Adder’s Tongue

Adder’s Tongue (Erythronium americanum)

*

Folk Names: American Adder’s Tongue, Serpent’s Tongue, Adder’s Mouth

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Moon (Cancer)

Element: Water

Powers: Healing

*

Erythronium (also known as Fawn Lily, Trout Lily, or Dog’s-tooth Violet), a genus of lilies.

The erythronium americanum is the herb most often referred to by herbalists as fawn lily, trout lily, dog’s-tooth violet and adder’s-tongue.

*

Cooking:

The bulb is edible as a root vegetable, cooked or dried, and can be ground into flour.

The leaves can also be cooked as a leaf vegetable and the green seed pods have the flavour of string beans and are tasty raw or cooked.

In Japan, Erythronium japonicum is called katakuri, and the bulb is processed to produce starch, which is used in the preparation of tempura, mochi and other dishes.

True katakuriko is now quite costly and is rarely available in stores.

*

Medicinal Uses:

Adder’s tongue was a popular treatment of scrofula, a form of tuberculosis that affects the lymph nodes in the neck, and is still used for skin ailments.

Use one teaspoon of fresh leaves or two teaspoons of root to one cup of boiling water.

A poultice can be made using crushed leaves, or pieces of root simmered in milk until it reaches the desired consistency.

*

Magikal Uses:

This is a feminine plant governed by the moon and the element of water.

It has healing powers and is used to treat wounds and bruising. Soak some adder’s tongue in cold water, wrap it in a cloth, and apply it to the wound or bruise until the herb grows warm.

Bury the wet herb in a muddy place.

The wound will be cured.

Posted By Lady Becky

Pictures by ianadamsphotography.com

XXX