Bach Flower Remedies
Scleranthus

Scleranthus annuus

Scleranthus is an annual (the Perennial Knawel is similar but woody). Scleranthus grows low on the ground with numerous branched stems that form in a tangled cushion. The leaves are small and spiky, clasping the stem in pairs. The cluster of flowers at the end of the shoots are green, 4mm across and without petals. The five pointed sepals might be mistaken for petals. They give the appearance of a tiny crown. The fruit is a dry nut that forms in the centre. A search for scleranthus may lead to many similar plants being found: some of the Spurreys and Pearlworts in particular might be taken in error. Procumbent pearlwort (Sagina Procumbens) grows where scleranthus will not, in damp and shaded places.

Flowering Period

Scleranthus flowers from late May to September.

Preparation

Scleranthus is prepared by the sun method. Find a place where the plant grows strongly and pick the flowering heads, floating them on to the surface of the water. This may involve picking some seeds, so the scleranthus can be helped by seeing them safely back on to the earth when the essence has been made.

Uses

Indecision, imbalance.

Scleranthus is the remedy for people who find it difficult to make up their minds when faced with a choice. They may find it hard to make an important decision, like who their life partner should be; or it may be a relatively trivial matter such as deciding which coat to buy. A Scleranthus type faces this dilemma all the time, but this is a remedy which can be helpful to anyone having trouble taking a decision.

The remedy is also indicated for mood swings - happy one minute, sad the next -and has been found to be helpful in other situations where balance is disturbed, such as motion sickness.

Animals, too, may display this up and down temperament. Scleranthus is seen in the cat that spends an unnecessarily long time going from one cushion to another before finally deciding which is most comfortable for settling down and falling asleep on, or in the dog that asks to go for a walk and then changes its mind as soon as you get outside.

Scleranthus animals can be unpredictable. If you are involved in show jumping, you will never be quite sure whether a Scleranthus horse will go over a particular jump with ease or refuse point blank. And as with Scleranthus humans, Scleranthus animals may suffer from mood swings and be unhappy travelers.

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