Common Name: Alpine Lady's Mantle

General Information

Alchemilla alpina is a herbaceous perennial plant producing a low mat of growth with erect, flowering stems up to 15cm tall from a creeping, woody rootstock[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and possibly as a food. It is also collected on a commercial basis, dried and sold for medicinal use.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Western and Northern Europe - Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Italy.

Habitat

Meadows, pastureland and woodland clearings, mainly on acid soils[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.15 m
Pollinators	Apomictic
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Easily grown in ordinary soil in sun or part shade[, ]. Prefers a well-drained acid soil[, ]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Succeeds in dry shade[].
Plants in this genus seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[].

Edible Uses

The following uses are for Alchemilla vulgaris. They quite probably also apply for this species[].

Young leaves - raw or cooked[, ]. A dry, somewhat astringent flavour[]. They can be mixed with the leaves of Polygonum bistorta and Polygonum persicaria then used in making a bitter herb pudding called 'Easter ledger' which is eaten during Lent[, ].

Root - cooked. An astringent taste[].

The leaves are used commercially in the blending of tea[].

Medicinal

Lady's mantle has a long history of herbal use, mainly as an external treatment for cuts and wounds, and internally in the treatment of diarrhoea and a number of women's ailments, especially menstrual problems[, ]. This plant, the alpine ladies mantle, has been shown to be more effective in its actions[, ].

The herb is alterative, antirheumatic, astringent, diuretic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, sedative, styptic, tonic and vulnerary[, , , , , ]. The plant is rich in tannin and so is an effective astringent and styptic, commonly used both internally and externally in the treatment of wounds[]. It helps stop vaginal discharge and is also used as a treatment for excessive menstruation and to heal lesions after pregnancy[, ]. Prolonged use can ease the discomfort of the menopause and excessive menstruation[].
The freshly pressed juice is used to help heal skin troubles such as acne and a weak decoction of the plant has been used in the treatment of conjunctivitis[].
The leaves and flowering stems are best harvested as the plant comes into flower and can then be dried for later use[].
The fresh root has similar and perhaps stronger properties to the leaves, but is less often used[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. The seed usually germinates in 3 - 4 weeks at 16°c[]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on a cold frame for their first winter, planting out in late spring or early summer.
Division in spring or autumn. The divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions, though we find it best to pot them up and keep them in a sheltered position until they are growing away well.