Herbal: Dove's-foot geranium

Image credit: IJmuiden, the Netherlands, via Wikipedia

Latin name: Geranium molle (L.)
Synonyms: Dove's-foot crane's-bill, minor variations
Action: astringent, anodyne, vulnerary, carminative, diuretic
Parts: whole herb, roots
Harvest: spring, early summer (in flower)
Uses:
- external: rashes, skin irritation, bleeding wounds; sprains, sore muscles and joints, gout; to promote wound healing
- internal: minor bleeding, fluxes; aches, rheumatism, gout; to promote internal wound healing; gassy indigestion; kidney stones
Notes: none

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A lot of entries in my herbal come from weeding.  It seems a shame to throw away potentially useful things, so while a few plants reflexively end up on the compost pile (buttercups and whatever Euphorbias I run across) I often pull out the laptop when I take a break, to figure out what to set aside.

I finally got around to the dove's-foot geranium.  I identified it a few years ago, for a sheep farmer in a nearby valley who gave me a tour of his farm and a bunch of tips for raising sheep; he was frustrated that it seemed to be everywhere the pasture wasn't doing well, and wanted to know whether it would poison his sheep.  Fortunately not, though he seemed happy to have the information he needed to select an herbicide.  For my part, I generally leave it alone in my yard, unless it's in the way.

There's some of it in the raised beds this winter, and as I prepare to refresh the beds for next growing season, I decided to see what I could do with it.  Geranium is almost universally benevolent, even more than its namesakes, the ornamental Pelargonium species, so even before I had pinned down its species back then I knew it wouldn't be toxic.  I found an entry from Culpepper in 1652 suggesting it had useful properties, but I dislike trying to interpret the notes of herbalists before the 19th century, so I kept looking.

Earth.com says "The leaves and flowers of Geranium molle have been used for centuries in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments, including diarrhea, wounds, and skin irritations. The plant contains a range of compounds that have anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and astringent properties, which make it useful for treating conditions such as respiratory infections, menstrual cramps, and digestive disorders."

I didn't find a whole lot else, except brief comments that said it's a vulnerary, anodyne, and astringent.  Most of them probably got it from Culpepper, which was annotated by (among other sites) Julia's Edible Weeds:

“It is found by experience to be singularly good for wind cholic, as also to expel the stone and gravel in the kidneys. The decoction thereof in wine, is an excellent good cure for those that have inward wounds, hurts, or bruises, both to stay the bleeding, (astringent qualities) to dissolve and expel the congealed blood, and to heal the parts, as also to cleanse and heal outward sores, ulcers and fistulas; and for green wounds, many do only bruise the herb, and apply it to the places, and it heals them quickly (vulnerary qualities). The same decoction in wine fomented to any place pained with the gout, or to joint-aches, or pains of the sinews, gives much ease (anodyne qualities). The powder or decoction of the herb sinews, gives much ease. The powder or decoction of the herb taken for some time together, is found by experience to be singularly good for ruptures and burstings in people, either young or old.”

I'm going to add "carminative and diuretic", to cover the first sentence there. The last sentence stumps me, again, because medicine in the 17th century bore so little resemblance to our current practices that the language is difficult to interpret.  Boils and piles and ulcers I know, but "ruptures and burstings"?

I found a more helpful entry at PFAF for a similar plant, the cut-leaf geranium, which confirmed that it should probably be harvested while flowering, and before setting seed.  It went on to mention "The whole plant, but especially the roots, is rich in tannin", citing Grieve's "A Modern Herbal".  Tannins are the main astringent compound in geraniums, so my guess is the roots would be best suited for those applications.  Interesting that they make the distinction.

So my list of uses is going to be:

• Astringent: to stop bleeding wounds, relieve diarrhea, for rashes and skin irritation
• Anodyne: for internal and external aches, sprains, rheumatism, gout
• Vulnerary: to promote healing of wounds, external and internal
• Carminative: for gassy indigestion
• Diuretic: for kidney stones, specifically

There are no hazards associated with this herb that I know of.  Geraniums aren't exactly food plants, but they don't have compounds that can harm in excess (no oxalates or alkaloids).  I expect it can be used as necessary, even regularly if needed.