Motherwort
Elaine poses with two bouquets of boneset, yarrow and motherwort that she harvested from her yard. (Credit: Emma McLaughlin)
Story told by Elaine Delaronde
Motherwort is very bitter. When a plant is bitter, it helps the blood, liver, endocrine system, and female reproductive system.
A lot of people take it for PMS and menopause. It helps to regulate periods, hormones, and stuff like that. It’s a fantastic women’s medicine.
I had a couple of women who were having problems with getting pregnant. Both were miscarrying.
I told them to not get pregnant for three months and to just take motherwort. They were taking motherwort for the whole three-month period and then they both got pregnant and had kids.
I wouldn’t give it to a pregnant woman, but if you are trying to get pregnant, then it’s a good medicine.
Its Latin name is Leonurus cardiaca, the lion heart. It keeps the flow to prevent blockages and is really good for the heart. It keeps your veins, arteries, and heart strong.
It’s almost like mugwort but mugwort has white flowers and motherwort has purple, pinchy flowers.
You want to pick it when it’s in its flowering stage. But if you want it to keep growing, you have to leave some flowers on.
I make tinctures with it and I dry it up for tea too. I cut some up, put them in mason jars, and fill it with vodka or brandy. After six-eight weeks, I strain it, and then there’s the tincture form. It’s a really nourishing medicine to have all of the time.
Motherwort
A motherwort plant that has not yet flowered grows in the garden space below Elaine’s porch. Elaine had received a small motherwort plant from her herbology teacher and now grows motherwort throughout various areas in her yard. (Credit: Melissa Stacey)
Elaine Delaronde iakoká:raton
É:so tsi iotská:ra ne Motherwort. Nó:nen iotská:ra ne kaienthóhsera’, iakoia’takéhnhas ne onekwénhsa’, othwénhsa’, ne endorine system, tánon’ ne konnón:kwe tsi nonkwá:ti ne aiotiwiraién:ta’ne’.
É:so iá:kon ne ióntstha ne PMS tóka’ ni’ nó:nen enwatóhetste’ tsi iakotenhni’tará:ni. Iakoia’takéhnhas aontakarihwaié:rike’ tsi iakotenhni’tará:ni, ne hormones, tánon’ ó:ia’ nahò:ten’ ne tho ní:ioht.
Tekeniiáhse’ tekenón:kwe kheienawa’séhahkwe’ ne iah tewá:tonskwe’ atiatháwa’. Tekenitsá:ron saiotikaré:wahte’.
Wa’khehró:ri’ tóhsa seniné:ron’n tsi niió:re ne 3 niwenhnì:take tánon’ kwah nek motherwort í:tsatst. Orihwakwé:kon ne 3 niwenhnì:take wà:tiatste’ ne motherwort tánon’ tekenitsá:ron wa’keniné:ron’ne’ tánon’ wa’otiwiraién:ta’ne’ nen’ nè:’e.
Iah ki’ thakhé:ion’ ne iakón:kwe tóka’ iakohrhá:re’ nek tsi tóka’ sate’niéntha’ ahsené:ron’ne’, kanonhkwa’tsherí:io ki’ nè:’e.
Leonurus cardiaca konwá:iats tsi nonkwá:ti ne Latin, kèn:reks awé:ri. Iakoia’takéhnhas nón:kwe akonekwénhsa’ aiohtentionhátie’ ne tóhsa aontkenhó:roke’ tánon’ é:so tsi kanonhkwa’tsherí:io tsi nonkwá:ti ne awé:ri. Iakoia’takéhnhas aka’shátsteke’ nakotsinonhiáhton, tánon’ ne akawé:ri.
Thó:ha ne shà:ka ne mugwort nek tsi mugwort iotsi’tsarà:raken’s nen’ nè:’e nok motherwort oharennáhta’ ne niiotsi’tsò:ten’s. Iotsi’tso’thí:ie.
Ne íhsehre’ áhsko’ nó:nen nikahá:wis katsi’tsóntha’. Nek tsi tóka’ tesatonhontsó:ni aiotehiahronhátie’, teiotonhontsóhon tóhkara ní:kon aiotsi’tsón:take’.
Tinctures enkónnia’te’ tánon’ enkstáhtha’te’ ne tí: akathnekón:ni’ ò:ni’. Tenktsi’tsahrihtánion’ ótia’ke, thó:ner ionhiaráhkhwa’ katshe’takónhshon enketárion’, tánon’ iohnekahní:ron téntiehste’. Vodka tóka’ ni’ ne brandy én:katste’. Nó:nen enwatóhetste’ ne 6 tóka’ ni’ 8 niiahia’khserá:ke, enkenón:wakentste’, thó:ner tincture enwá:ton’. Kwah í:ken tsi kanonhkwa’tsherí:io tiótkon aiesaién:take’.
Translation by Sahawisó:ko’ Arquette