Today’s series of posts on forage plants is about shepherd’s purse, which may not be familiar to everyone but is easily recognised by its heart-shaped pods.
Shepherd’s purse
Feeding parts
- Leaves
- Stems
- Shoots
- Seeds
- Pods
- Flowers
General notes
The shepherd’s purse owes its name to the similarity of the heart-shaped pods to the pockets of shepherds in former times.
Ingredients and effect
Shepherd’s purse contains potassium, calcium and vitamin C and has a haemostatic and coagulant effect.
The tea (5 min.) made from dried or fresh leaves can be used externally for small skin injuries or injured toes.
Harvest time
April till October
Velvety, whitish coating
If the plant has a velvety, whitish coating on the surface, it has been attacked by a rust fungus and must no longer be fed.