Little agrimony is especially widespread in the northern hemisphere. The plant is imported mainly from Hungary, Bulgaria and Croatia. The above-ground parts of the plant collected at flowering time (June-August) are used.
Agrimony: typical characteristics
Little agrimony grows between 0.5 and 1 m high. The plant has pinnate, toothed and hairy leaves with stipules. The small golden-yellow 5-petaled flowers are about 5-8 mm across and arranged in slender spikes at the top of the stem; the furrowed ovary has small protruding hooks.
Related to the very weakly fragrant lesser agrimony is the fragrant greater agrimony (Agrimonia procera). This is considered a good alternative drug source.
Agrimony as a medicine
The drug consists of various plant parts of the lesser agrimony. The leaflets are about 2-3 cm long. The leaf fragments are gray-felted hairy on the lower side, while they are only slightly hairy and green on the upper side.
The stem parts are also bristly hairy. Besides, the small hooked aggregate fruits and rarely yellow flower parts are also part of the drug.
What does agrimony taste and smell like?
Agrimony exudes a very faint aromatic odor. Taste-wise, the plant is slightly bitter.
