The medicinal power of felty bastard wedderik

This plant looks a bit like the large herb, but is not related to it. That is why the prefix ‘bastard’ is used. It is a plant from the evening primrose family. This plant with small magenta-colored flowers grows to a height of 15 to 75 centimeters and blooms in June, July, August and September. The flowers of this plant are suitable for making herbal tea. Feltwort is typically a plant that people remove from their garden because it is a weed while it has many medicinal qualities. It is up to people to actually bring this natural medicine into their home. NB! This article is written from the personal view of the author and may contain information that is not scientifically substantiated and/or in line with the general view.

Botanical drawing felt-like bastard oak / Source: Johann Georg Sturm (Painter: Jacob Sturm), Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

contents:

• Distribution and growth location
• Naming
• Maria Treben and felty bastard oak
• Ingredients: felty bastard wedderik
• Traditional applications
• Hemorrhoids
• Cosmetic use
• Grow it yourself

Distribution and growth location

It is found in abundance throughout Europe, including much of Russia, the southern tips of Scandinavia and the British Isles. Furthermore, it grows sporadically in North Africa and the Middle East. You also sometimes see it on the west coast in North America; the plant was introduced there by humans. You see it growing up everywhere along the canals and between the tiles in Amsterdam. You also see it in ditches, along ditch banks, on railway embankments, on fallow land, in the dunes, in forests, in parks, on fields, in grasslands and it grows on excavations.

Naming

Why do we use Latin in science? To prevent confusion; each plant has multiple names and the Latin name is clear and used internationally. The Latin name of this medicinal plant is Epilobium parviflorum . ‘Parviflorum’ means: ‘with small flowers’. Epilobium is a combination of three Latin words, namely: ‘epi’ which means ‘on’, ‘lobos’ which means pod and ‘ion’ which is the Latin word for violin. The plant was given this name because the flowering principle and seed pod formation resemble those of the Viola matronalis. Alternative names in Dutch for this plant are Small-flowered fireweed and Small-flowered bastard wederik. In Frisian it is called Lytse Tieneblom. The English name is Hoary Willowherb or Smallflower Hairy Willowherb. In German they say Kleinblütiges Weidenröschen to this plant. The French name is Epilobe à petites fleurs.

Maria Treben and felty bastard oak

Maria Treben was a famous Austrian herbalist who published various books in the 1980s. She sparked interest in felted bastard and recommended the plant especially for benign prostate enlargement, a disease that can develop into prostate cancer after a long period of time. Maria Treben got her knowledge from her father-in-law and saw from experience that it worked for people. This inspired her to compile many applications of medicinal herbs from tradition in books.

Botanical drawing of Felted Willowherb / Source: James Edward Smith, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Men who suffer from a burning sensation during urination are helped with felty bastard herb tea in combination with extracts of saw palmetto or saw palmetto.

Ingredients: felty bastard wedderik

The parts of this plant growing above ground are used for medicinal applications. Felted horseradish is rich in flavonoids such as glucosides, aglycone, myricetin, quercetin, rutin, isoquercitrin, isomyricitrin and kaemferol. It also contains mucilage and tannins or tannins based on ellagenic acid and gallotannin. It also contains betasitosterol and phytosterol. This plant also contains caprylic acid, capric acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid.

Traditional applications

Traditionally, felted bastard is used for disorders of the prostate, bladder, urinary tract and kidneys. It can also be used for inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa. In connection with the latter, it is a good remedy for colitus, Crohn’s disease, leaky bowel syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome. This medicinal plant is also effective against the E. coli bacteria, which causes unpleasant symptoms and inflammation when present in excess.

Hemorrhoids

Juice of felty bastard is drunk for internal hemorrhoids. A root powder can also be used for this, which is used to make tea. Furthermore, these preparation methods are good for strengthening the intestinal walls. Hemorrhoids are caused by a local prolapse in the intestinal wall.

Cosmetic use

Felted bastard is used in many creams. Its antioxidant effect means that it can fight free radicals. This allows him to avoid potential skin conditions quickly. The plant is also used in creams, hair lotions, shampoos and baby wipes. It works especially well for people who have eczema, psoriasis, burst veins in the cheeks or fungal infections.

Felted bastard tea is especially good for the bladder and prostate. You can mix this tea with nettle leaves because the medicinal properties of nettle also help with these conditions.

Grow it yourself

It may sound strange to grow this plant as it is considered a weed by most of humanity. But you can eat the leaves raw in a salad! This plant provides a medicinal vegetable. Moreover, the leaves and flowers are worth making a tea from. Felted hybrid is easy to grow. As soon as the seeds are ripe they can be planted. It can grow on many types of surfaces. The plant likes the sun but can also grow if it is in the shade for part of the day.