Cinquefoil

Potentilla reptans

Cinquefoil - a creeping perennial herb; cinquefoil has stem runners that can reach up to 5 feet in length. Toothed leaves with hairy veins grow on long stalks and are divided into five or seven leaflets. Bright yellow flowers of cinquefoil (May-August) are borne singly on leafless stalks.

A pretty and dainty species, easy to identify , cinquefoil gets its name from an Old French word meaning "five-leaf." The stem creeps along the ground very much like that of a strawberry plant, produces roots, and sends up stalks that bear either a solitary yellow flower or a leaf divided into five or seven distinctive leaflets. The Latin name Potentilla refers to the medicinal potency of the herb.

Medieval knights vied to emblazon cinquefoil's five-fingered leaf, symbol of the five senses of man, on their shields, because the right to use the heraldic device was given only to those who achieved self-mastery. Witches were said to be afraid of the herb, sweethearts used cinquefoil in love potions and divinations, and fishermen added it to their nets to bring in heavier catches.

Cinquefoil's medicinal value was recognized by a Greek naturalist and student of Aristotle's, Theophrastus, who was the first to describe it. Through the ages herbalists have recommended a decoction of the root of cinquefoil as a remedy for fever, an analgesic for toothache, a gargle for mouth sores, and generally as a disinfectant and astringent. The bark of the root was also applied to stop nosebleeds, and a leaf or root tea was recommended for diarrhea.

Other names

• Biscuits
• Five-fingers
• Five-leaf
• Flesh and Blood
• Shepherd's Knot
• Sunkfield

Parts used

The whole plant flowering starts, leaves.

Uses

Historically cinquefoil has been employed as an astringent, an anti hemorrhagic agent, and a remedy for fevers. Even though early users did not know it, the tannic acid in cinquefoil accounts for its effectiveness as an astringent in stopping bleeding. Its ability to cure fevers, however, has been found questionable as the result of pharmacological investigation.

Habitat & cultivation

Introduced from Europe, cinquefoil now grows wild in eastern North America from Nova Scotia to Ontario and south to Virginia.

Constituents

Cinquefoil contains tannins, resins, starches, glycine, tormentol, choline, amino acids, minerals (calcium, iron, sulfate, magnesium, potassium, silica, sodium), red pigment, vitamin C, bioflavonoids.

How much to take

Infusion: pour a cup of boiling water onto 2 teaspoonfuls of the dried herb and leave to infuse for 15 minutes. This should be drunk three times a day.
Compress: bring 1-2 tablespoonfuls of chopped cinquefoil to the boil in half a liter (one pint) of water. Let stand for 20 minutes. Make a moist compress with the lukewarm liquid. Moisten again as soon as the compress begins to dry.
Tincture: take 2 ml of the tincture three times a day.

Applications

The young cinquefoil can be eaten raw, finely chopped, mixed in a salad or cooked (hotpot, soup). Dry the whole plant in the shade or use it fresh in a decoction (1 plant rinsed in 1 cup [250 ml] water) for external compresses: in the case of hemorrhaging, suppurations or bruising. For internal use (1 root in 1 cup [250 ml] water) against diarrhea, gastritis or uterine hemorrhaging. Cinquefoil is also very useful in treating fractures or osteoporosis. Cinquefoil can be used without fear for extended treatments lasting 1 or 2 consecutive months by combining it with other plants richer in chlorophyll, such as plantain, and richer in vitamin C, such as watercress and common sorrel. This allows an increase in the amount of minerals and tannins that are absorbed. An excellent detoxifying plant, cinquefoil helps addicts wean themselves from alkaloids such as nicotine and cocaine.

Collection & harvesting

Cinquefoil should be collected in June, with all discolored or insect-eaten leaves being rejected. Cinquefoil should be dried in the shade.

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