Ingredients · Herb
Silver Weed
Potentilla anserina · Rosaceae (rose family)
What it’s like, and how to use it
- 212°F / 100°C
- Steep 10–15 minutes
- Use 1–2 tsp per 8oz
- Best during menstrual discomfort
- Can be consumed 2–3 cups daily during menstruation
How to use it
Primarily a medicinal tea herb — not commonly used in cooking. Silver weed tea (standalone or blended with other women's herbs). The roots are edible and were historically eaten as a survival food (taste similar to parsnip). Young leaves have been added to salads in European folk traditions.
With food
Honey (softens astringency). Lemon (brightens the earthy flavor). Best as a medicinal tea preparation. The roots can be cooked like parsnips in survival situations.
With spices
Ginger (warming antispasmodic complement for menstrual cramps). Cinnamon (warming comfort during menstruation). Chamomile (calming smooth muscle relaxant through different mechanism). Raspberry Leaf (women's tonic duo). Fennel (smooth muscle relaxation via anethole — complementary pathway).
With tea
Raspberry Leaf (the women's health partnership). Lady's Mantle (double women's tonic). Chamomile (calming + antispasmodic). Ginger Root (warming cramp relief). Peppermint (smooth muscle relaxation through menthol — different receptor).
Its story
Where it comes from
Native to Europe and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Grows in damp meadows, roadsides, and waste ground. The Latin species name 'anserina' means 'of geese' — the plant was traditionally used as goose fodder. Silver weed spreads by stolons (runners) and can form dense ground cover. The silvery undersides of the leaves are created by fine, silky hairs.
What happened
Used in European folk medicine for centuries, particularly in Alpine and Northern European traditions. Nicholas Culpeper recommended it for cramps and colic. The herb was traditionally gathered on the feast of St. John (midsummer) for maximum potency. In Scottish Gaelic tradition, it was one of the seven sacred herbs. Russian and Scandinavian folk medicine also employed it for digestive and menstrual complaints.
Good for
What the research looked at
Traditional antispasmodic for menstrual cramps and smooth muscle pain
High tannin content provides natural astringent and anti-inflammatory action
Traditionally used in European herbalism specifically for women's menstrual comfort
Gentle enough for regular use during menstrual discomfort
Complementary to other women's herbs in blended formulas
What’s in the leaf
Tannins (high concentration — astringent, anti-inflammatory, smooth muscle relaxant). Flavonoids (quercetin, myricetin glycosides — anti-inflammatory). Ellagic acid. Tormentol (triterpenoid). Coumarins. The antispasmodic mechanism is attributed to the combined flavonoid and tannin action on smooth muscle calcium channels.
These teas are foods, sold as such. Nothing on this page is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
On the shelf with it
Every product it goes into.
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Ayurvedic Women's Uma
Regular price From $9.00 CADRegular price
