Don't you just hate it ID please

[Chuckles]

Sat here last night with a couple of friends and got talking about nothing in particular, as you do

Well we actually got talking about worts of all things OH said he had a mate that had loads of worts and his Grandad once told him and his mate to go into a certain field and they would see a small yellow flower growing. He told them to pick any part of the plant and a yellow sap would come out, dab this on the worts and they would go.

Well it worked apparently but we can't think what the plant is

[Deleted]

Hi Chuckles,

I found this

Greater Celandine Perennial
Chelidonium majus
Hgt up to 60cm Flowers May to September
Habitat shady areas, hedgerows and woodlands. Small yellow flowers with 4 petals. Plant was once used in Anglo Saxon times as a remedy to remove warts, and has many herbal properties.

GARDEN MEDICINE CABINET
On the medicinal front it seems that almost every wild plant has been tried as a cure at some stage in Man's history, and probably not to great effect in many cases and possibly to the detriment of patients in others. Today, homeopathic medicine draws largely on the use of plants - many of them cultivars of 'wild' plants found in our countryside - - while mainstream medicines frequently contain synthetic derivatives of active ingredients found in the plants used by herbalists over the centuries.

In the old days the sap of Sun Spurge and Greater Celandine were used to cure warts, the latter also for clearing ringworm. Colt's-foot, Great Mullein, Mallow, Meadow Vetchling, Comfrey and Selfheal became constituents of cough remedies and medicines. Agrimony was a recommended cold relief, and Common Centuary for the relief of fever. If you were anaemic the latter was also recommended. For headaches you might reach for the bark of a Willow which contains the basic constituent of aspirin - salicylic acid.

In addition to their efficacious effects in coughs, Comfrey and Selfheal were commonly used for cuts and wounds. Other 'wound-herbs' included Goldenrod, St. John's Wort and Saw-wort, with Shepherd's Purse, Bugle and Periwinkle aiding the staunching of bleeding. The disinfectant and diuretic properties of Wintergreen made it useful in treating wounds and kidney infections.

For treating arthritis and rheumatism there was Bryony, although Ground Elder (equally regarded as a pot-herb), was employed - as it was in poultice form for the treatment of gout. Indeed, the familiar name for Ground Elder was 'Goutweed'.

In the fight against Vitamin C deficiency our forbears had Scuvygrass which is rich in the vitamin. Tormentil was an answer to mouth infections, Melitot for sore eyes, and Common Valerian to cure insomnia and as a sedative. Scabious, as its name suggests, was used to treat scabies, and Common Figwort (and the leaves of Common Ivy too), in poultice form for skin complaints.


Sara

[Weeterrier]

Oh, lucky me then, should I ever get warts, because, come Spring, one part of my garden is overrun with Celandine. Very pretty, but almost impossible to eradicate. It has small bulbillly things on the roots which are always left behind in the soil. I am always tempted to spray, but they disappear and go dormant early on, so i just grit my teeth and let them be.

[nightowl]

Obviously I don't know , Wee, but I would guess that your patch is Lesser Celandine . I just looked in the book and Greater Celandine looks totally different, is not even closely related to the Lesser, and is poisonous!!!

[dirtyboots]

Just found this photo of my little patch

<a href="http://s151.photobucket.com/albums/s130/dirtyboots_2007/?action=view¤t=Littlewoodcelandine.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s130/dirtyboots_2007/Littlewoodcelandine.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[Dutchy]

Oh dear looks like you have your work cut out for you.
I would not be bothered about the Celandine, it dies down before other things need the space but there is that kleefkruid ( English? ) Galium aparine.
I have it too at MssK and it is a pest. I pull out every bit I see. Again and again and again.