Sweetgrass Braid Wildcrafted 32

Sweet Grass is traditionally dried and braided to preserve scent. the dried foliage is fragrant due to coumarin content; used as vanilla-scented incense and in making perfume. It is common above 40 degrees north in Asia, Europe, and North America; in North America, from Newfoundland to Alaska, south to New England, west to Arizona, and northern California; in wet meadows, low prairies, marsh edges, bogs, shaded streambanks, lakeshores, and cool mountain valleys; grows in association with other grasses or shrubs; seldom in pure stands. It is strewn before church doors on saints' days in northern Europe. Used in France to flavor candy, tobacco, soft drinks, and perfumes. Brewed as a tea, was used for coughs and sore throats, chapping and windburn, and as an eyewash. Used by Native Americans to make aromatic baskets.. Sweet Grass is a sacred plant of Native Americans, used in healing rituals. Its leaves are dried and made into braids and burned as vanilla-scented incense. Sweetgrass is used to purify or 'smudge'; the smoke from burning sweetgrass is fanned on people, objects or areas. Hierochloe, from the Greek, hieros, 'sacred', and chloe, 'grass' odorata, from the Latin, 'sweet smelling, fragrant; ill smelling' Other common names include: Zebrovka ('the place where bison graze'), Buffalo Grass, Holy Grass, Vanilla Grass, Feur Moire (Gaelic); Pai Mao Hsiang, Seneca Grass A tea made from the leaves is used in the treatment of fevers, coughs, sore throats, chafing and venereal infections. It is also used to stop vaginal bleeding and to expel afterbirth. The stems can be soaked in water and used to treat windburn and chapping and as an eyewash. Some caution is advised when using this plant internally, due to possible toxicity. The dried leaves were also used as a strewing herb and have been used as a stuffing in pillows and mattresses. They have also been used as an insect repellent in the clothes cupboard where they impart a nice smell to the clothes. The leaves can be soaked in water to make a tonic hair wash. An essential oil distilled from the leaves is used in perfumery where it acts as an excitant and fixative for other aromas.