Agrimonia eupatoria L.

Lvs softly and densely pubescent or sometimes subtomentose beneath, with long stiff hairs on the veins; axis of the infl glandular or not, ± hirsute with long spreading hairs; hypanthium hirsute throughout with long, spreading or ascending hairs; pet 4–5 mm; 2n=28. Formerly used in folk-medicine and as a source of a golden yellow dye. Native of Eurasia, occasionally intr. in our range.

Fields, stone walls, waste ground and roadside verges, usually on alkaline soils, preferring sunny positions. Thinned-out forests, forest edges, meadows, pastures, roadsides, edges of fields, alongside fences.

The fresh or dried leaves, flowers and stems are used to make a refreshing tea. The seed are dried and ground into flour as an emergency food. The young leaves are cooked as a vegetable.

Fresh seed usually germinates in 2-6 weeks at 13°C. Seeds can be sown in a nursery then transplanted out. Plants can also be grown by division of the clump.