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lungwort
Pulmonaria
Sat, 05/31/2008 - 16:51 — kitchenwitchBotanical Name:
Pulmonaria officinalis
Zones:
4-6
Other Names:
lungwort, bethlehem sage, cowslip, bloody butcher, jerusalem sage, boys and girls, hudreds and thousands, joseph and mary, mary spilt the milk, spilt milk, soldiers and sailors, spotted dog
Pulmonaria or lungwort is a European native with large hairy leaves, green often mottled with light green or white, which appear in basal rosettes.
Propagation:
Lungworts multiply quickly and can be propagated by division or seed. They prefer moist soil in a cool, shady spot protected from afternoon heat. In hot climates they will go dormant in the summer and return in the autumn when temperatures cool down again.
Slugs love it and woodchucks will also eat it.
History and Folklore:
The latin name Pulmonaria comes from "pulmo" which means, the lung. In English, Lungwort and the German Lungenkraut also refer to the lungs. Some Eastern European names refer to honey instead, such as the Russian "medunitza" and the Polish "miodunka"
Harvesting & Storage:
Household Use:
Magical Attributes:
Lungwort is associated with the element air and is used for protection when traveling through air.
Pulmonaria leaves are used in sympathetic magic to represent diseased lungs.
Healing Attributes:
As its name implies lungwort is useful for bronchial and pulmonary complaints. It is best prepared as an infusioni.
Culinary Use:
Practical Kitchen Witchery: