Maidenhair Fern Adiantum capillus-veneris


Adiantum capillus-veneris
Adiantum capillus-veneris
  • Common Names
  • Maidenhair Fern , Venus hair fern, True maidenhair fern
  • Botanical Name
  • Adiantum capillus-veneris
  • Family
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Medicinal Uses & Benefits of Maidenhair Fern

remedyHow to Use| Side Effects |


  • Parts Used: Whole herb

How to Use: Maidenhair Fern


This lovely fern is mainly valued today as a house plant, or an attractive addition in shade gardens, but its history as a botanical reaches back to Dioscordies who prescribed it for pectoral complaints1. The plants mucilage content would support this use. It's addition to hair tonics would seem to stem from more from legend and fancy than not, the botanical name Adiantum means unmoistened or water-repelling; Venus is said to have risen from her watery home with dry hair. 2

Preparation Methods & Dosage :The whole plant, fronds and rootstalk alike is dried and used as a tea 1 oz of dried herb to 1 oz boiling water. The old French cough syrup recipe, Sirop de Capillaire calls for 5 oz of dried fern, 2 ounces of licorice root in 5 pints of boiling water, adding after 6 hours, 3 pounds of sugar and 1 pint of orange juice. 2


Maidenhair Fern Side Effects: None noted

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Related Species A.pedatum


History and Traditions & Folklore


References:
books citedWorks Cited
  1. Grieve, Maud Mrs. "A Modern Herbal" (1931)
  2. Nelson Coon. "Using Plants for Healing", (1963), Rodale