Marsh Woundwort
Stachys palustris
Historically known as 'All-Heal', Anglo-Saxon herbalists highly valued this plant for its ability to quickly staunch bleeding and prevent infection in wounds.
- Scientific name
- Stachys palustris
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Lamiales › Lamiaceae › Stachys
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- wetland
- Habitat
- Marshes, fens, wet ditches, riverbanks, and damp meadows.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (photosynthesis, drawing nutrients from saturated, organic-rich soils).
- Range
- Europe, Western Asia, Siberia, North America
- Size
- 30 to 100 cm tall.
- Lifespan
- Perennial (individual roots can persist for several years, spreading indefinitely via rhizomes).
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Wetland drainage, habitat destruction, and agricultural runoff.
- Safe to approach?
- This plant is entirely harmless to touch. When observing it in wet meadows, avoid trampling the fragile marsh soil. If foraging for historical herbal use, ensure correct identification to avoid toxic lookalikes, and wash the plant thoroughly before use.
Stachys palustris , commonly known as marsh woundwort , marsh hedgenettle , or hedge-nettle , is an edible perennial grassland herb growing to 80 centimeters tall. It is native to parts of Eurasia but has been introduced to North America. The species epithet palustris is Latin for "of the marsh" and indicates its common habitat.
Photo: Patrick Hacker, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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