CULPEPER'S COMPLETE HERBAL

YELLOW WILLOW-HERB

Description. This grows to be a very large plant, and very much resembles in its form common yellow loose strife, for which it is sometimes taken. The stem is thick, firm, upright, hard, and four feet high, and towards the top it sends out a few branches which spring from the joints. The leaves grow two or more at a place, without foot-stalks; they are large, broadest in the middle, and pointed at the end, and of a beautiful green. The flowers are ver numerous, considerably large, and of a beautiful gold yellow; they are composed of five petals, and buttons in the threads. This is so beautiful a plant, that it has found its way in some gardens.

Place. It is not unfrequently found wild by watersides.

Time. Its time of flowering is from May to July.

Virtues. This Yellow Willow-Herb is the most powerful of the whole species. It opens obstructions of the liver and spleen, provokes urine, and is accounted very good for the dropsy, being infused in common drink. The ashes likewise infused in ale or wine, are used against the same distemper, causing great discharges of water by urine. The flowers, before they are grown to any bigness, are pickled with salt and vinegar, and are eaten for sauce, like capers, and are esteemed by many as wholesome for the stomach, and good against diseases of the spleen and liver.

Besides the above-mentioned, Botanists describe some other variations, the accidental growth of different soils, but whose virtues are the same, and either may be used for the purposes prescribed; of these the principal are the Wood.