W-Z
Herbs A-Z
WILD MARJORAM (Origanum vulgare) in Middle Ages bridal couple were crowned with wreaths of marjoram to symbolise love, honour and happiness. Used to stimulate the appetite, help dropsy, scurvy, scabs, itch and yellow jaundice, as well as earache, toothache and headache.
WILD STRAWBERRY (Fragaria vesca) Used as food, ' Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did ' Dr William Butler, 17th century. Used to treat leprosy, jaundice and the bloody flux, as well as bladder infections, women's courses, inflammations, liver, kidney and spleen diseases, and mouth ulcers.
WINTER SAVOURY (Satureia montana) Used as a food and to treat asthma, chest complaints, colic, wind and inhibit sexual desire.
Woad - Isatis tinctoria
WOAD (Isatis tinctoria) Source of indigo. Blue dye used by the Britanii tribe. Much used for dyeing cloth. Also the treatment of spleen disorders, ulcers and St Anthony's Fire (acute inflammatory disease of the skin).
WOOD SAGE (Teucrium scorodonia) used to provoke urine, induce sweating and treat VD, and to treat bruises and fresh wounds.
WORMWOOD * (Artimisia absinthium) Flavouring for absinthe which was given to French troops in the 19 th century to prevent malaria. By early 20 th C it was believed to be psychoactive drug and hallucigen and the drink was banned.
YARROW (Achillea millefolium) Believed to get its name from the Trojan warrior, Achilles, who was said to carry it with him onto the battlefield for treating his injured soldiers. Generally used to stop bleeding, and supposed to be excellent for piles.