Couch Grass A Healing Herb, Or An Invasive Weed?

While browsing through a bookcase full of old family books I came across a Pelican books called British herbs by Florence Ranson which must have belonged to my mother.  It was written in 1949.  I took it into my study and sat and started to scan through it.  I was totally surprised to read Couch grass was a valuable herb.  I only saw it as an invasive grass that crept into my beds and I  had to tussled with it every year. 

Pops dog obviously knew this plant as healing herb because she would often seek out and eat couch grass at the allotment in preference to other grasses.  So this grass that I considered a invasive nuisance had been known since Roman times and through the centuries as a valuable herb. During the Second World War it was grown to replace imported herbs need for bladder and kidney ailments. It cleanses the kidneys and liver and herbalist down ages have acclaimed it as a beneficial herb.

  Gerald writing in the sixteenth centuary wrote:

"Although the couch grasse be an unwelcome guest to fields and gardens, yet his physicke virtues do recompense those hurtes."

The French consider couch grass as a spring tonic where it is made into a herbal tea to detoxify the body. The Swiss naturopath,  Dr. Alfred Vogel  recognized that this tea was: 

" an: excellent infusion as it stimulates the liver’s cleansing capabilities as well as promotes the body’s natural immunity to fight against diseases easily and for long term."
 
 I was ignorant of the herbal benefits of couch grass until I read Florence Ranson's book,  but Pops instincts leads her to eat this grass as a detox,  Couch grass tastes sweet and is a member of the same family as the sugar cane.   Birds and poultry enjoy the seeds,in fact all grain and plants Millet, wheat, rye, oats and barley are cultivated forms of this family.

The part of the plants used as a herbal remedy are distilled from the roots which are harvested in the Spring and Autumn.  All those rhizomes and roots I try to dig out of my beds at my plot. Despite being a beneficial herb,  I do not think it is a herb I will be brewing tea from at my plot.   Apparently it does not have a pleasant taste when made from the powdered roots, although some people like the sweet taste of a green juice made from the leaves and stems of the plant.

I still think it is an invasive grass but as I dig it out I will have more respect for it as a healing herb.

 With Reiki blessings

Merry B