Lady's Mantle: Finding abundance within
- Amanda Zambon
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 3 hours ago
Lady's mantle (Alchemilla spp.) is a distinctive native plant that can help us remember that abundance comes from within. She may not be the most well known of our native wild plants, but I'm always impressed at her ability to pop up in patches in random locations. I like to think that perhaps she is called there, where she is most needed.
In this blog, I focus on:
How to identify Lady's Mantle?
Lady's mantle is native to Europe and is widespread, growing from lowland verges to upland meadows. She is easily identifiable by her kidney shaped leaves, that have between 7-11 lobes, a velvety texture and pleats a bit like a fan. They form a basal clump and in the late spring to summer, they burst into a is a yellowy greeny spray of flowers.
They have a slightly magical quality, for in the morning the leaves reveal droplets which look as though they are dew but in fact are exuded from the plant itself through a process called guttation, whereby the plant releases excess water through pores at its leaf edges. The droplets also include minerals and salts.
As you'll see below, they have attracted a lot of attention throughout history. I can understand why -I find the shape of the leaves so beautiful, and when the droplets of water form they are really mesmerising to look at.
There are a number of microspecies including Alchemilla vulgaris and garden Alchemilla mollis, but they are nearly identical and have the similar qualities. It is a member of the Rosaceae family so related to roses, apples, and hawthorn.
What is the folklore of Lady's Mantle?
The plant has a number of common names, including: bird's foot, dew's cup, stellaria and Lion's foot. (1) However its most common name is Lady's Mantle.
As with many plants with the word 'lady' in the title, the plant is associated with the Virgin Mary, and also with women's issues. In this case, it was believed quite literally that the pleats on her leaves resembled those on Virgin Mary's Mantle.
Because of this, it was believed that droplets that form as a result of the guttation process had magical, "alchemical", qualities. This is where she gets her botanical name, "alchemilla", from.
They were collected by medieval alchemists at dawn, who conducted experiments to see if they could turn water into base metals - an image that I absolutely love. They also believed the droplets had medicinal qualities and used them to make all manner of potions. It was referred to as "celestial water", as it was believed that dew had been sent down from the moon and in small quantities from the stars.(2)
Personally, I think someone needs to make a movie about this!
What are the medicinal uses of Lady's Mantle?
Lady's Mantle is is astringent and quite drying if you taste it; it also has salicylic acid in it.
She has been used in herbal medicine both to heal wounds and also to treat women's health issues - helping to regulate periods, aid conception and also supposedly able to restore virginity due to its astringent qualities!
Nicholas Culpeper in his Complete Herbal of 1653, said:
“Lady’s Mantle is very proper for women to use, both inwardly and outwardly, for it stayeth the overmuch flowing of the courses, and helpeth such as are subject to miscarry; it healeth wounds, both inward and outward, and if the herb be boiled in wine and drunk, it maketh women fruitful. Some report, that if a woman be washed with the decoction of this herb, it will restore their virginity, though it be lost.”
I'm not convinced about the virginity restoration (!) - but she is a plant that is very much linked to the womb and maternal heritage - a subject explored by Intuitive Herbalist Nathaniel Hugues in his book "Weeds in the Heart" (3). He says:
"The holding offered by Lady's Mantle is unique, offering a quiet, fine, steady and strong presence, perfused throughout with delicacy and a gentle invitation to find the wisdom within one's own lunar rhythm".
Nathaniel Hughes recommends taking it as a strongly brewed tea, something I did as I wrote this blog and would like to do going forward, helping to tap into my own wisdom and creativity within.
Today, herbalists still value lady’s mantle as an astringent, but professional guidance is recommended if you are on other medication or are pregnant.
What are the biodiversity benefits of Lady's Mantle?
As a native plant, it plays a fundamental role within the ecosystem and attracts a range of pollinators:
Bees:
Honeybee (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Common carder bee (Bombus pascuorum)
Hoverflies:
Marmalade hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Common banded hoverfly (Syrphus ribesii)
Deadhead hoverfly (Myathropa florea)
Other insects:
Flower beetles (e.g. Meligethes spp.) feeding on pollen
Small flies using the open, accessible blooms
My personal experience with Lady's Mantle
When thinking of Lady's Mantle, I always recall the weekend away I had with my aunty in Ashdown Forest, where we were staying at a lovely cottage and Lady's Mantle was growing abundantly in the cracks of the pavement. It was growing of its own volition and looked so gorgeous with its dew drops sparkling in the autumnal morning sun.
The lady who owned the cottage was so kind that she dug some of it up for me to take home and plant in my garden. It was a lovely act of generosity and also a reminder of how the earth gives freely and that we can share these gifts with others. I was very grateful, and when I see it growing in my garden I always remember our trip and the generosity of the cottage owner.
Concluding thoughts
Lady's Mantle is no doubt a plant that leaves me with a lovely warm feeling. Alchemists once sought to turn her jewel-like water into gold, but Lady’s Mantle reminds us that the true treasure lies within her own leaves, and, more deeply, within ourselves. She is a plant of quiet abundance, freely given and freely shared.
Have you noticed Lady's Mantle? let me know below!
Sources
(2) Hahn, Hans Peter, et al. People at the Well: Kinds, Usages and Meanings of Water in a Global Perspective. Campus Verlag, 2012.
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