The Woodland Wild Basil

An aromatic herb related to mint, once widely appreciated in folk remedies: infusions of leaves and flowers were used as compresses to reduce fever and pain, or drunk to aid digestion and calm the body. In mountain villages it was considered a “beneficial” woodland plant, also gathered to flavor drinks, tonic baths and rustic dishes; in some areas its mild menthol aroma was used as a humble substitute for true mint. Ecologically, its pink-purple flowers are highly melliferous and represent a stable resource for bees and butterflies in open woodlands and meadow edges.