The daisy. Medicinal plant
"Eternally beautiful" is the German translation of the Latin name of the daisy. And it's true! This plant tirelessly produces its small flower heads almost all year round. Daisies are one of the few flowers that can withstand frequent lawn mowing and continue to produce new flower heads. The daisy (other names that we may remember from our childhood include eye flower, daisy, sky flower, small daisy, etc.) belongs to the daisy family and can be found almost everywhere: in your own garden, on meadows, roadsides, sometimes even in light woodland.
Children love this little flower! Wreaths were tied for their hair, they were ideal as bouquets for Mother's Day and, along with other flowers, were the first heralds of spring. However, very few people know that daisies can be eaten and that they are also extremely healthy!
Our ancestors held daisies sacred because they stood for innocence and purity. People used to see many magical powers in daisies. For the Celts, it was a guardian of the common people, and in folk medicine it was believed that a daisy root worn around the neck gave luck and good sense.
This healthy flower with lots of vitamin C, magnesium, iron and other valuable ingredients is incredibly versatile and is suitable for both savory and sweet recipes.
The flowers and leaves are used for savory dishes. They can be added to salads, herb, vegetable or potato soups, Maundy Thursday soup, vegetable dishes, herb rolls, herb quark and herb butter. They are also delicious sprinkled fresh on bread or briefly sautéed in a little olive oil and then added to salads.
Flower heads that are still closed or half-open are mixed into desserts and also used in cakes. The small flowers can be used to make jelly or syrup.
Daisy flowers can also be used to make skin care products for blemished and oily skin. They can be used in ointments, creams or as a daisy tincture. These products can also help with neurodermatitis.
Use in folk medicine
- for skin diseases - anti-inflammatory, promotes wound healing
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Daisy extract as a mouthwash for inflammation of the oral mucosa
- for painful or absent periods
- Dizzy spells
- Tea for coughs, fever, congestion of the respiratory tract, liver problems, after childbirth, arteriosclerosis
- for the psyche, as it has a cheering and strengthening effect
Use as a food and medicinal plant
Both the flowers and the leaves are collected. The young leaves from the inside of the rosette taste best. The flowers are also edible. The buds and the only half-opened flowers have a pleasant nutty taste, while the opened flowers are slightly bitter, making them ideal for adding to salads. When pickled, the buds are sometimes used as a substitute for capers.
The ingredients of this small flower are extremely rich, which is why it is highly valued as a medicinal plant: saponin, mucilage, bitter substances, tannins, vitamins, minerals, essential oils, magnesium and iron make the daisy a true miracle flower.
Recipes with the daisy
Jelly made from flowers and leaves:
Collect leaves of peppermint, woodruff, lemon balm, rosemary, ground ivy, goutweed. Collect flowers from daisies, bedstraw, dandelion, black elder. Bring one liter (measuring cylinder) of leaves or flowers to the boil with one liter of water and simmer for one to two minutes. Cool and strain, measure 3/4 liter of juice, add the juice of one lemon and 1 kg of preserving sugar. Boil down to jelly, pour hot into screw-top jars, turn upside down and leave to cool.
Tip for children:
You can eat the whole herb of the daisies, including the stems, which taste good. Children should be made aware of daisies at an early age. The plant is very recognizable and contains more vitamins than lettuce. It helps with small wounds and injuries. The little flower is also known as the "children's arnica".
Daisy care oil:
Soak daisies, lavender, rose petals in almond oil. Leave to stand for 3 weeks. Store in dark glass jars.
Treat children with this oil, they love to be massaged with it. Also recommended as a bath additive with a little cream for sensitive skin.
Daisy cream:
Mix 100 ml of care oil with 30 g of beeswax and pour into small jars. This cream helps with sprains and small wounds.
Daisy cough tea:
Pour hot water over violets, cowslip, thyme. Place the not fully opened daisy heads on the tea.
Children watch with fascination as the flowers open. The tea helps with mucus and is best
sweetened with real bee honey, which settles on the bronchial tubes and helps with coughing.
