Inula helenium or Elecampane is one of my favourite herbs, I grow it on the allotment, it grows to a good 1.5 metres high and towers over the other plants. Their sunny faces in the summer are a joy!
At this time of year it’s more about the roots which can support you with coughs, common cold, bronchitis and catarrh. Inula is antibacterial, expectorant and a bronchospasmolytic, meaning that it reduces spasms in the lower respiratory tract.
The name ‘helenium’ comes from Helen of Troy as it was supposed to grow where her tears fell. It’s also a sacred Celtic herb and in folklore known as Elfwort, a favourite plant of elves but also it is said to help when you feel shot by tiny elf arrows – meaning when you don’t feel great but can’t work out why. I’ve always loved that description. It’s also said that if you stab the root it will cancel Elf magic.
This is one of my favourite herbal folklore tales, the image of being shot by tiny elf arrows – we’ve all felt that feeling of feeling out of sorts but you can’t work out why – now you know!
