MHG Volunteer Blog: Week 9 - Lungwort

We're continuing our march on into spring in this week's Medieval Herb Garden blog. 

Read on for gardening tips and to discover more about the Plant of the Week - and it involves horses drinking beer!

3 March 2025

Today started off cold again, but it eventually warmed up towards lunch time.  This morning Helen potted-on some shasta daisies. These will be put on sale later in the month.

Following last week’s blog regarding the “visiting” snow drops, we have had some snowdrops kindly donated to the MHG. Carole planted these in four clumps around the site.

Later, both Carole and Helen weeded.  The weeds in the Medieval Herb Garden seem to be on a cycle, with different weeds appearing in different years. This year we are inundated with lamb’s lettuce (which we’ve not had before) and hairy bittercress. This has appeared all over the MHG.

If you want to give your garden a quick tidy up, one of the easiest ways is to mow the lawn and turn over the soil. Recently-turned soil immediately makes the garden look neater.

The rhubarb bed 'turned over'

Plant of the week: Lungwort, Jerusalem Cowslip (pulmonaria officinalis)

In the times of sympathetic magic, the spotted oval leaves of P. officinalis were thought to symbolise diseased lungs. They were used to treat pulmanory infections. The scientific name pulmonaria is derived from the Latin 'pulmo' (lung).

This perennial, semi-evergreen, herbaceous plant is native to Eurasia. It has clump-forming rosettes of mottled oval leaves that are covered in hairs. It has pink flowers which change to blue after pollination. It has a height of 15 to 25cm and a spread of 60cm.  

It prefers partial shade but will tolerate sun, once established. It has one seed per flower and will readily self-seed.

Lungwort flowers showing the change in colour

Culinary uses of lungwort

Lungwort was possibly included as a seasoning herb in medieval stews.

Folklore and other lungwort facts

The spots on the leaves are due to the presence of foliage air pockets. These pockets, which cool the lower leaf surface, mask the presence of chlorophyll. This change of colour was likened to lung tissue. Lung tissue changes colour depending on the level of oxygen present.

The flowers’ colour ranges from pink to blue, depending on their stage of development. The pH level within the flower changes after fertilisation/pollination.

Lungwort was boiled in beer and given to horses to treat respiratory problems!

Lungwort is one of the rare plants that can survive beneath a black walnut tree. These trees produce toxic substances that kill most plant species.

Lungwort was said to reveal if a person was a witch. It was used to protect against witchcraft.

In the language of flowers, lungwort is said to express 'thou art my life'.

Medieval uses*

Lungwort was used to treat various lung problems. These included coughs, wheezes, asthma and shortness of breath. It was even used historically in treating tuberculosis.

It was used (along with wormwood) to attempt to cure the Black Death in 1348 to 1350. It was also used in ointments for wounds, boils, and ulcers.

Some historical references to “lungwort” actually relate to oak moss.

*As always, this isn't to be considered medical advice today. Please don't use any plants mentioned in these blogs as medicine without advice from a doctor.

Browse the previous Medieval Herb Garden blogs here