Gundermann can be found almost everywhere in fallow areas, meadows and gardens. The creeper is often viewed as a nuisance weed. It is a medicinal herb that has been tried and tested for centuries and whose effects have been scientifically proven. Gundel vine, as the plant is also called, is also used as a herb in the kitchen.
How can Gundermann be used?
Gundermann is used as an ornamental plant in the garden, as a spicy salad or cooking herb in the kitchen and as a medicinal plant for the internal and external treatment of inflammation, loss of appetite and wound healing. The plant is undemanding and grows well even in dark, moist areas.
Use of Gundermann in the home and garden
- Ornamental plant in the garden
- Herbs and salad herbs in the kitchen
- Medicinal plant for internal and external use
Caring for Gundermann in the garden
Gundermann is undemanding and grows almost everywhere. The herb is ideal for adding greenery to dark, damp corners. It can be planted wherever ivy thrives.
Be careful! The plant grows very vigorously and will take over the entire garden if its spread is not controlled. The long tendrils must be cut off and removed regularly as they produce many offshoots.
Gundermann in the kitchen
Gundelrebe has very spicy leaves that taste a bit minty. They contain a lot of vitamin C and are therefore a he althy addition to wild cabbage salads.
Dried or fresh, Gundermann leaves are suitable as a seasoning herb. It can be added to all dishes that are also seasoned with thyme or mint.
The healing effect of Gundermann
Hildegard von Bingen already recognized the healing effects of Gundermann for inflammation. The medicinal herb contains essential oils that have an anti-inflammatory effect. Then as now, it was used to heal festering wounds. This is where the name comes from, because Gund is Old High German for pus.
The leaves are ground and applied externally as a compress to wounds. There they support wound healing. By the way, Gundel vine can be used to make a bath additive that has a skin-care effect.
Gundermann can be used as a tea or tincture as part of medical treatment. It is recommended for stubborn colds, loss of appetite and internal inflammation. The tannins and bitter substances contained in the gundel vine stimulate the metabolism and have an effect on loss of appetite.
Tip
Gundermann is not poisonous to humans. Things are different with animals. Meadows overgrown with Gundermann are not suitable for keeping livestock or setting up rodent cages, as animals can become seriously ill from the herb.