💾 Archived View for webdragon.mywire.org › plants › Hedera-Helix.gmi captured on 2023-04-19 at 22:42:36. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content
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Other names: Woodbind
Flower colour: Green/yellow
Cherry colour: First green, then blue/black
Flowering: September - November
Height: 3 - 15 m
Active ingredients: Flavononolglycosides, saponins, emetine, polyacetylenes, sterols
Used parts: 'Folium', the leaves.
The ancient Egypts already knew common ivy and they linked it to Osiris. The ancient Greeks and Romans considered the plant to be the counterpart of the vine and they thought that it could thus prevent drunkenness. This is also why Dionysus and Bacchus, the wine gods of the Greeks and Romans, are displayed with a wreath of ivy. So when someone was drunk they gave a decoction of woodbind leaves. Furthermore, Hedera Helix was seen as a symbol of never-ending life and loyalty. This is because the leaves of the plant are always green, even during Winter. Later the plant became also a symbol of very strong friendship that could persist even after death. So you can imagine that common ivy was depicted quite a lot. Plinius the Elder uses woodbind to treat bites of bees and spiders and he used it against headaches. He also used ivy as diureticum. Moreover, he made some paradoxical observations. Ivy would, when used internally, disturb the mind, but it would also clear it when someone was drunk. Also, Hedera Helix juice would damage the muscles when used internally, but it would sooth them when used externally. And that are not the only paradoxical things about common ivy, for it was seen as both a bringer of fortune as well as a bringer of misfortune, though this was probably in a later period of time. In the Germanic lore the ivy was linked to the god Thor.
Nowadays common ivy is still known to have several medical effects. It can be used externally to improve the blood circulation of the skin, it works analgetic and can even work as nerve painkiller. Woodbind also has a antifungal, antibacterial, antiparasitic and antiseptic effect. It can also be anti-inflammatory. Another effect, which is caused by the improvement of the blood circulation, is that common ivy can improve the growth of hair. And because it contains saponins, it is possible to use Hedera Helix for a herbal shampoo. These effects were all for external use. It is also possible to use common ivy internally, but that can be dangerous, since Hedera Helix is possibly poisonous. And since there are not really much effects of internal use, I will not mention them here.
You should NOT use common ivy internally, for it is poisonous.
Even externally used, Hedera Helix should NOT be used for very long periods of time. It can cause contact dermatits, though that can be over soon.
Pregnant people and children should NEVER use this plant.
The cherries of common ivy are very poisonous and even the other parts of the plant are poisonous.
For more information about the poison, see the Poisonous Plants page.
PLEASE NEVER USE IVY INTERNALLY UNLESS A QUALIFIED DOCTOR SAYS OTHERWISE!