Herb: Morning Brides


Latin name: Chaenactis douglasii


Family: Compositae



Medicinal use of Morning Brides:

Morning brides was employed medicinally by a number of native North American Indian tribes who used it to treat a variety of complaints, but especially to treat skin problems. It is not generally used in modern herbalism. An infusion of the whole plant has been given to children in order to slow their heart rates. It is also used in the treatment of stomach complaints, coughs and colds. The fresh plant, or sometimes just the leaves, are crushed and applied as a poultice to swellings, sores and aches. An infusion is used as a wash for a variety of skin problems including pimples, chapped hands, boils and insect bites.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Biennial/Perennial


Height:
40 cm
(1 foot)

Flowering:
July to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Dry to medium-moist soils along roadsides, waste places and hillsides, especially where the soil has been disturbed.

Propagation of Morning Brides:

Seed - surface sow in spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer.

Cultivation of the herb:

Dry to medium-moist soils along roadsides, waste places and hillsides, especially where the soil has been disturbed.

Known hazards of Chaenactis douglasii:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.