Download Anemone (Anomone (a·nem·o·ne) from the Latin anemōnē and from

Hairy Willow-herb
Epilobium angustifolium
Family: Onagraceae (on-uh-GRAY-see) From the ancient Greek name for Onagra.
It was once used for fireweed. It is a member of the evening primrose family.
Genus: Epilobium (ep-ih-LOW-bee-um) From the Greek ĕpĭ - upon and lobos,
pod or capsule. The flower and capsule appear together as the corolla is borne on
the end of the ovary.
Species: angustifolium (an-gus-tee-FOH-lee-um) Means having a narrow leaf.
A tonic made from
this willow-herb
was used to treat
St. Anthon’s (St.
Anthony’s) Fire
during the Middle
Ages.
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information.
Anemone
It is called willow-herb because of its willow-like leaves. This is also
the reason for other names such as bay willow, blood vine, flowering
willow, French willow, giant showy willowherb, great willowherb,
Persian willow, rosebay willow herb, spiked willowherb, tame withy
(after willow withe), willow weed and willow orchid. Other names are
blooming Sally (Sally being a corruption of the Latin salix meaning
willow), blackheart, fireweed and rosebay.
It has been called wickup, wickop, or wicopy because of its uses in
making twine, ropes or woven mats. Used this way, it has the same
proto-Algonquin origin as “wigwam” which is a tent made of mats
woven from this and similar plants.
Other names:
Anemone
wild asparagus because people ate it.
purple rockets, mare's tail and bloom because of its showy flowers.
pileworts because of its medicinal uses
In Italy it is known as the herb of Saint Anthony
In Spain it is St. Anthony's Laurel
The connection with St. Anthony comes from the Middle Ages belief
that this willow herb was a treatment for Saint Anthony’s Fire, which
was a fungal poisoning which came from contaminated rye. This
fungal poisoning caused severe hallucinations before the fingers and
toes blackened and fell off before death.
Hairy Willow-herb
Hairy willow-herb is a tall,
erect perennial which grows
from rhizome-like roots.
This genus is in the same
order with the beautiful
cultivated genus fuchsia.
Hairy willow-herb is a tough
perennial which can grow
more than 2 m tall with its
yellow stems sporting purple
flowers in tapered racemes.
The slender, erect,
herbaceous stems are
usually unbranched. They
grow from 30 cm to 2 metres
tall.
Hairy Willow-herb
The narrow, willow-like leaves
are alternate, 5 - 15 cm long
with entire or slightly toothed
margins. There are more
leaves at the top of the stems
than at the bottom. The leaves
are a paler green with
conspicuous veins on the
underside.
Hairy Willow-herb
The flowers appear in
long, terminal spikes.
The large showy petals
are pink to magenta
and occasionally white
and number 4. It
flowers from July to
August. The calyx and
corolla are both
coloured. Bees and
moths are the principal
pollinators.
Notice the cross shape
of the stigma portion of
the pistil.
Hairy Willow-herb
Future location of photo.
The fruit is a long,
green to purple pod
opening to release
numerous silky-haired
seeds. It ripens in late
summer.
It has not been spotted
in Altona Forest as yet
but in near-by fields
north of the forest.
Hairy Willow-herb
Past uses include:
• stems for thread or fibre
•
young shoots, which contain vitamins A and C, as a cooked or raw vegetable
• the root has been used as an astringent tonic
• the leaves as a tonic for dysentery, diarrhea and bladder problems as well as to
sooth a sore mouth (some countries still allow this)
• leaves have been used to treat hemorrhages from the lungs, nose, bladder, or
uterus
• 1st Nations people mixed the fruit fluff with dog hair or other animal hair to make
blankets and stuff pillows. They also used the fluff to help start fires as well as a
treatment for infected wounds.
• it does produce much sap which was used as a syrup by Inuit people.
• The powdered inner cortex was applied to the hands and face to give protection
from cold weather
• syrup was traditionally extracted from the stems and flowers
• in Europe, the fluff was used with cotton for making stockings.
• a tonic made from this willow-herb was used to treat St. Anthon’s (St. Anthony’s)
Fire during the Middle Ages.
• the stems were used as a laxative, an addition to soup and as a substitute for
asparagus
• as an ingredient in some modern medicines which are used to treat asthma,
kidney disease and baldness.
• the flowers were used as an ingredient in jelly
• Some modern herbalists regard it as an antispasmodic.
Hairy Willow-herb
Historical facts include that hairy
willow-herb is often one of the
earlier flowers in a burned over
area. Also, it was one of the first
plants to appear in the rubble
during the London Blitz of World
War II. Pioneer Alaskans used the
pith to flavour ales.
It is the floral symbol of the Yukon.
As will most plants used medicinally
through the ages, many of the
claims have proven false while
others hold promise as ingredients
in future cures.
Investigations continue in prostate
research, antimicrobial uses and
more.
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