Heathens in the Heather!
Okay, my apologies to the writers of Hamish MacBeth for the title (I just love that show!) and its implication...you most certainly don't have to be Heathen to savor the sight and scent of this beautiful herb, or to appreciate its many uses. Let's jump right in, shall we?
Heather Calluna vulgaris, Erica vulgaris
Folklore/Common Names: Heather, Heath, Ling, Scottish Heather, Scotch Heather
Parts Used: Flowering tops, preferably fresh, although the entire above ground part of the plant is considered medicinal
Historical Reference
Some tellings of the Egyptian legend of Osiris say that the God is enclosed in a Heather Tree.
Some sources say that the word Heather is derived from Ur, the third vowel "u" in the Irish alphabet.
One tale related in the 1911 book Myths and Legends of Flowers, Trees, Fruits, and Plants, by Charles M. Skinner, relates the story of how Heath, or "The Bloody Heath", got its name. The tale says that the Heath that covers the Scottish hills commemorates the Christian attempts to convert the Picts. When the armed missionaries ordered the Picts to stop their worship of 'false gods', the Picts met them in battle, and all the surrounding plants were soaked in the blood of the 'heathens', which became Heath for short.
The Scottish Highlanders made their huts of Heather and Heath stems at one time, cemented with peat mud and mixed with straw and dried grasses. Even today, some temporary sheds are built in a similar manner in this area, and roofed with Heather.
Heather and peat were used at one time as an effective fuel source. Folk wisdom tells us that the stems of Heather were a good source for brooms and brushes as well.
Medicinal Use
Constituents: Alkaloid, arbutin, citric and fumaric acids, volatile oil, tannin, flavonoids, carotene
Heather is a valuable medicine for ailments of the kidneys and lower urinary tract, including prostate symptoms, urinary problems and diarrhea. Heather has a diuretic effect, promoting urine and flushing the tract and related system. It is also believed to stimulate the flow of bile and inhibit germ growth.
It can also be beneficial for:
- digestive disorders
- cramps
- liver and gallbladder disease
- gout
- rheumatism (use in the bath)
- respiratory complaints
- insomnia
- agitation or nervousness
- minor wounds
Heather also has a reputation as a mild sedative, but is considered most effective as a urinary antiseptic.
According to E.E. Hopman's A Druid's Herbal, the flowering shoots of heather can be also be used for insomnia,, stomach ache, cough, and skin irritation. She also mentions Heather as strengthening the heart, and slightly raising blood pressure.
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