Flora of the Cofrin Arboretum

Made by Introduction to Technical & Professional Writing Students

Spotted Lady’s Thumb Tea and Poultice Harvesting

Harvesting Spotted Lady’s Thumb seeds and greens Instructions

Though there are some eco-system damaging plants in the genus, this genus of plant is enjoyed by some wildlife species. The animals prefer the seeds as the leaves have a strong peppery taste. With all the medical purposes of this “weed” I don’t think it would be a bad idea to know how to harvest and store it properly. Be careful with the seeds as the plant can compete with local flora and is quite invasive. It is resistant to herbicides and is only remove with continuous mowing to prevent seed growth. The harvesting of this plant is not suggested for a beginner’s first plant, though. Following the instructions with give you repeatable results.

  1. Identify the Desired Plant
    1. Persicaria Maculosa
      • The plant grows to be around a meter tall bush with pink flower clusters with spotted leaves.
      • The flowers have 5 petals that are connected to one another and from the top of the plant.
      • There will be short fringe around the joints of the plant. There should be no obvious scent to them.
  2. Check for Harvestability
    1. Inspect the flowers
      1. Too early
        1. Still flowering
        2. Few Papery Feeling Flowers
          1. No seed
          2. Green or tan seed
      2. Ready
        1. Few Papery Feeling Flowers
          1. Shiny black seed
  3. Collect seeds
    1. Cut off the flower clustered part of the stem
    2. Put removed piece in container for transport
    3. Spread seeds on a flat undisturbed surface giving a week for drying
      1. Once dried remove dried leaves leaving flower clusters and stems. This step can be done before drying process if desired.
      2. Rub the leaves to remove dried papery material
        1. If ready
          1. you will have shiny black seeds
        2. if not ready
          1. flowers/ papery material will not rub off
          2. green or tan seeds
  4. Store seeds
    1. On a low humidity and non-rainy day put the Shiny Black seeds in a jar
      1. Glass or metal jars are best as plastic are somewhat porous to humidity
      2. Canning jars with lids work well
        1. The humidity may lead to molding
    2. Label and date seeds
      1. Seeds will last up to a year from the date
      2. Can last a little longer if you put a drying agent into the container with them for up to a week
    3. Store in cool dry place, Freeze or refrigerate
      1. If freezing or refrigerating please allow to warm to room temperature before opening
    4. Open and discard moldy seeds
  5. Harvest greens
    1. Grab a cluster
    2. Cut from the plant
    3. Place in container for travel and transport
  6. Store greens
    1. Clean the leaves and stems (this is optional but suggested)
    2. Pick method of storage
      1. Refrigerate
        1. Place in container with a paper towel
          1. If placed in a Ziplock bag with wholes in it, it will last around a week
        2. For storage lasting longer than one week: Place in an airtight container
          1. Do not tightly pack the containers
        3. Label
        4. Place in vegetable drawer of the refrigerator
          1. Do not use slimy or moldy leaves
      2. Dry them
        1. Tie a bundle of the plant together
        2. Hang upside down for 1-2 weeks indoors
          1. Can be put in bird enclosures for enrichment or in dry vases for birds to forage from or longer storage for tea or poultice

 

Making Spotted Lady’s Thumb Tea and Poultice

Spotted Lady’s thumb with all its medical purposes, being called a weed seems ignorant. The medical applications of teas and poultice is almost a lost art in today’s day and age. Please consult a medical professional, such as a doctor or pharmacist, before using. A poultice is a soft, moist mass of material, typically of plant material or flour, applied to the body to relieve soreness and inflammation and kept in place with a cloth.

Making Tea

  1. Boil water
  2. Place dried leaves in a heat resistant container with a lid
    1. 20grams (2 tablespoons) of dried leaves for every 200 milliliters (~1 cup or ~7 oz.) of water
  3. Pour the boiling water into the heat safe container over the dried leaves
  4. Place lid on the container
  5. Frequently stir over a span of 15 minutes
    1. Replace lid between stirrings
  6. Allow to cool for 45 minutes
    1. For your safety in the following steps
  7. Remove leaves from the tea with a filter
    1. A coffee filter can be used
    2. Squeeze the excess liquid out of the filtered leaves
      1. You can save this to make the poultice
  8. Can be stored in the refrigerator or cool place for up to 2 days
    1. Can be drinking 2 to 3 times a day

 

Making Spotted Lady’s Thumb Poultice

  1. Collect the desired leaves
    1. Fresh
      1. clean leaves with minimal blemishes and no mold or sliminess
    2. Dried leaves
      1. Add only enough hot water to moisten the leaves
  2. Turn the leaves into a paste (it doesn’t have to be smooth)
    1. Chop into small pieces on a cutting board
      1. Can be done with a food processor or blender, which allows you to skip the next part of the step
    2. Crush the small pieces into a paste, it doesn’t have to be smooth
      1. Suggested to be done with a mortar and pestle
  3. Apply a desired amount of the herb paste to the desired area
    1. Apply in an even layer or coating
  4. Wrap in gauze, muslin, or cloth to hold the paste in place
    1. Can apply a layer of plastic wrap to prevent the juices from escaping to other surfaces of contact
    2. Can be use up to 3 times a day

 

Printable instructions:

Spotted Lady’s Thumb Seed and Plant Harvesting

Making Spotted Lady’s Thumb tea and Poultice

 

Citations

  1. Persicaria maculosa [Web log post.] Retrieved: 1 DEC 2022, from: http://mediplantepirus.med.uoi.gr/pharmacology_en/plant_details.php?id=312
  2. Vladimir Andreevich Didenko (24 JAN 2022) Persicaria maculosa – Polygonum persicaria L. [Web log post.] Retrieved: 1 DEC 2022, from: https://omedicine.info/en/goret
  3. s-pochechujnyj-polygonum-persicaria-l.html
  4. Agatha Noveille (24 APR 2015) HOW TO MAKE A POULTICE WITH DRIED & FRESH HERBS [Web log post.] Retrieved: 1 DEC 2022, from: https://theherbalacademy.com/how-to-make-a-poultice-with-herbs/
  5. Guenther, K. (2017, January 12) Oriental Lady’s-thumb as wildlife food [Web log post.] Retrieved: 16 Nov 2022, from http://wildfoods4wildlife.com
  6. (2021) Redshank [web log post.] Retrieved: 20 Nov 2022, from https://luontoportti.com/en/t/2375/redshank
  7. Cheyanne (11 November 2021) HOW TO HARVEST FLOWER SEEDS FROM THE GARDEN [Web lob post.] Retrieved: 20 Nov 2022, from https://farmhouseandblooms.com/