfere with blood pressure medication and hormone therapy. This native plant typically grows about 4’ tall, but I’ve grown them well over 6’ (2m). (Dried, powdered flowers were once used as a snuff for nosebleeds.) Blue vervain is a flowering plant in the Verbenaceae (vervain) family that not only grows wild, but it is a favourite choice in landscaped gardens. The flowers at the bottom of the spike bloom first, and the ring of flowers appears to advance upward to the tips of the spike. Thomas Easley notes that in certain cases of pulmonary hypertension, where the client fits the specific Blue Vervain personality, it is a key remedy. Blue vervain has been used for thousands of years and is not limited to North America. The margins are double-toothed or serrated. Blue Vervain flowers from June through September and can be found growing in grassy fields, low open woodlands, stream banks, gardens and along roadsides, reaching a height of 3-4 feet at full maturity. Detoxification of the body. EdibleWildFood.com is informational in nature. It is suitable in digestive bitters formulas where there is a simultaneous need to work on the digestive system (increasing stomach acid & digestive juices) and give nervous system support. It is a herb with opposite, simple leaves which have double-serrate margins, … The active phyto-constituents of blue vervain are adenosine, aucubin, beta-carotene, caffeic-acid, citral, hastatoside, lupeol, ursolic-acid, verbenalin, verbenin.Researchers have discovered many therapeutic activities of these constituents including cellular apoptosis or anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, astringent, antispasmodic, diuretic, and anti-parasitic. When my peers & I are round tabling clinical cases and we come across a client who rates all of their symptoms in painstaking fractions & decimals, we begin to suspect that Blue Vervain may be a key herb in the wellness plan. It has a reputation for working on tension in the stomach area linked to suppression of emotions, especially anger. Drinking a tea made from blue vervain is an excellent natural remedy for those annoying … Fights Inflammation. I agree with you, herbs are the way to go. Benefits of Blue Vervain It helps the body eliminates toxins and excess salt, water, and fat. Blue Vervain (Verbena Hastata) Verbena Hastata, also known as the Blue vervain, American vervain or Swamp verbena is an herbaceous plant in the Verbenaceae family. Wild food can help treat various medical conditions. They were kept on a 12 hr dark, 12 hr light schedule, in an air conditioned environment with free access to rat chow and water. There is a legend that the wounds of Jesus Christ were dressed with Vervain when he was taken down from the cross. Numerous species are used medicinally, although we concentrate solely on Verbena hastata in this monograph. In ancient times the plant was thought to be a cure-all among medicinal plants and the genus name is Latin for sacred plant. Vervain Blue Organic Plant Seeds for Treating Sadness, Cramps, Headaches, and Fevers, Use in Spells for Love and Wealth, Witch's Garden SacredMists. Despite the name, some of these plants (depending on conditions) will produce flowers that are lavender and in some cases, even white. The most potent tincture is made from the fresh plant although it may be dried and stored in a cool, dark, place for use in teas. The blue vervain or verbena is a creeping perennial of the mint family, growing close to ground and bearing numerous, small lilac-blue flowers. This perennial wildflower has numerous, pencil-like flower spikes that branch upwards that appear similar to the arms of a candelabra. It was also found that the GABA-benzodiazeprine recpetor complex might play a significant role with respect to Blue Vervain’s sedative effect. Large doses may stimulate a miscarriage in pregnant women, although traditionally, in normal doses blue vervain was used to protect against miscarriage (Easley.) Blue Vervain, Simpler's Joy.Henriette Kress, http://www.henriettes-herb.com/eclectic/cook/VERBENA_HASTATA.htm, Indian Herbology of North AmericaThe Definitive Guide to Native Medicinal Plants and Their UsesAlma R. Hutchens, The School of Evolutionary HerbalismBlue Vervain (Verbena hastata)http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Blue-Vervain-Verbena-hastata.pdf, HerbRally, 365 21st Street, Springfield, OR, 97477, United States. Depending on the geographic location, the blooming period occurs anywhere from late spring to late summer and lasts between one to two months. Buy Dried Herbs in our Online Store. Blue vervain prefers moist conditions with full to partial sun. Kiva Rose says that it works “when you’re so irate and uptight you could dismember the nearest living creature.” Larken Bunce notes that she finds Blue Vervain most useful in states of Hot/Excess/Tension, where the goal is to cool & relax digestion, reduce irritability, anxiety, headache, muscular tension, overt inflammation, & insomnia. It has purple flowers and simple leaves with double-serrate margins. Also, large doses can induce vomiting and diarrhea. (Kress) (Hutchens) The Dakota word for Blue Vervain translates to “Medicine”, and the Omaha and Ponca word for Blue Vervain translate to “Herb medicine.” (KSU) From this we can deduce that Blue Vervain was well known to Native American tribes and a valuable member of their materia medicas. The toothed, lance shaped leaves progress in pairs up the stem and are about 6 … Hypnotic effects of total aqueous extracts of Vervain officinalis (Verbenaceae) in rats, Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences (2002), Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan. 1. Blue vervain is a flowering plant in the Verbenaceae (vervain) family that not only grows wild, but it is a favourite choice in landscaped gardens. The blue vervain leaves are opposite, lanceolate (or oblong) reaching anywhere from 3 cm to 17 cm long and on average 5 cm wide. 3.8 out of 5 stars 3. Blue Vervain is a key herb in formulas for nervous system support, mood improvement, digestive system support, menstrual cycle support, musculo skeletal tension & holding patterns, lymphatic stagnation, inducing sweating when necessary, in some cases of pulmonary hypertension and in the case of diffuse esophageal spasm.For nervous system support, Blue Vervain pairs well with Motherwort and Skullcap for a generalized anxiolytic tincture to be taken throughout the day. In-depth wild edible PDFs. Key Uses: It is generally agreed upon in the herbal community that Blue Vervain is the herb for uptight, fanatical, type A personalities. It was used for intermittent chills and fever and was found to be useful in cases when sweating needed to be induced. Vervain aerials have been used traditionally for countless conditions, including stimulation of lactation and treatment of dysmenorrhea, kidney stones, jaundice, anxiety, gout, headache, depression, and insomnia. Dorothy Hall’s personality type for Blue Vervain is workaholics who feel uncomfortable when there is nothing to do. The seed are edible when roasted and is ground into a powder (although they are somewhat bitter to taste). Furthermore, the health benefits of blue vervain are as diuretic drugs that … Please click here for more information. While blue vervain is often marketed as a plant to help aid with anxiety, like with most botanicals, blue vervain is far more multifaceted than that. Verbena hastata (American vervain, blue vervain or swamp verbena) is a flowering plant in the vervain family, Verbenaceae. In this study male rats were the test subjects. This may be particularly useful where there is thickening lymph or muscles not working. Leaves can be made into a tea or tossed into salads, soups, etc. Introduced widely elsewhere. Herbal Nerd Society Exclusive Article. The root can be collected all year round. Blue Vervain is a cousin of the highly regarded hormone balancing herb, Vitex, and is likewise a good choice in a formula for easing the severity of hot flashes.A classic trait of the person in need of Blue Vervain is holding all of their tension in their neck and shoulders.