Field man’s bedstraw has its firm place in herbal medicine and has for centuries. However, how the thorny herb got its official name “field man’s litter” has not been passed down with certainty – theories about it exist a few.
Occurrence and cultivation of field man’s bedstraw
The distribution area of field man’s litter stretches from central to southern Europe. Its height of growth is about 20 to 70 cm. From its outward appearance, field man’s bedstraw is often mistaken for a composite plant, but this is a fallacy. The field man’s bedstraw is a spiny umbellifer. Because its leaves resemble a thistle, the herbaceous plant is also known as curly thistle, rolled thistle, donard thistle or common thistle. The distribution area of the field man’s thistle stretches from Central to Southern Europe. Its height of growth is about 20 to 70 cm. The plant is perennial and can cope with a lot of sun. It prefers stony places, sandy soils, roadsides, dry (lean) meadows and embankments. It thrives especially well from a calcareous clay soil. Its prickly strongly branched stems, edged with blue-green-white iridescent leaves, are an effective protection against grazing animals looking for food. The animals cannot do anything with the thorny plant and spurn it. In summer, field manure blooms in the period from July to August. In this phase, small roundish flowers form at the end of the strongly branched stems. These shine in a gray-greenish white and have thorny spike tips.
Effect and application
In the fall, the stems detach from the root, making the entire above-ground part of the field manure a sowing organ. It retains its spherical shape even after it has detached from the ground. Now, if wind comes up, the thorn bush is propelled through the landscape, spreading its seeds throughout the landscape. Because the rolling bundles can be somewhat threatening, especially at night, folklore has given the plant the names tumbleweed or tumbleweed. For herbal medicine, both the leaves collected from early July to early September and the roots dug up after flowering are of interest. The roots taste similar to sweet chestnuts when cooked – and can be used like them. A root infusion is also easy to make: The best way to do this is to boil the roots in wine for a while. Other parts of the field manure that can be relevant for cooking are the young shoots of the plant, which, for example, make a tasty wild herb salad. If the still tender leaves of the shrub are pickled in vinegar, they can be used like cucumbers. If a little sugar is added to the vinegar, it emphasizes the sweet taste of the leaves. After the initial sweetness, however, the taste is rather tart and can be located between bitter and spicy. In addition, the field manure flowers produce a relatively large amount of nectar. Among pollinator insects – such as wild bees, honey bees and wasps – the shrub is very popular as food. The important constituents of field man’s litter are essential oils, mineral salts, glycosides, flavonoids and saponins. In herbalism, the plant is known for its mild diuretic and antispasmodic effects. In the field of women’s complaints, field manure is said to have menstrual regulating potential. In addition, ingestion is said to stimulate appetite and have an expectorant (sputum-promoting) effect in respiratory diseases.
Health significance, treatment, and prevention.
In order for the field manure to develop its natural healing properties, it is used exclusively internally. Due to the fact that the field man’s bedstraw can be used as a spice and food or drink, the intake is easy. The indications that have suggested taking the plant since ancient times are inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract and kidney and bladder stones. Also in case of too much urea in the blood and edema, the expectorant and diuretic effect of the field manure is often resorted to. In cases of chronic lack of appetite or when the appetite has not yet returned due to a prolonged illness, Feld-Mannstreu also promises relief. The decoction of the boiled roots has a particularly supportive effect. Also in case of abdominal pain, cramps and menstrual cramps, the plant decoction soothes and relaxes.For complaints of the respiratory organs, the herbal help of the field manstreus is also a remedy of choice. In case of cough, whooping cough and congested lungs, the mucus is loosened much easier by taking it and thus leads to faster recovery. Field manstrew also has a glorious past as an aphrodisiac. Sappho, the poetess from the Greek island of Lesbos, is said to have enjoyed using Field Man’s Litter as an aphrodisiac. Through the centuries, candied root pieces were used for this purpose until modern times. Just as steadfastly as the plant moves in the wind, it is said to insist on male potency when ingested. The addition faithfulness in the plant name also gives room for interpretation. This is more about the pointed spines. If these are placed in a man’s bed when he suspects infidelity, it is said to have an educational effect. And the women were not spared either: some field man litter in the pillow was supposed to remind them of the faithfulness of their husbands while they were at war. But the theories do not end there: among the ancient Germanic tribes, tufts of Donar’s thistle (colloquial for field man litter) hung from houses as protection during thunderstorms. This is because Donar was worshipped by the Germanic tribes as the god of thunder.