bianca's Herb Patch : Peony
In the Middle Ages, this plant used in witchcraft was thought to guard the
home against storms and devils. Its seeds were ground to a powder and
taken in the morning and at night to ward off nightmares and melancholy
dreams. It was also a custom to wear a chain of beads cut from peony roots
as a protection against all sorts of illness and injury, to assist children
in teething, and as a remedy for insanity. The American Indians used a tea
of the roots for lung troubles; it has also been used as a tonic, an
antispasmodic, and (bianca's favorite use) for cleansing the uterus.
The peony was known to the ancient Greeks. Its seeds have been used as a
spice.