Description

Insectivorous perennial growing to 4 in (10 cm). Has fleshy leaves in a basal rosette and double-lipped, purple-blue flowers.

Habitat & Cultivation

Native to northern and western Europe, butterwort grows in moorland and on mountains. The leaves are gathered in midsummer.

Parts Used

Leaves.

Constituents

Butterwort contains mucilage, tannins, benzoic acid, cinnamic acid, and valeric acid. Cinnamic acid has antispasmodic properties.

History & Folklore

Butterwort was much used in Welsh herbal medicine as a purgative. In Norway, the plant has been used to curdle reindeer milk, and medicinally, to treat wounds and ringworm.

Medicinal Actions & Uses

Butterwort is little employed in European herbal medicine today. Its main use is as a cough remedy, with properties similar to those of sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), another insect-eating plant. Butterwort may be used to treat chronic and convulsive coughs.

Related Species

The similar P. grandiflora, native to the Pyrenees, has been used to treat spasmodic coughs.

Caution

Take butterwort only under professional supervision.