Red Clover (Trifolium Pratense)

The flower heads are used which contain, isoflavones, flavonoids, resins, coumarins, minerals and vitamins

Red Clover

Do you remember walking through the fields as a child surrounded by red clover? I do, but it is fairly rare to see extensive patches of red clover in fields now, due to intensive farming methods and weed killers. So I am always pleased to see it growing in large amounts anywhere.

As a result of the fairly recent approach to managing public land, such as the Downs, by rotating cattle on them to crop the pasture and let plants seed naturally, there is a lot of it growing on the South Downs.

Red clover is another herb which has alterative properties, meaning it helps the organs and systems in the body to balance themselves and function properly. It has anti inflammatory actions and is a wonderful Lymphatic system cleanser. It is also said to have anti neoplastic properties (anti cancer).

I used to go through buckets loads of red clover tincture when we lived in Slough in Berkshire, as the incidence of childhood Eczema in Slough is very high and along with Heartsease it is always an essential ingredient inĀ  any mixture I make up to help clear Eczema.

Eastbourne, where we currently live, has an older population and I have not treated as much Eczema. I still use the tincture in all mixtures for conditions requiring any lymphatic cleansing or skin cleansing action.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information