This is a post on how to make tincture from shepherd's purse. I decided instead of just telling you what it was used for to show you how to use it. I hope this helps you make your own tincture. It's not very hard but people seem to be scared of it, so let's just Jump Right In!
Shepherd's purse is an herbal used primarily to stop bleeding.
Here are some pictures of shepherd's purse after I pulled it and laid it on the hood of the car preparing a batch of tincture.
Here is a closer picture to help identify the plant:
A quick word of caution here, you note in this picture there's a brown round Pollen dropped from local Oak tree. Pick out all foreign matter before you start the cleaning process. I like to wash them with a brush and Pat them dry on a towel. The dryer the better because any water left on the herb will dilute the alcohol and weakened the tincture.
Here is the cleaned herb I'm preparing to cut up to go into the alcohol for extraction. When I'm doing a tincture I like to cut off the roots. If I were doing a decoction I would keep the roots and clean them and add them to the decoction. I feel there to Woody to extract much just buy using straight alcohol.
Here's a picture of the washed herb:
These herbs are cut up, and all sub-standard pieces are removed. I remove the heaviest stems because they won't extract well either. The rest of the herb is then placed in the bottle that I poured half of the Vodka out of. Once filled and Tamp down, I put the Vodka back in the bottlefilling ut to the top. I like to remove all the air I can, no scientific reason, just good practice.
The finished bottle looks like this:
Up close:
I end up with a bottle ready to diffuse, all that's needed is to place the bottle in a cool dark place for a month to six weeks.
The herbal uses for this weed are varied it's used for:
bladder infections,
bleeding problems,
abnormally heavy periods,
diarrhea,
headache,
kidney disease,
low blood pressure,
menstrual cramps,
and even mild heart failure (diuretic).
Not bad for a weed out of your lawn! Maybe it deserves a little more respect now?
Happy tincturing! :)
Now I'm envious that I don't see shepherd's purse around here. I'm trying to learn more about local weeds and native plants and their uses, however, with the help of my friend @ligayagardener.
I've featured this post in the Homesteaders - Living Naturally, newsletter.
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Thanks for the mention @minismallholding. Glad we can share knowledge and materials. Shepherd's Purse is common around here in Spring and the beginning of Summer. It's gone now
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Thank you for the newsletter mention! I try to post useful information on herbals as often as I can. I like to do how to posts like this, in the hope that someone may be inspired to try to make some.
Knowledge shared benefits everyone. Be blessed!
:)>If we only knew all the natural goodness growing in our lawns! Hang on a minute - people still HAVE lawns? haha... clearly I don't and this one doesn't grow in Asia anyway (that I'm aware of), but NICE process and content.
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So what are your local weeds / herbals?
You’ve been visited by @riverflows on behalf of Natural Medicine!
@mountainjewel, great to hear first hand reports to say it works. Do you use it as tincture too? or a tea? @smithlabs, thanks for sharing, great post! @ligayagardener, @minismallholding, it does look familiar - going to keep an eye out for it here!
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Tincture, but there is so much of it (it is a weed) that I will dry it and store it for an infusion. It is woody enough, I may need to make a decoction from it to get the good from it. If I do that, I will make a cream, and try it that way.
That is why I did the closeup of the plant, to help with the ID. The seed pods are usually heart shaped (I have seen some that are round), and split open to throw the seeds. You will find small white flowers in a cluster, on the tips. The leaves make good tincture too. The roots are too woody for anything except a decoction.
:)>@riverflows Do you know what this plant is?
Maybe a type of vetch?
I will go look it up. I really have no idea, just like the looks of it!
I've seen that plant often, from Oregon to Southeast Alaska, usually right near the beach. IIRC, it forms pods like peas. I don't know what it's officially called, but I call it wild peas, because that's what it looks like. When I was a child, I was warned by my mom that it was poisonous, although I suspect she had no idea, and was just alarmed that I might try it.
If you find an actual identification, I'd be interested in knowing it.
Thanks!
It is attractive, and does look like tiny peas for sure. Just trying to ID this plant of interest, it is pretty! I just have a feeling....
:)>I used the fresh tincture (hear it’s the best thing to stop bleeding)- I had severe abnormal menstrual bleeding and it was an emergency and this was the only thing that worked and it worked fast! So I sing the high praises of this little plant!!! 🙌🏼 @riverflows
Nice... yes this plant has helped me stop bleeding many times-- once in an emergency situation. very useful knowledge!
Glad you have used it successfully! I try to post things that will help people.
Some people are afraid of making tinctures, and I thought this might help them make their own tinctures. They can see that this is not that difficult here, I hope.
Thanks for commenting, and Be Blessed!
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:)>Shepherd's Purse grows like a weed hereabouts, and vodka has been discovered as well. So, my curiosity is piqued. Suppose I had a headache, should I just hammer down a few shots of the infused vodka?
Thanks!
Recommended for a headache is 60 drops of tincture. More vodka than that and the headache may be worse the next morning....
Also, look at Fever Few, it is also good for headaches.
:)>