Grow Your Own Horehound!

[Guest guest]

Grow Your Own Horehound!

By Brenda Hyde

Horehound brings to mind the old fashioned horehound candy that so many

people remember fondly from their childhoods. But horehound, Marrubium vulgare,

is an herb that can easily be grown in your garden. One plant is enough for a

family and can be used not only for horehound drops, but also tea and

homemade cough syrup.

Horehound is very easy to grow and can actually become a pest if not watched

carefully. It self-seeds readily and rapidly! The flowers should be cut

BEFORE they dry and form seeds. This is one of the reasons it's considered a

noxious weed in Victoria, Southern and Western Australia plus parts of New South

Wales. IF left on its own it can spread to the point of covering entire

pastures. Don't let this stop you from growing it though. Cut the flowers and

harvest it heavily each season and you should be fine.

Horehound is not picky about soil---except if it's wet and heavy. It can

even grow in dry, rocky ground in full sun! The seed can be sown in the spring

after the frost ends. The plant will bloom the second season, but can be

harvested the first year since it's the leaves that are mainly used. As

mentioned, you want to keep it well pruned and harvested. During the second season,

cut it immediately after it flowers. The leaves and flowers lose their flavor

quickly, so snip them into smaller pieces to dry on screens. When dry, crumble

and store in jars.

Horehound is hardy to Zone 4 and will grow to about 2 foot tall. The leaves

are soft and have a wooly crinkled appearance. The small flowers are white

and attract beneficial wasps and flies to the garden. It's a great companion

plant for tomatoes and peppers as an added bonus!

Now, back to using horehound in candy and tea. It's been used for centuries

for coughs and other ailments. The FDA took it off the approved list, but not

because it was harmful. They didn't see enough scientific evidence to

consider it a medicine.

Before I get to the recipes, I do want to mention a few cautions. Make sure

you buy or are growing the proper horehound. There is black horehound,

Ballota nigra which is not related. Also bugleweed, Lycopus virginicus, is known as

water horehound, but again, it is not related. These plants have their own

benefits, but they shouldn't be used interchangeably.

People with low blood pressure, heart conditions or those using any type of

insulin or related meds should avoid horehound. And lastly, do NOT use

horehound if you are pregnant or nursing. The tea can be especially potent, more

than the candy, so avoid that at all times if you fit into any of these

categories. It's always better to be safe!

If you aren't scared off at this point (which I hope you aren't!) you can

use the following recipes with either fresh or dried horehound.

Horehound Candy

Source: Herbal Treasures by Phyllis V. Shaudys

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh horehound, leaves, stems and flowers (or 1 cup dried) 2 1/2 quarts water 3 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup corn syrup 1 tsp. cream of tartar 1 tsp. butter 1 tsp. lemon juice (or 1 sprig lemon balm)

In large saucepan, cover horehound with water. Bring to boil, simmer 10

minutes. Strain thru cheesecloth and allow tea to settle. Ladle 2 cups horehound

tea into large kettle. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, cream of tartar. Boil,

stirring often, until mixture reaches 240 F. Add butter. Continue to boil

until candy reaches 300F (hard crack). Remove from heat, add lemon juice. Pour at

once into buttered 8" square pan. As candy cools, score into squares. Remove

from pan as soon as it is cool. Store in aluminum foil or ziplock plastic

bags.

HOREHOUND COUGH SYRUP

The recipes vary with the cough syrup. Mainly on the amount of sweetener.

Horehound does have a bitter taste. Some people can take it more than others.

But then again, the cough syrup or cough drops that work the best never taste

good.

Here is a basic recipe for the cough syrup.

Ingredients:

1/4 to 1/2 cup dried horehound leaves and/or flowers

1 cup water

2 cups honey

1 tablespoon lemon juice or cider vinegar (optional)

Boil horehound in the water for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow

it to sit for 5 more minutes. Strain out the horehound using cheesecloth or

a very fine strainer. (you don't want particles left in the syrup). Add honey

and lemon and stir until it is combined. Pour into a glass jar and cover.

Use one tablespoon as needed.

Horehound Tea

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh leaves, or 1/4 cup dried

1 quart water

2 tablespoons honey

1 fresh lemon

1 tsp. anise seed (optional)

Place the herbs into a pan, add water and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Strain the tea, pressing the herbs as you strain. Add the honey and the juice of

the lemon. You may add more honey if you wish. Sip it warm. 2-3 cups per day

as needed. You can also add a little bit of fresh ginger in place of the anise

seed.

The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.~ Albert Einstein ~

 

Check Out My Groups:

 

Everything Natural

http://health./

Everything Magick

EverythingMagick/

 

 

 

--

 

 

Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.3.4/299 - Release 3/31/2006