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