Botanical Name:
Leonurus cardiaca
Family: Lamiaceae
Common Names
Motherwort
Primary Characteristics for Field ID:
A classic example of the mint family’s square stem and opposite leaves. The square shape of the large stem on this plant has helped many a student remember the mint family.
Part Used for Medicine:
Leaves and flowers. The stems are thick enough that it is worth the time to sort these out.
Southwest Habitat:
It likes disturbed soil and where there is a bit more moisture than usual in the Ponderosa forest. Look in or near the usually dry drainages and in partial shade. It may grow around abandoned homesteads or even in the disturbed soil along game trails. It spreads readily by seed in the right conditions. I have seen it growing between 5,000′ and 7,500′ in the Southwest.
Energy & Tastes:
Cooling, relaxing, bitter
Preferred Method of Preparation:
Fresh plant tincture of the freshest leaves on tips of stems
Herbal Actions:
Its main action is relaxing and does so in many ways.
Therapeutic Uses:
It has an overall relaxing effect on the body without making one sleepy although some folks are underslept enough that relaxing allows them to catch up on the missed sleep.
It has a long standing tradition of working on the heart (hence the species name), specifically for palpitations. I find it especially good for Vata people with stress-heart issues. When I have offered Leonurus to folks in this situation, they notice a heart-centered action; even with no knowledge of which herb they are using or what it is ‘supposed’ to do.
The relaxing effect is also seen in its ability to reduce excess tension in the liver and improving PMS. Relaxing also reduces the tension that impedes the flow of blood circulation.
Its bitter taste gives it the potential to be used in a digestive bitter formula. It is not one of the usual bitters but may be helpful if excess physical tension is present.
Herbal Combos:
There are many possibilities depending on the desired effect.
It can be used in formulas for pain caused by excess tension
Heart issues caused by excess stress
PMS formulas for excess liver tension
Digestive Bitters formula
https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=LECA2
The Plant Profiles are brief materia medica summaries of plants encountered during plant walks or introduced during class on our longer programs. They are presented here to help students organize plant info on an ongoing basis. Although the Profiles are not meant to be comprehensive, they are offered here to the public in the hope that others find these pages useful.