Wood Avens, St Benedict's Herb

Wood avens is something I didn't expect to find. Yesterday I discovered a volunteer growing on my land, Geum urbanum! This low-growing plant is also called St. Benedict's herb. It is a member of the rose family and grows at the part-shade edges of forest and fields. It is native to Europe but grows willingly here in shady places. Wood avens roots are astringent, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory, and they smell like cloves because they contain eugenol. They have traditionally been used in tinctures, decoctions, and raw for toothaches, diarrhea, and inflammation. Wood avens has been used as part of an herbal treatment for malaria and influenza and even as a flea repellent. I'll be making a tincture of this useful plant.

The leaves of wood avens are edible but do not have much flavor and some people eat the roots as a spice like cloves although they are less pungent. The plant is high in tannins. The roots are best harvested over the winter months.