The Medicinal Herb Info site was created to help educate visitors about the often forgotten wisdom of the old ways of treating illnesses. Many of today's drugs and medicines were originally derived from natural ingredients, combinations of plants and other items found in nature.

We are not suggesting that you ignore the help of trained medical professionals, simply that you have additional options available for treating illnesses. Often the most effective treatment involves a responsible blend of both modern and traditional treatments.

We wish you peace and health!

Butter and Eggs

Scientific Names

Butter & Eggs

  • Linaria vulgaris
  • Figwort family

Common Names

  • Flaxweed
  • Pennywort
  • Wild snapdragon
  • Yellow Toadflax

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Parts Usually Used

The whole plant (fresh or dried)
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Butter & Eggs

Description of Plant(s) and Culture

Butter-and-eggs is a perennial that grows 1-3 feet tall; with creeping underground stems and many erect, hairless flowering stems, clothed with linear, bright green leaves, and with long terminal flower spikes; has many lance-shaped leaves. Flowers are yellow and orange marked; snapdragon-like with long, straight, drooping spurs. The 2 shades of yellow have given this plant the common name butter-and-eggs. June to October. Fruits are capsules containing winged, flattened seeds.
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Where Found

Found in disturbed and waste places, on roadsides and in fields, throughout the United States and much of Canada. Native to Europe.
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Medicinal Properties

Diuretic, purgative, astringent
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Uses

In fold medicine, leaf tea is used as a laxative, strong diuretic for dropsy, jaundice, enteritis with drowsiness, skin diseases, piles, liver and bladder problems. Ointment made from the flowers is used externally for piles, skin eruptions, sores, and ulcers.

A “tea” made with milk has been used as an insecticide.
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How Sold

The salve is professionally prepared.
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Warning

The tincture is not to be self-administered, since even 20 drops can produce serious internal effects. Use only by medical direction.
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Bibliography

Buy It! Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants, by Steven Foster and James A. Duke., Houghton Mifflin Company, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10000

Buy It! Webster’s New World Dictionary, Third College Edition, Victoria Neufeldt, Editor in Chief, New World Dictionaries: A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., 15 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023

Buy It! An Instant Guide to Medicinal Plants, by Pamela Forey and Ruth Lindsay, Crescent Books (January 27, 1992).

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