Mouse-ear

Hieracium pilosella syn. Pilosella officinarum

Felon Herb Hawkweed Mouse-ear Pilosella Parts used Uses Habitat and cultivation Constituents How much to take Collection and harvesting Combinations

Mouse-ear - a perennial growing 3-15 inches high, mouse-ear grows carpetlike on creeping runners, each of which forms a basal rosette of oval leaves. The leaves are green with white hairs above and gray-green or white with softer hairs below. Bright yellow to orange-yellow flower heads (May-September), resembling dandelions, are borne singly on leafless stalks.

Though it is a lowly dwarf of a weed that shows up in carpetlike patches over dry pastures and waste areas throughout the Northern Hemisphere, mouse-ear belongs to a genus whose botanical name has fierce connotations. Hieracium means "hawkweed," and the herb is so called because the ancients fancied that hawks would tear open the plant and wet their eyes with its juice to improve their vision, so that they could swoop down on their prey with deadlier accuracy. Of all the hawkweeds, the humble mouse-ear enjoyed the longest-lasting reputation as a remedy for a number of common ills. A tea brewed from its small hairy oblong leaves-like a mouse's ears-reputedly cured liver ailments, intestinal inflammations, and diarrhea, and was also recommended for asthma and other respiratory troubles. In addition, mouse-ear figured in herbal medicine as a fever-reducing agent, and a powder made from mouse-ear was used to stem nosebleeds.

Mouse-ear's alternative name felon herb has nothing to do with criminals. It derives from an old sense of felon meaning "boil, inflammation on a finger or toe." External application of the tea, which is an astringent, doubtless served in such cases. Even today, mouse-ear tea is an occasional home remedy for fever, bronchial complaints, and diarrhea.

PARTS USED

Aerial parts.

USES

Mouse-ear relaxes the muscles of the bronchial tubes, stimulates the cough reflex, and reduces the production of mucus. This combination of actions makes the herb effective against all manner of respiratory problems, including asthma and wheezing, whooping cough, bronchitis, and other chronic and congested coughs. Mouse-ear's astringency and its diuretic action also help to counter the production of mucus, sometimes throughout the respiratory system. The herb is used to control heavy menstrual bleeding and to ease the coughing up of blood. Mouse-ear may be applied as a poultice to hasten the healing of wounds.

A tea brewed from the whole herb is used both internally and externally, and may be used as a gargle and skin wash, or lotion. However, very little research is available to substantiate these uses.

HABITAT AND CULTIVATION

Mouse-ear is common throughout much of Europe and temperate regions of Asia. Mouse-ear is naturalized in North America. Found growing in dry pastures and on sandy soil, mouse-ear is collected when in flower in summer.

CONSTITUENTS

Mouse-ear contains a coumarin (umbelliferone), fIavonoids, and caffeic acid. Mouse-ear is thought to be mildly antifungal.

HOW MUCH TO TAKE

Infusion: pour a cup of boiling water onto 1-2 teaspoonfuls of the dried herb and leave to infuse for 10-15 minutes. This should be drunk three times a day.
Tincture: take 1-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.

COLLECTION AND HARVESTING

Mouse-ear should be collected when in flower between May and June.

COMBINATIONS

For whooping cough mouse-ear may be used with sundew, white horehound, mullein or coltsfoot.