Two good reasons for buying this particular plant. Firstly, it's a species I've been looking out for. Secondly, this is a very robust and healthy looking specimen. I saw it on a stall last Saturday at the annual visit of the Plant Fairs Roadshow to my local community centre. These are a group of small scale growers who put together a series of plant sales every year at various venues. Rather like a Farmers Market only for plants.

 This is Motherwort (Leonarus cardiaca), native to southeastern Europe into Asia and naturalised here and there in the UK. Actually I have rarely seen it growing wild or in gardens so I was pleased to find this one. Sometimes you come across a pot grown plant which seems to have the vigour of a wild thing.

 I don't really investigate the medicinal properties of plants in this diary but I note that L. cardiaca features heavily in herbal lore across the ages. The common name Motherwort alludes to its reputation as a treatment for various female conditions; the Latin cardiaca pertaining to ailments of the heart and stomach. All the ills it is said to cure would be a very long list, including warding off evil spirits. However, the whorls of pink/purple/lilac flowers definitely attract bees in profusion.

 I'll leave the final word to the 17th. century herbalist Nicholas Culpepper: "There is no better herb to take melancholy vapours from the heart, strengthen it, and make a merry, cheerful, blythe soul".