Costmary for digestive, liver and gallbladder problems
Costmary has been known by many other names, including alecost, allspice, balsam herb, bible leaf, bible plant, goose tongue, mint geranium, sweet Mary and sweet tongue. It is not related to the spice normally sold as allspice, mint, ornamental plants known by the common name geranium, nor to the genus Geranium (for example spotted cranesbill, which falls into both these last 2 classifications).
The cost part of the common names costmary and alecost is interesting, as it refers to a spice rarely seen in the UK nowadays, but which must have been more common at the time of naming – Costus speciosus the crepe ginger, which apparently has a similar flavor.
Unlike many other members of the Tanacetum genus it has what you might call “leaf-shaped” leaves, and these vary in size from very large towards the base of mature plants to quite small towards the top. The species Tanacetum balsamita (syn. Balsamita major or Chrysanthemum balsamita) shown in the top picture has flowers which are similar to many other herbs of the family Asteraceae, and the leaves when crushed smell like minty balsam. A variety, T. balsamita var. balsametoides (syn. T. balsamita var. tomentosa) has a camphor-like scent when crushed and is sometimes called the camphor plant. There is another variety, T. balsamita var. tanacetoides, shown in the lower picture, with button-like flowers (without the white ray florets which most people call petals) – the varietal name means “like Tansy“, a closely related herb with similar rayless flowers. The leaves of the true Tansy are more like those found on ferns, so telling the two apart should not be difficult.
Costmary is a hardy perennial which makes a bush around 3 feet (90cm) tall and spreading over a similar area. It is not fussy as to soil, and will grow anywhere, in full sun if you want it to flower (though you do not need the flowers if you are growing it for use in remedies) or partial shade. As it can be invasive, it must be kept under control. It can spread both by increasing rhizomes underground and by seed. The root expansion may, perhaps, be kept in hand by planting it in a large buried pot or a root-restricting box of paving stones or similar, in the same way as fig trees are sometimes grown. Deadheading will take care of self-sowing.
Costmary can be used for tea, and was once used instead of hops to brew beer, hence the name alecost, though nowadays many beers never see either. The dried leaves can also be used for pot pourri and as an ingredient for herb pillows. The large leaves were once used as bookmarks, especially in bibles, which is where the name bible leaf came from.
Costmary is not suitable for use by pregnant women.
Costmary is not often used by modern herbalists, but can be used to treat digestive, liver and gallbladder disorders. For these uses, make a standard infusion using 30g (1 ounce) of dried leaves or 3 handfuls of fresh to 570ml (2.5 US cups, 1 UK pint) of boiling water. Allow to steep for between 15 minutes and 4 hours, then strain for use. The dosage is up to 240ml (1 US cup, 8 fl oz) per day, split into 3 doses.
According to Culpeper’s Herbal: “It maketh an excellent salve to heal old [external] ulcers, being boiled with oil of olive, and adder’s tongue with it; and after is strained, put in a little wax, rosin, and turpentine to make it as thick as required.”
Costmary, like other herbs grown for use in remedies, must be grown organically to avoid its active constituents being corrupted by the presence of non-native chemicals. To find out more about growing organic costmary visit the Gardenzone.
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