The cowslip. Medicinal plant

“Where cowslips grow, the elves dance at night” – so say the Native Americans!

According to legend, the ‘key to heaven’ – as the cowslip is also known – came into being when St Peter’s bunch of keys fell to earth and the cowslip grew from them. It had slipped from his grasp in a fit of terror when he heard that demons had had a duplicate key made for the golden gates of heaven in order to gain entry.
If we take a close look at this lovely little flower, we can indeed see the resemblance to a bunch of keys. In popular parlance, there are many other names for the cowslip, such as: meadow primrose, ‘Allelujableaml’, ‘heaven’s key’…

There are two very similar species of the cowslip, or ‘heaven’s key’ as we commonly call it. The tall cowslip flowers very early in the year and has pale yellow flowers. It blooms very profusely, particularly in areas where no liquid manure is used as fertiliser.

The common cowslip is rare and a protected species. It does not flower until April/May and has dark yellow flowers with small reddish spots. Its active constituents are more potent and are used in medicine. The true cowslip belongs to the primrose family. It is widespread across much of Europe.

Hildegard von Bingen was the first to mention the cowslip in her writings. According to the abbess, the plant is ‘warm’ because it is strengthened by the sun and therefore dispels gloom and melancholy. Today, the cowslip is one of the classic medicinal plants used to treat respiratory conditions; it is therefore found in the well-known Sinupret syrup, which is used to treat inflammation of the sinuses.

Salads take on a particularly delicate flavour when garnished with cowslip blossoms.
These little yellow blossoms also look very decorative in an aperitif!
In herbal medicine, the roots and blossoms are used to make tea. This has an expectorant effect on persistent coughs.
However, some people do have an allergic reaction when they come into contact with primrose species.

Cough tea:
As cowslip has antispasmodic and expectorant properties, it is ideal for making cough tea. To make the cough tea, use one teaspoon of cowslip roots and/or flowers, pour a cup of boiling water over them and leave the tea to infuse for ten minutes. Then strain it and, once cooled, drink two to three cups a day.

Cowslip flowers can also be combined very well with the following herbs to make a spring tea blend: birch leaves, nettle leaves, dandelion, chickweed, speedwell

Spring flowers – vinegar
500 ml wine vinegar or mild apple cider vinegar
50 g violet blossoms
50 g daisies
1 tbsp honey or ½ vanilla pod, to taste
Pour the vinegar over the blossoms. Make sure there are no small insects in the flowers. (Leave to stand for a short while if necessary.) Leave to infuse for about 2 weeks.
Turns your salad dressing into something really special!