Horehound
marrubium vulgare

This herb has been used for centuries as a cough remedy.
The Egyptians called this herb, "seed of Horus", "bulls's blood", and "eye of the star".
Many ancients believed that horehound could break magical spells.
The Greek physician Hippocrates held this herb in high esteem
claiming it to cure many ills.
Horehound gets it's botanical name from the Hebrew word marrob,
which means "bitter juice".
It gets it's common name from the Old English term har hune,
which means "downy plant".

Cultivation: Full sun. Do not overwater.
Grow in a sheltered spot away from strong winds.

Harvesting: Can be picked at anytime.

Preserving: Dry the leaves and flowering tops or make into syrup.

Uses: The flowers of this herb are used in dried arrangements.
They also attract bees to your garden.
The leaves are used to treat cankerworm in trees
by making an infusion and spraying it on.
You can also infuse this herb in fresh milk and set out as a fly killer.

Medicinal: Drink an infusion of horehound to ease digestion and heartburn.
It is also used to kill intestinal worms.
Horehound is used to treat colds and coughs as well.
At the first signs of a cold chop up
about 10 horehound leaves and mix them with 1 tsp of honey.
Eat this mixture slowly to ease coughs and cold symptoms.
Repeat if necessary.

Horehound Cough Drops
(For use as an expectorant)
4 ounces fresh hourehound leaves
1/2 tsp of crushed aniseed
3 crushed cardamon seeds
2 1/2 cups of water
2 cups of white sugar
1 1/2 cups of moist brown sugar
Simmer the first 4 ingredients for 20 minutes.
Then strain through a fine filter.
Over low heat dissolve
2 cups of white sugar and 1 1/2 cups of moist brown sugar into the liquid.
Then boil over medium heat until the mixture starts to thicken and it starts
to harden when drops are put into cold water.
When at this stage, pour into an oiled metal tray.
Score when partialy cooled.
When hardend and cooled place the pieces in waxed paper and store.


SOURCE(S)
The Complete Book Of Herbs by Lesley Bremness

Irish

<~Page by Pine Siskin aka JTS

Pagan Daily News


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03012003