Betony

Stachys officinalis

Also: Wood betony, Bishopswort, Betonica officinalis

CoolingDryingRelaxing

The old remedy for an aching head.

A tidy perennial with a rosette of scalloped leaves and dense spikes of magenta flowers on square stems. Betony eases headaches of many kinds, relaxes tight muscles, and steadies a scattered, ungrounded mind while it helps digestion along.

Energetics: Cooling, drying, relaxing
Taste: Mildly bitter, aromatic, slightly sweet
Family: Lamiaceae (mint family)
Parts used: Leaves and flowering tops

Medicinal uses 6

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Traditional useLab and mechanism studiesClinical studies

Tension headacheTLC
Eases tension headaches, headaches that come with the cycle, and the head pain of poor digestion.
Anxiety & stressTLC
Grounds a scattered, overstimulated mind and calms restlessness.
Muscle tension & spasmTLC
Releases tight, constricted muscles.
Indigestion & bloatingTLC
A gentle aromatic bitter that moves gas and starts the flow of bile.
Menstrual crampsTLC
Relaxes period cramps and the headaches that ride along with them.
MigraineTLC
A traditional favorite for migraines and headaches that come with the cycle.

Preparations

Leaf tea, tincture, and headache blends.

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Cautions

May lower blood pressure in people whose pressure already runs low.
Two different plants go by wood betony in North America; this is Stachys, not Pedicularis.
A sudden, severe, or unusual headache needs medical care right away.

Medication interactions

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Pregnancy & breastfeeding

PregnancyAvoid

Betony contains stachydrine, an alkaloid that stimulates the uterus, and safety research in pregnancy is lacking.

BreastfeedingInsufficient data

There is little safety research on betony while nursing. Lemon balm and linden are better-studied choices.

Folklore

A Roman treatise credited to Antonius Musa, physician to the emperor Augustus, claimed betony cured forty-seven ailments. An Italian proverb advised selling your coat to buy betony, and a person of many talents was said to have more virtues than betony. It was planted in churchyards to keep wandering spirits at bay and worn as an amulet against bad dreams.

How to grow

An easy perennial for sun or light shade and average, well-drained soil. It forms neat clumps that divide well in spring. Cut the leafy stems as the first flowers open.

In the wild

Meadows, heaths, and open woodland across Europe, western Asia, and North Africa.

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