Shepherd’s Purse

Shepherd’s Purse

Two close-ups of one of my favorite herbs, shepherd’s purse. (You can find more information about it here.)

Shepherd’s Purse grows during the rainy season in Israel, and withers in late spring. The seed pods (the heart-shaped projections on the plant that look like leaves) harden and turn brown, eventually releasing the tiny tan seeds.

And yes, the stuff does stop bleeding, practically on contact. I have direct experience of that. One dry winter morning, when I was staying with a friend, I woke up with a nosebleed. My friend, who happens to be a birthing coach, had some tincture of shepherd’s purse made from the fresh, wild-growing plant. A quarter teaspoon in some hot water was all it took, and it even seemed that the bleeding stopped the moment the liquid made contact with my tongue.

Powerful stuff, that.