Marrubium vulgare
Trivia:
- A necessary herb in the medicine cabinet of Egyptian Pharaohs: used to treat everything from the common cough to snake bites.
- Roman Emperor Caesar never left home without some horehound; it was one of the principle ingredients in his antidote for being poisoned.
- The chemicals in horehound have been said to decrease stomach spasms, mucus secretions and have even been used to reduce inflammation.
Tips and Tricks:
- Have a tickle in your throat or a stuffed up chest? Make up a batch of horehound tea. Horehound is still one of the more popular herbal remedies to manage chronic cough and asthma.
- For an old fashioned treat, try horehound candy. Best made fresh, boil the plant until the juice is released and then add sugar to taste.
- Plagued with flies? Horehound soaked in milk is a natural insecticide.
- Naturally bitter, it’s believed that the bitter taste is actually part of the remedy for both breathing and digestion. Adding too much sugar to the brew can take away these benefits.
- Also used to make Horehound Ale: a healthy, carbonated tonic.
- Tea can be made with either fresh (1 cup) or dried horehound (1/4 cup). Boil the leaves (slightly chopped) in two cups of water. Allow to steep for 10 minutes. Once steeped, remove the leaves and dilute the brew with 2 additional cups of water. Drink either hot or on ice for a soothing beverage.
Try It!
