Lady's Mantle, Alchemilla vulgaris
Description
Lady's Mantle is a perennial plant with distinctive cookie cutter shaped leaves and small, yellowish-green flowers that bloom from June to August. Lady's Mantle is commonly seen in roadside verges, gardens, woodland, meadows and parks. The family name Alchemilla stems from the word “alchemy”, and refers to the belief in medieval times that the pretty water droplets that can form on the leaves could turn base metals into gold, or instill youth when consumed. The whole plant is edible, but the young leaves are best when fresh in salads, or in other dishes, such as pesto. Lady's mantle flowers are traditionally used as herbal tea and are said to aid women during pregnancy and menstruation.
Lady's Mantle Checklist
Habitat
🐑 Grassland, including paddocks, fields and meadows.
🏡 Urban Green Spaces, including scrubland, parks and gardens.
Season
🌸🌞🍂 May - September
Leaves
☘️ Green, kidney-shaped, distinctively corrugated and lobed. The often trap water at their centres after rainfall.
Flowers
🌷 Tiny yellowish-green, five-petalled flowers form small clusters at end of the stems. Each individual flower is typically around 3mm in diameter and bloom Between June and September.
Stem
🌱 Green, round, branched and hairy.
Edible Parts
☘️ Leaves. The whole plant is edible but the young leaves are most commonly used.
🌷 Flowers
🌱 Stem
Aroma / Taste
👃 Indistinct Aroma
👅 Pleasant, slightly bitter. Stronger and more bitter if exposed to full sun.
ID Notes
🟩 ID Difficulty - Beginner
👀 The very distinctive leaves are the key identifier of this plant.
Uses
🥗 Salad - Can be eaten raw and added to salads.
☕️ Beverage - Can be used to make teas or other drinks.
🧉 Condiment - Can be used to make pesto and sauces.
💊 Herbal Remedy - Is often used medicinally.