thewesternisles.co.uk

Western Isles Wildflowers

Western Isles wildflowers is a collection of information about our Hebridean wildflowers including identification hints, traditional herbal uses and general plant lore.

 

Sneezewort

Achillea ptamica

Gaelic name: Cruaidh-lus

Sneezewort is usually found in damp or marshy areas, flushes, margins of wet meadows and roadsides near ditches. It is only occasionally found growing in the Western Isles.

It is a tall plant approximately 2 ft, a perennial with roots which creep below the ground rather like couch grass. Sneezewort dies down in the Autumn.

Sneezewort has few flowerheads, the flowers are white and about 1/2" across, daisy-like but with pale yellow or greenish-grey centres.

The flowers and leaves of sneezewort were used to make a digestive tea.

Sneezewort is a native plant of the Western Isles.

Photography © Suzanne Harris
Callanish - Isle of Lewis - Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)
26th June, 2007