Medieval herb garden blog 71: Columbine

The ground was still fairly soft after the rain. We were able to get on with some weeding and other plant removals. Kim dug up the soapwort that was already beginning to spread out of its allotted space. She then removed some of the garlic chives. They had become compacted and overrun by weeds and self-sown viper’s bugloss.

After the plant count, Carole topped up the sales barrow with some sweet rocket plants and another tray of peas. The corn on the cob has now sold out.

After more weeding, she then reviewed which plants she will talk about on her next monthly talk. The talk is at 1pm on Thursday 21 May.

Last week, Carole was contacted by a member of the volunteer team at the Cowbridge Physic Garden in South Wales. They had been reading the weekly blogs. They were asking about where we sourced some of our plants from.

Columbine flowers from April to July. The flowering stems emerge from the leaf rosettes. Each intricate and “nodding” inflorescence appears at the end of a stem. The stems can be 12 inches (30 cm) long.

Columbine flowers are typically blue. Shades range into purple and nearly black. On rare occasions, it can have white flowers.

The columbine flower generally has five sepals that look like petals and five actual petals. Each petal typically comprises two parts. There is a 'blade', which is broad and projects towards the front of the flower, and forms a cup-like shape. The second part is a nectar 'spur' which projects backwards.

Columbines contain both male and female parts. They can self-pollinate.

Columbine flowers are edible in small amounts. They are mainly used raw in salads, as edible garnishes, or to make delicate, sweet jelly.

Warning: the roots and leaves contain cardiogenic toxins. These can cause heart palpitations and severe gastroenteritis.

Columbine flowers can be used as a delicate or non-permanent dye for textiles and paper. They produce soft shades of purple, blue and green. The colours benefit from using a mordant.

A 2018 study of genetic evidence indicated that columbines first appeared during the Upper Miocene period. This was approximately 6.9 million years ago.

In ancient Greece and ancient Rome, the spurs of columbines were interpreted as being phallic. The plants were associated with the fertility goddesses Aphrodite and Venus.

By the early 1600s, columbines were viewed as symbols of 'cuckoldry' (unfaithfulness in marriage). This was due to their horn-shaped nectar spurs.

In Norse mythology, columbine was connected to Freya. She was the goddess of love and fertility.

On the other hand, columbine has also been linked to deserted lovers.

Legend has it that the flowers were fashioned by elves. They used them as cups for nectar. Columbine was also used as a protection against evil.

Wild columbines are largely blue. This was the colour of royal mourning in France. The plant became associated with widows and the sorrows of Mary.

Columbines are mainly pollinated by flies, bees, and bumblebees. Columbine leaf miners of the Phytomyza genus leave white patches or paths on leaves. The damage is only cosmetic. Aphid infestation is another frequent issue.

Columbine was one of eight main herbs used against the plague (or the “pestilence”) in 1373. It was a treatment for measles and “the pox” until the 1700s.

Columbine was also used for headaches and stomach troubles. Culpeper’s Complete Herbal (1653) said “a seed taken in wine causeth a speedy delivery of women in childbirth”. He also mentioned that the leaves were used in lotions for sore mouths and throats.

It was also used as a perfume.

In China, a form of columbine has been used as a dietary supplement and part of traditional medicine for thousands of years.

*As always, this isn't to be considered medical advice today. Please don't use any plants mentioned in these blogs as medicine without advice from a doctor.