Description

Wood Betony (Stachys officinalis) is a European Western Asian native plant in the Lamiaceae, or mint, family. Wood Betony is a striking looking plant. It has wrinkled and wooly, dark green leaves growing in a broad basal pattern up to a foot tall. Towering another foot or so above the rest of the plant are bright purple blooms whorled around a spikey top. Wood Betony has a long history of use dating back to ancient Greece and Rome when it was one of the most popular medicinal plants, recommended for everything from battle wounds and fevers to digestion. Its good favor continued through the Middle Ages when Wood Betony was not only revered as a globally effective medicine, but also as a magical protector with powers of the supernatural. This association with magic and folklore is probably why Wood Betony fell out of favor with the scientifically minded set of the 18th century. It is only recently that Wood Betony is seeing a resurgence of popularity with modern herbalists and it is being used again for a wide range of wellness support, particularly digestive health. Wood Betony has a fairly bitter but mild flavor, somewhat reminiscent of a black or green tea.