The small meadow-head with the Latin name Sanguisorba minor represents a widespread plant from the genus of the rose family and is often found in domestic gardens as an ornamental plant. This plant species is perennial, very robust and reaches a height of up to one meter. The stems have leaves arranged in rosettes.
Occurrence and cultivation of the small meadowhead.
The small meadow-head populates all altitudes of the lowlands as well as mountains up to an altitude of more than 1000 meters. The leaf stalks of the small meadow-head have several pairs of ovate to elliptic pinnate leaves. These often reach a size of about two centimeters and have a maximum of nine serrations. The flowers of the plant are in the form of a spherical head, which can reach a size of up to three centimeters in diameter and have a green to red calyx. At the head of the plant there are the reddish brush-like stigmas with the hermaphrodite inflorescences underneath. At the very bottom are the male inflorescences, which ripen at the end and have long stalked and pendulous anthers. The so-called fruit cup, the cupula, has the shape of a wrinkled net and further has serrated ridges. The small meadow-head is a sub-Mediterranean plant and in its origin mainly native to Central and Southern Europe. However, the plant is now spreading from northern Scandinavia to southern North Africa and Asia. The small meadow-head populates all altitudes of the lowlands as well as mountains up to an altitude of more than 1000 meters. This plant species thrives especially well in sunny and dry areas and prefers limestone and clay soils. The small meadow-head loves warmth and proves to be extremely robust against all environmental influences. But even cooler conditions do not bother the adaptable plant.
Effect and application
The small meadow buttercup has been used as a medicinal plant for a very long time. The plant promises healing and relief in wound healing and bleeding. It belongs to the rose family and nowadays it is considered exclusively in terms of alternative and natural medicine. Since the small meadow-head is very widespread, it is also very popular in domestic gardens as an ornamental plant. The effect of the plant takes place in different ways. The substances of the small meadow-head mainly have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, diuretic, hemostatic and astringent effects. Because of these properties, the small meadow-head is used in alternative medicine as a wound healer, anti-inflammatory and hemostatic. Furthermore, the plant can be used against diarrhea, flatulence and spring fatigue. The meadow-head already knew the people of antiquity and the Middle Ages. It can be found in numerous old herbal books. However, it has never been fully clarified which of the many subspecies it was. In the 16th century, the Italian physician and botanist Matthioli wrote a herbal book in which he entitled the meadow-knap as “Herrgottsbärtlen”. Already during this time, its hemostatic and healing effect on wounds of all kinds was known. In remote provinces of Russia and southern China, the plant is still used in this way today. The small meadow-head can be processed into tea or administered pure. The latter is mainly used to stop bleeding, sometimes in combination with other medicinal plants. The fresh leaves of the plant also promise a soothing effect on heartburn. The herbal tea is used for sore throat and pharyngitis. However, only the herb itself is used. The small meadow-head counts among other things also to the remedies of the traditional Chinese medicine. Here the plant is used, for example, for bleeding hemorrhoids or bloody diarrhea. As a reference to human organs, traditional Chinese medicine considers the connection between the large intestine and the liver. Some medical studies analyze positive effects on malignant tumors, although there is no definitive proof here yet. However, it has already been proven in laboratory tests that the root extracts of the lesser meadow-head have substances that cause cancer cells to die. These substances are the so-called polysaccharides.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention.
The small meadow buttercup is offered now and then as an ornamental plant in some large garden specialty stores. Because of its delicate simplicity and timeless grace, it is very popular with amateur gardeners. It can also be found as a fresh herb in regional markets, such as in the state of Hesse. The reference here is to the “Frankfurt green sauce” that is very popular there, for which the small meadow buttercup is used as a herb. However, it is not necessary to travel all the way to Hesse to get hold of little meadow buttercup as an herb. The online trade offers numerous opportunities to purchase this particular ingredient. Here there are then mainly young plants that can be easily cultivated further in the garden or even in a pot. In terms of price, the plants are then located between two and four euros per piece. For use as a medicinal plant, however, there are also dried and cut goods for sale. The healing effect of the small meadow button is already considerable and should still find approval in alternative medicine. But also for use in the kitchen and food area or as an ornamental plant for your own garden, the little meadow-head is very suitable. By the way, it can often be found under the name “pimpinelle”.
