Alchemilla vulgaris and Alchemilla alpina may not be as well-known as other medicinal plants, but their virtues are both ancient and profound. Whether you're a herbal enthusiast or simply looking for natural support for painful menstrual cycles, this discreet plant deserves a spot in your natural medicine cabinet.
🍃 What Is Lady’s Mantle?
The name lady’s mantle (alchémille in French) comes from the word alchemy, because in the Middle Ages, people believed that the droplets of water the plant holds on its leaves possessed magical properties. These beads of water, often mistaken for dew, fascinated early herbalists so much that they considered lady’s mantle a sacred plant.
There are two main varieties:
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Common lady’s mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris): Found in meadows, embankments, and gardens, from lowlands to mid-altitudes.
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Alpine lady’s mantle (Alchemilla alpina): Smaller and more delicate, it grows in mountainous areas, especially in rocky alpine pastures and damp meadows.
🔎 How to Recognize Lady’s Mantle
The most widespread species in our regions is Alchemilla vulgaris, recognizable by its soft, fan-shaped, toothed leaves that form little cups where dew collects. These water droplets have long inspired wonder and were central to its symbolic and medicinal use in ancient times.
Its small greenish-yellow flowers bloom between June and August. Alchemilla alpina, with its elongated leaves and silvery undersides, prefers higher altitudes.
Both belong to the Rosaceae family and can easily be spotted along walking paths, in open fields, forest edges, and alpine zones.
🌸 Properties and Benefits
Lady’s mantle is particularly valued for its effects on women’s hormonal balance. It contains tannins and flavonoids, compounds with astringent, anti-inflammatory, and tonic properties, especially for the uterus.
Used regularly as an herbal tea, it can help:
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Relieve menstrual cramps
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Regulate menstrual cycles
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Alleviate premenstrual symptoms
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Support postpartum recovery
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Reduce heavy bleeding
But its virtues go beyond that. Thanks to its astringent and healing action, lady’s mantle can also help treat diarrhea, minor skin wounds, mouth ulcers, and even skin slackening when used externally.
🌿 How to Use Lady’s Mantle
Both leaves and flowers can be used fresh or dried. The most common preparation is a herbal infusion:
Internal use:
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1 tsp of dried lady’s mantle per cup of hot water
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Let steep for 10 minutes
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Drink 2 to 3 cups a day during your cycle or just before
External use:
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Prepare a more concentrated decoction to apply in compresses, for skin rinses, or sitz baths
It’s also possible to make homemade tinctures or include it in natural cosmetic salves.
⚠️ A Few Precautions
Lady’s mantle is generally safe, but like any medicinal plant, it should be avoided during early pregnancy unless supervised by a professional. People taking hormonal therapy or anticoagulants should consult a physician or qualified herbalist before use.
🌼 Why You’ll Love It
Lady’s mantle embodies both softness and strength. It offers real support in challenging moments of the menstrual cycle while gently helping to rebalance the body. Beyond its healing properties, its almost magical appearance makes it a beautiful presence during summer walks.