Daisy, daisy, give me your healing do!

Everywhere I seem to look at the moment there are glorious carpets of daisies (Bellis perennis).  Not only this humble plant both pleasing to the eye and useful for daisy chains and crowns, it also has a range of medicinal properties.  We can consider the common daisy as a native alternative to arnica, which is becoming rarer due to its mountainous location, whereas our daisies can be found growing abundantly throughout the year.  Principally used as a cough medicine, it an effective remedy particularly for coughs accompanied by tough, sticky catarrh.  Used topically, it is a beneficial herb for wounds, sprains, grazes, bruises, ulcers and for drawing boils.  However, unlike arnica, daisy is safe to use on broken skin.  Energetically, daises are light-hearted and playful and so are indicated for patients with respiratory conditions that could be as a result of a constriction of the chest from carrying the weight of the world or from heart break.  However, you don’t have to have a chest complaint to benefit from the lively and playful spirit of daisies.  For an effective home remedy, you can take fresh or dried daisies and make an infused oil that can be used on its own or made into an ointment with beeswax (or another setting agent), to be used topically for bruises and sprains.  A honey syrup can be made by soaking daisy flowers in honey for a few weeks, ensuring they stay under the surface.  Once ready, strain and add to a cough mixture remedy with thyme or liquorice, for example, or simply take 5ml off a spoon as needed.  If someone is hurt while out walking or playing, crushing and applying fresh daisies is helpful for treating fresh wounds, sprains or lumps and bumps.  Alcohol extractions (tinctures) and fresh teas can be prepared for internal use of the herb.  Alternatively, daisy leaves and flowers can be added to fresh salads or soups.  As always, when out picking fresh plants, give them a good wash before use!  So, no matter how old you are, go and get amongst the daisies, you may end up with a useful cough mixture, a valuable healing ointment, a lightness of spirit and a new crown!