Blue Vervain, Verbena hastata, is also known as wild hyssop.

There's a lot of folklore surrounding this plant. One of its nicknames is "Herb of the Cross" because certain sources state that it was used to stop Jesus' wounds from bleeding after he was taken off the cross. Vervain is also believed to have been used by Hippocrates (the "father of medicine") and was revered by the ancient Egyptians and Chinese and later by the Druids.

Medicinally, Blue Vervain helps with:

• headaches
• fevers
• coughs
• skin wounds or infections
• mood disorders
• boost lactation in nursing mothers
• PMS symptoms

I forage this plant in central MN.

I use the folk method for making all my tinctures, which uses no measurements except sizing things up with your eyes. So I put the plant material in a jar and then fill with alcohol.

Dosages -

Dosages for children are not provided in most herbals. To determine the correct dose you need to consider the size of the child, the ailment, the power of the herb you intend to use, and the adult dosage.

Young's Rule for determining dosage uses the child's age divided by twelve plus the age. The dosage for a 4 year old: 4/12+4 = 4/16 = 1/4 of the adult dose.