Leonurus cardiaca Family: Lamiaceae (Labiatae) Culpeper believed the name (motherwort) was chosen as women are joyful mothers and it settles their wombs. The Latin name ‘cardiaca‘, because it is very useful for a …

Motherwort, not only a herb for women

Aphyllanthes of Montpellier
Aphyllanthes monspeliensis Family: Aphyllanthaceae or Liliaceae (now Asparagaceae) French Common Name: Aphyllanthe de Montpellier This pretty little flower grows prolifically here in the Aude. It seems to prefer stony, dry soil. The Royal …

Self-Heal or All-Heal, a little plant with appropriate name!
Prunella vulgaris Family: Lamiaceae (Labiatae) You will find self-heal flowering virtually continuously from June through to October. The tight cluster of crowded purplish sepals and bracts have been described as resembling a …

Leuzea sp. a fascinating Asteraceae
Leuzea sp. (conifera) Family: Asteraceae French common name: leuzée conifère I was fascinated by this plant which I first found growing early June on the Plateau de Bouichet in Aude. I …

Wood Avens a plague prevention remedy
Geum urbanum Family: Rosaceae (rose family) Harold Ward described Geum as a slender, sparsely branched plant reaching a height of one to two feet and preferring hedges, woods and shady …

Red Clover for hormones, skin and so much more
Trifolium pratense Family: Leguminosae (pea or bean family) Bremness describes red clover as having red-purple flowers with leaves of three oval leaflets. Weed suggests it is bright pink rather than red. …

Thyme for the thyme of cold and flu
Thymus vulgaris Family: Lamiaceae (Labiatae) And so to this website’s namesake! During the month of May, the hills around the Aude are covered with the stunning colour of the beautiful thyme …

Iris or Blue Flag
Iris versicolor Family: Iridaceae These photographs are all taken in April in the wild around the Aude. As I’m not a botanist I cannot confess to knowing the exact Iris species …

Borage to lift the spirits and lose the wrinkles!
Borago officinalis Family: Boraginaceae French common name: bourrache Price notes Pliny named the plant euphrosinum. Believed due to the happiness borage instilled. The word borago is possibly from Latin ‘burra’ meaning …
Red Dead-Nettle loved by bees
Lamium purpureum Family: Lamiaceae (mint or thyme family) This little purple annual tricks us into thinking she is a cousin of the stinging nettle. Even the common name suggests this. Lamium purpureum …