'What do you mean my garden has warts?'

Many gardeners will recognize today's little play on words. Indeed, back in medieval times, the term "worts" was used for many plants — generally, the useful ones, which we now term "herbs."

Later, wort would be used for more common plants, but for several centuries, "lungwort," "woundwort," "liverwort," and many dozens of others were the common names given to a variety of healing (and some not-so-healing) herbs.

Most often, the name comes from the Doctrine of Signatures, which held that a plant's form, coloration, shape, etc., made clear its use; therefore, "lungwort" (Pulmonaria), with its spotted leaves resembling lungs, was a cure for all kinds of lung problems, and "woundwort (Stachys palusias) not only staunched bleeding wounds but was thought to ease bleeding ulcers.

Many of the beliefs and superstitions regarding these plants proved to be of actual value, and many of the others have gone the way of the dodo, to be nearly forgotten. I think this is a shame, since the history of plants makes them more meaningful; so today, with the help of Nicholas Culpeper, M.D., who compiled his astrological studies with the study of plants during his short life — he was only 38 when he died — and published his "Family Herbal" in 1649, we'll explore some of the worts of his time and see just how many we have growing in our own gardens.

Through John Gerard's and John Parkinson's herbals, which had been previously published in 1597 and 1640, respectively, Culpepper felt that the fact they were based on Latin and used many imported herbs made them neither comprehensive nor available to the poor people of the time. To emphasize the need to communicate with his humble clients, he translated the entire "London Pharmacopoeia" from Latin into English and used only locally available herbs, even telling some of his patients where to find and gather their own.

With that little history as background, let's track down our own gardens' warts — er, worts.

Bloodwort, or common dock (Rumex obtusifolius), was and is a common weed that includes burdock and sorrel in its family. It was thought to "cleanseth the blood and strengthen(s) the liver," and even today, the yellow dock or curled dock is used in modern practice as a blood purifier, a gentle laxative, and a tonic (since it is an iron carrier).

Brimstone-wort, fennel (Foeniculum Officinale), was also called sulfur-wort and was earlier recommended by ancient herbalists Galen and Dioscorides for helping those "trouble with lethargy, frenzy, giddiness of the head, falling sickness, long and inveterate headache, palsy, sciatica, and the cramp." The juice was used, mixed with vinegar and rosewater, and "put to the nose."

Bruisewort, or Little Daisy (Bellis perennis) — is the short little pink or white daisy that grows in lawns (they may also be called English daisies). The crushed fresh leaves still soothe wounds and help heal deep bruises, just as in Culpeper's day. The Ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), used in the same manner, was also esteemed to "disperseth and dissolveth the knots or kernels that grow in the flesh  … or bruises due to falls and blows."

Coughwort, Colt's foot (Tussilago farfara) is a dandelion look-alike but with broader, shinier (and to me, more palatable) leaves. Used distilled for roughs in Culpeper's day, it is still an important ingredient in many over-the-counter cough mixtures.

Colewort, Avens (Geum urbanum), is a common wayside plant used in the 17th century to strengthen the stomach, stitches in the side, and comfort ruptures. It is still widely used today as an antiseptic, aromatic, astringent, stomach tonic and for debilitating diseases, especially of the intestinal tract, such as colitis.

Goutwort, or goutweed, (Aegopodium podagraria) is also known as goat's foot since its leaves resemble them. It was used to heal gout and sciatica, and today it is still used as a diuretic and sedative for arthritic and rheumatic pains. 

Have you noticed anything so far? Those old-timers weren't so far off the track, were they? Maybe, since they had to use their own wits and imagination, a trial-and-error method, their belief and hope in a beneficent Creator and loving Mother Earth provided them with many of the right answers. Let's continue.

Kidneywort (Umbilicus rupestris) was used distilled for "a hot stomach, a hot liver, or the bowels" and as a poultice or rub to heal pimples and "other outward heats." 

Though it is not in use today, it is still considered a cooling diuretic and a good poultice for hemorrhoids. It was used in the 19th century as a remedy for epilepsy.

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) was described by Culpeper as follows: ''It makes mothers joyful and settles the womb; it is of use for trembling of the heart and fainting and swooning. There is no better way for her to take melancholy vapours from the heart and to strengthen it." He recommended keeping it in syrup or as a conserve. Today, it's a heart tonic for angina pectoris, helps to lower blood pressure, and regulates a woman's return to normal after childbirth, as well as easing painful periods.

Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) was also used in female disorders, as well as (when mixed with hog grease) taking away wens, knots, and kernels under the skin. It is still used for women's problems and as a nervine for convulsions.

Sneezewort (Achillea ptarmica): "The powder of the herb snuffed up the nose, causes sneezing, and cleanses the head of tough slimy humours." Closely related to yarrow, it does not really resemble it. Once a famous herbal medicine, also used to ease toothache, it was officially discarded by the medical profession 200 years ago.

Remember, we said that some worts were useful as well as healing. Many years ago, at a class at the Clark Fork Field Campus, I saw our next one in action. Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis): ''Bruised and agitated with water, it raises a lather-like soap, which washes greasy spots out of clothes. A decoction of it, applied externally, cures the itch." It still washes things beautifully, and it does soothe irritating skin conditions. It should not be taken internally since it has uncomfortable side effects. In Culpeper's day, it was used as a "cure for gonorrhea."

Probably one of the most famous worts today is our next candidate. St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum): Listen to what Culpeper said: "A tincture of the flowers in spirit of wine is recommended against the melancholy and madness.'' He could have written today's ads! It was also used to destroy worms in the system, helped to "make water" and alleviate vomiting and spitting of blood, and as an ointment or poultice for closing wounds and dissolving swellings.

Did you know there is also St. James' wort? More commonly known as ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), it was used for cleansing ulcers or mouth sores, quinsy, and eye, nose, and lung seepage. A poultice, distillation, or ointment was used for facial and "privacy" sores, sciatica, and other skin or muscle problems. Today, we're told that ragwort may irritate the liver if taken internally, but in external applications, it does just as it was once claimed: it heals flesh ulcers and wounds and soothes inflammation of the eyes.

Goodness, we haven't even touched on housewort, brownwort, crosswort, figwort, saltwort, moonwort — and a host of others. Maybe another time we'll explore those worthies, but for now, there's a lot of checking to do to see just how many worts our landscapes have!

    An illustration showing medicinal herbs.
  

    Valle Novak
  

Editor's note: For many years, Valle Novak wrote gardening and cooking columns for the Daily Bee. "Weekend Gardener" and "Country Chef" became renowned for their humor, information, and common-sense advice on how to do everything from planting to cooking. She left behind many columns to delight her many fans. This is one such column, originally published on March 18, 2001.