My Herbal Wellbeing - Herbal Tea Database - Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)

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Meadowsweet
Common Name	Meadowsweet
Scientific Name	Filipendula ulmaria
Also called Lace-makers-herb, Steeplebush, Bridewort, Dollof, Meadsweet, Meadow Queen, Pride of the Meadow, and Meadowwort, Meadowsweet is found wild in damp woods and fens, and on wet rock ledges and river banks, in Asia and Europe. This sweet-scented flower was the favourite of Queen Elizabeth I, who had it scattered over the floors of her private apartment. In Britain, it was also a custom to strew houses with the herb for wedding festivals. Herbalist John Gerard believed this practice wise, saying, "for the smell thereof makes the heart merrie and joyful and delighteth the senses." However, because the perfume of meadowsweet is so heavy, it was believed in other countries that the herb had soporific powers associated with death, and it was considered unlucky to bring meadowsweet into the house. The herb has been used to treat diarrhea and colic. Because it contains salicylic acid, it is said to be a remedy for influenza, respiratory tract problems, gout, rheumatism, fever, and arthritis. It is also recommended for dropsy and bladder and kidney ailments.
Plant	Perennial. Its creeping root sends up a reddish, angular stem. Large three- to five-lobed, serrated terminal leaflets are slightly hairy underneath. Small yellowish or white flowers appear in dense clusters from June to September.
Height	5 to 6 feet.
Soil	Rich, moist.
Exposure	Partial shade.
Propagation	Seeds planted during the third or fourth lunar phase. Root cuttings are also easy to obtain, since the rootstock creeps through the wet swampy ground, adds a new piece each year, and sends shoots upward.
Care	Space mature plants 10 to 15 inches apart. Keep moist.
Part used for Tea	Young leaves gathered before flower buds appear. Also flowers and roots.
Taste	Sweet and delicate, very aromatic.
How to Brew	LEAVES OR FLOWERS, BY INFUSION: Place 2 tablespoons of the fresh leaves or flowers, or 1 tablespoon of dried herb, in 1 cup of boiling water. Steep to taste. ROOTS, BY DECOCTION: Boil 2 tablespoons of dried, crushed rootstock in 1 cup of water. Or soak the dried rootstock in 1 cup of cold water for 6 hours, bring it to a boil, and steep for 1 or 2 minutes.