Hart's-tongue fern

The hart's-tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium L) has been used in traditional folk medicine for thousands of years as a medicinal plant. Belonging to the family of spleenworts, hart's-tongue fern is still used today in veterinary medicine and partly in pharmacy.

 

Hart's-tongue ferns can be found almost everywhere throughout Europe. The hart's-tongue fern medicinal plant particularly likes to grow in cool and moist gorges, which must not lack sunlight. Rock crevices or old, overgrown walls are often covered with hart's-tongue fern. Nearby, linden, ash, or maple trees often grow.

 

Numerous ingredients contribute to the possible health-promoting effect of hart's-tongue fern. Primarily, the contained mucilages can help. These can act antitoxic and anti-inflammatory, among other things because they are usually water-insoluble.

Another health-promoting group of substances are the tannins (tanning agents). As anti-nutrients, these can combat harmful bacteria and put an end to them.

Also very practical is the choline content. Our body can only produce choline in small amounts, which is why external intake is recommended. Choline is involved, for example, in the formation of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and influences numerous functions of our organism.

Not to be forgotten are the flavonoids, which are mostly coloring flower substances. Hart's-tongue fern contains, among others, quercetin and kaempferol. As secondary plant compounds, they most likely have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. 

Triterpenes are the flavonoids of the scent: These aromatic compounds are responsible for the typical smell of hart's-tongue fern. They may also help combat inflammation.

Let's summarize the most important ingredients again:

• Mucilages
• Tannins (tanning agents)
• Choline
• Flavonoids
• Triterpenes

 

For centuries, the fern has been used for open wounds. Alternatively, as early as the Middle Ages (also during the time of Hildegard of Bingen), a hart's-tongue fern compress was applied for liver or spleen complaints. This makes this fern one of the wound herbs. Internally, it can also be used, for example, to loosen mucus.

In the past, fresh leaves were used to explore the full effect of hart's-tongue fern. Today, preparations from dried and preserved leaves are often used, which, however, have a higher concentration of active ingredients.

Hart's-tongue fern is gladly applied or consumed due to its possible anti-inflammatory, mucolytic, wound-healing, and astringent properties. By the way: If you grow hart's-tongue fern in your garden, some varieties can be edible. Outdoors, you should of course watch out for contamination.

 

Every plant takes on an ecological role in the plant community, and so does the hart's-tongue fern. It serves as a covering habitat for small creatures like insects, snails, or amphibians. Since the plant thrives especially well in the shade, insects can find protection from sun and heat there.

In the nutrient cycle, hart's-tongue fern also plays an important role. The mucilages, tannins, and choline help not only humans but also animals in their daily nutrition.

Hart's-tongue fern also shows good properties in soil stabilization. Its relatively dense root system can prevent erosion and thus stabilize the soil.

Last but not least, the hart's-tongue fern naturally serves pollination, as it is wind-pollinated. 

 

Hart's-tongue ferns existed before humans roamed the Earth. In sedimentary rocks, close ancestors of the hart's-tongue fern have been identified and dated to over 400 million years ago. 

Since then, several human societies and civilizations have benefited from hart's-tongue ferns. In ancient Rome and Greece, the fern was already used medicinally. The Greek physician Dioscorides mentions the fern in his work "De Materia Medica". He describes treatments for digestive complaints and worm infestations. Roman doctors made similar observations.

Medieval works attribute anti-inflammatory and digestive-promoting properties to hart's-tongue fern. The herb was sometimes used for respiratory diseases as well.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, hart's-tongue fern is known as "Wei Xian". It is used there for detoxifying the body. In some cases, it is also applied externally.

 

The name hart's-tongue fern refers to the shape of the leaves. They are elongated, typical for ferns, but also have tongue-like strips. They arch over and near the ground are even heart-shaped. Such a plant can reach up to 90 cm in height, with most of the length made up by the leaves. When you smell the leaves, they emit a characteristic aromatic scent. You can clearly identify hart's-tongue fern by its reddish rhizome.

 

Hart's-tongue fern typically belongs in a shade bed, where it is neither too cool nor too warm. The plant especially prefers loose, humus-rich soil. Seeds are planted in spring, but in pots, seeds can be sown year-round. A little compost and potting soil and the seeds will happily germinate. The spacing between seeds should be 40 centimeters. After planting, hart's-tongue fern needs lots of water; the soil should never dry out during the first weeks. 

Keep the root area as moist as possible, but avoid waterlogging. In winter, you can cover the plants, for example with a small cover made of twigs. In natural medicine, the fresh or dried leaves of hart's-tongue fern are used.

Hart's-tongue fern is one of the few ferns that is evergreen in winter. So if you want to green bare spots in winter, you have another reason to plant hart's-tongue fern. 

 

There is a very interesting phenomenon where plants tell us stories from the past. Some flowers have adapted to look like certain insects to attract them. This is the case with some Ginkgo species, where the flowers imitate insects that have been extinct for millions of years. Hart's-tongue fern is similarly ancient: fossils over 400 million years old are known. The history of millions of years is united in hart's-tongue fern.

The name hart's-tongue fern comes from the shape of its leaves. Interestingly, this name is preserved in other languages as well, such as English "hart’s tongue fern" or French "la scolopendre."

 

Hart's-tongue fern has long been used as a wound herb. Its anti-inflammatory effect was utilized to prevent wound inflammation. There are writings by the Holy Abbess Hildegard of Bingen known in which the herb is used for lung cleansing and digestive ailments. 

Fresh leaves usually contain more active ingredients than dried leaves, simply because active substances evaporate or break down. However, dried preparations are long-lasting and almost never mold. Additionally, dried leaves are naturally easier to handle. 

Most people prefer the taste of fresh leaves over dried leaves. Depending on your taste, dried leaves may also taste better to you.

The roots of plants generally contain different active ingredients than the leaves or flowers. Often, the concentration of active ingredients is highest in the roots. Traditionally, not only the leaves are used for digestive complaints but also the roots. They are, for example, a traditional remedy against worm infestations and liver problems. Especially in ancient traditions, the root or root sap is explicitly mentioned. Probably because most flavonoids and triterpenes are found in the roots.

Yes, they exist. Such an ancient plant naturally has numerous relatives. Cristatum is a variety of hart's-tongue fern with strongly wavy leaves. Angustatum is a variety with longer and narrower leaves. Undulatum has jagged leaves that give the plant a unique appearance. One must not forget Marginatum. This variety produces relatively dark green leaves with light edges. 

Quite a few well-known healers and doctors. Leading the list is Hildegard of Bingen, who already recognized the potential of the plant for digestive issues. We have also mentioned Dioscorides, who referred to the herb in his "De Materia Medica." Roman doctors also mentioned the herb, as did doctors of Traditional Chinese Medicine.