What Is a Skullcap Plant?

Description

• Skullcap grows 1 to 3 feet high with hairy square stems much like the stems of mint. Leaves grow in pairs up the stem and are heart-shaped at the bottom with scalloped edges. Flowers bloom May to August in a profusion of blue and lavender. The top two petals are larger and resemble a hood or helmet over the two smaller lipped petals on the bottom.

Requirements

• Skullcap grows wild in woods and soggy ditches. It loves constant moisture, full sun to partial shade and fertile soil. Plant in shade in dry areas and provide extra water when the soil dries out.

History

• Native American people were the first to use skullcap medicinally and ceremonially. The plant initiated young girls into womanhood, probably because it initiates menstruation and helps rid the body of placenta after birth. During the mid-eighteen hundreds, it was used for a plethora of ailments in America, England and Europe.

Medicinal Uses

• Skullcap was an approved medication in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia from 1863 to 1916 and in the National Formulary from 1916 to 1947. It is an herb reported to ease problems related to the nervous system such as epilepsy, hysteria, anxiety, depression and sleep disorders. It is also useful in treating headaches, arthritis pain and is currently used to treat ADD. Skullcap is often used in lieu of tranquilizers. Pregnant women should not take the herb internally as it may cause miscarriage. Those with diabetes should be careful taking the herb internally because it lowers blood sugar too low when taking medication.

Planting

• Skullcap is easy to grow in the backyard by seed. The seeds need a cold period of at least 7 days in the refrigerator. Plant seeds in flats six to eight weeks before the last expected frost, or in the garden in late spring. Plant about 1 inch deep in the soil, place in the sun when in flats and keep evenly moist. Either plant or thin them 1 foot apart in the garden to account for any spread during the growing season.

Harvest

• Once plants get about 5 inches high and start to bloom, cut for harvest. The first year only take one cutting and two every year after. Keep the cut material out of the sun and hang to dry as soon as possible.