Spilling the Milk of Kindness: the Blessings of Lungwort
This is the Wilderness We Choose; Our Lenten Journey, day 10
I hope that you will forgive me for sharing a little bonus post today, as I am one day behind with my offerings for Lent. This morning I reacquainted myself with an old friend and I thought that I might introduce you.
Here is Lungwort, or Pulmonaria officinalis ('officianalis' being a name attached to our most important healing herbs). Isn't she pretty. She is a flower of the old European forests, but I have only ever found her in one place here; the far corner of the churchyard at the Church of the Grandmother Yew (St Nicholas, Newington), which is where I came upon her today.
Lungwort, a small plant with large mottled leaves and both blue and pink flowers on the same stem, takes its name from its reputed ability to cure a range of respiratory problems. Indeed, its Latin name, ‘pulmonaria’, comes from ‘pulmo’ (lung), with its leaves being thought to resemble diseased, ulcerated lungs. This idea that what a plant looks like gives clues to its healing properties is called the 'Doctrine of Signatures', a system developed in the 1500s.
Lungwort is an old remedy in European folk medicine, used for a range of ailments, such as gastrointestinal issues, skin inflammation, connective tissue damage, and as a general strengthening tonic, as well as for respiratory problems. She was once an important plant in curing bronchitis, especially when combined with Coltsfoot, another of the spring plants which are appearing now and one which I hope to meet one day. This too is part of our 'spring cleanse', an opening of the ways so that we can breathe freely after the long winter dark.
In the 11th Century, Hildegard von Bingen wrote of Lungwort, which is much beloved of grazing animals; “If sheep eat Lungwort often, they will become healthy and fat…But if, as we have said, one who has a swollen lung frequently drinks Lungwort cooked in wine, his lung will return to health, since the lung has the nature of a sheep.” Oh!
The leaves of lungwort are edible, both raw and cooked, and I have read that they taste a little like cucumber, although I have yet to test that myself. Her flowers can be used to decorate puddings and cakes. She is also used as a flavouring in vermouth.
Lungwort is also known as Bethlehem sage, Adam & Eve, Mary-and-Joseph, and Mary-spilt-the-milk, because the spots on her leaves were thought to be milk that Mary spilled whilst feeding the baby Jesus. Another name, 'Jerusalem Cowslip', refers to the belief that her leaf markings are Mary's tears which fell at the Crucifixion.
I like this sense of one of our early spring flowers carrying the energy of 'spilling out', whether of love, tenderness, joy, sadness, or grace; a bubbling up of life which has been held underground for far too long. I was delighted to find that she has returned to bless us once more.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulmonaria_officinalis
https://wisdom.thealchemistskitchen.com/lungwort-a-friend-to-the-inflamed/
https://buruntzaldea.org/lungenkraut-giftig-5789
https://healthyfocus.org/health-benefits-of-lungwort/
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/lungwort/growing-lungwort-flower.htm