Botanical atlas

Alpine Lady's Mantle

Alchemilla alpina

Alchemilla alpina has long gone by the name lady's mantle in the herbal tradition, a name given for the way its scalloped, silver-backed leaves gather morning dew into a single shining bead, said to resemble a cloak folded around the shoulders of the Virgin Mary. In the mountain communities of Europe, herbalists traditionally turned to its leaves as a woman's herb, brewing infusions believed to ease the discomforts of the monthly cycle and to support recovery in the weeks after childbirth. It was also kept as a humble household astringent, its cooled tea dabbed onto small cuts and scrapes, and sipped warm to settle a queasy stomach.

Safety.

Alpine Lady's Mantle has no significant toxicity when used as a mild traditional tea. Because of its long association with the reproductive cycle, it has traditionally been avoided during pregnancy.