The Tears of Helen

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The Tears of Helen

There’s an old story that, when Helen of Troy realised what chaos and misery she had caused the people of both Sparta and Troy by her wholly uncalled-for desertion of the long-suffering Menelaus for the feckless Paris, she wept tears of gold. And from the earth where they fell, there grew a tall, beautiful plant with radiant golden flowers like small, shaggy sunflowers.

That plant was Elecampane (pictured), whose Latin name is, tellingly, Inula helenium. When you meet Elecampane in the flesh, any thoughts of launching a thousand ships might vanish at the sight of exuberantly lush, large, woolly leaves, which put you in mind more of rampant weeds like foxglove or butterbur. The flowers are very lovely, however, at the top of stems taller than the height of a man, and rival the well-known buddleia when it comes to attracting butterflies.

It was introduced to Britain in ancient times for the medicinal properties of its aromatic roots, which were used to treat coughs, catarrh and bronchial tract disorders. It has since naturalised, but is often found near old monastic

sites and gardens where it was grown for its curative properties. Sometimes the roots were candied and eaten as sweets, or the juice added to flavour sweets. The flowers, too, may be made into a decoction, while the essential oil was used in perfumery. In parts of Europe, Elecampane is still added to wines and liqueurs.

Inulin is the active ingredient found in high concentration in the plant’s roots, and it is now widely accepted as a treatment for asthma. A combination of Elecampane with Horehound (Marrubium vulgare) and Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) should be a cracking expectorant to shift chesty coughs! Inulin is sweet, and is a recommended sweetener for diabetics.

Elecampane’s other major medicinal property is that it is antibacterial and antifungal. So effective is it treating skin diseases that it acquired its other, less beguiling, name of Scabwort. This use seems to have been particularly popular in veterinary medicine.

Because of its size, Elecampane (pictured above) needs a special place in the herb garden. Like the sunflower to which it is related, it prefers its head in the sun, but I’ve seen it growing wild on a woodland edge and looking very healthy. A fertile soil that doesn’t dry out yet drains well will suit it best. It’s easy to grow and reassuringly vigorous, yet dies down completely in winter, so put in a marker. Make sure it’s visible from your favourite garden seat, so that you can enjoy the butterflies – they could teach Helen a thing or two about beauty!