Motherwort, Leonurus cardiaca

Another easy-to-grow herb, with a long tradition and lore:

Midwives used motherwort as a uterine tonic, for the prevention of uterine infection and uterine stimulation. It was used for the heart, anxiety and overactive thyroid.

In Chinese medicine motherwort is called yìmǔcǎo 益母草 and is considered to be bitter, spicy, and slightly cold and is used for the pericardium, and liver. Here is a good article about the use of motherwort: http://www.susunweed.com/Article_Motherwort.htm

Herbaceous perennial plant of the mint family. Likes well-drained soil and a part shade position. This plant might self-sow.

I haven’t planted motherwort out in my warm temperate garden so far, but it is definitively frost-hardy. Motherwort is unlikely to self-sow in frost-free gardens. Motherwort is also a good bee plant.

Common names: Lion’s tail, heartwort; Agripaume, Herbe battudo (French); Agripalma, Melissa salvatica (Italian); Aartgespan, Hartgespan (Dutch); yi mu cao (Chinese); yakumos
(Japanese); ikmoch’o (Korean); Hjärtstilla, bonässla; äkta hjärtstilla (ssp. cardiaca), ullig
hjärtstilla (ssp. villosus) (Swedish); Løvehale (Norwegian); Almindelig Hjertespand
(Danish); Nukula (Finnish); Echtes Herzgespann, Echtes Lövenschwanz (German);
Løvehale (Norwegian); Scerdecznik pospolity (Polish); Agripalma, marihuanilla (Spanish)