Heather
Parts Usually Used
Flowering shoots
Description of Plant(s) and Culture
Heather is an evergreen shrub; the prostrate, grayish, hairy stem grows up to 3 feet long and sends up branches 1 to 1 1/2 feet high. The dull green, sometimes gray, small, linear-lanceolate leaves grow in 2 overlapping rows. Branching spikes of light violet, bell-shaped flowers appear in August and September.
Where Found
Rare in the United States but commonly found on poor soils and marshy grounds in Great Britain and Europe. Flourish on heaths and moorlands; where the soil is moist and peaty.
Medicinal Properties
Antiseptic, cholagogue, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, vasoconstrictor
Legends, Myths and Stories
Used to flavor liqueurs and cordials.
Uses
Historically, herbalists used heather for insomnia, gout, rheumatism, stomachaches, coughs, and facial skin complaints. Traditional practitioners believed the plant stimulated the flow of bile and urine, while also attributing to it properties that constricted blood vessels, strengthened the heart, and moderately raised blood pressure.
Bibliography
The Herb Book , by John Lust, Bantam Books, 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY. copyright 1974. , Pantheon Books, Knopf Publishing Group, New York, 1994, first edition The Magic of Herbs , by David Conway, published by Jonathan Cape, Thirty Bedford Square, London, England. , 15 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023