Herb Bennet

Geum urbanum

Named after Saint Benedict who, the story goes, survived with his life intact after been given a poisoned chalice. He blessed the potion before he drank it and the Devil flew out!

The roots are fibrous and fiddly to harvest – but they are plentiful, and you will be amazed by the strong clove taste. As well as being anti-microbial (it was used during the Black Death in an anti-plague remedy), they are wonderfully astringent.

Herbalists working in the refugee camps in Northern France  use a  tincture made from Herb Bennet in a mouth wash and gargle mix that is an absolute staple as a first aid remedy where people are suffering from sore throats and often do not have easy access to a dentist.

To find out more about the work of herbalists in the makeshift camps in Calais and Dunkirk, click here