Shepherd's Purse

Identity

Common Name

Shepherd's Purse

Scientific Name

Capsella bursa-pastoris

Botanical Family

Brassicaceae

Native Region

Europe and western Asia

Cultivation Regions

Worldwide temperate (often a wild plant)

Plant Parts Used

Aerial parts

Synonyms

Shepherd's Pouch, Mother's Heart, St James's Wort

Caffeine Level

Caffeine Free

A slender annual with a basal rosette of lobed leaves, an upright stem of tiny white flowers, and distinctive flat heart-shaped (purse-like) seed pods. Common in disturbed ground worldwide.

Historical Background

Used in European and Asian folk medicine as a hemostatic — most famously for heavy menstrual bleeding and as a wound styptic — shepherd's purse was also eaten as a potherb.

Earliest recorded uses: Heavy menstrual bleeding, nosebleeds, wounds, and as a urinary tonic.

Cultural significance: Named for its heart-shaped pods; a common cottage-garden styptic, it entered WWI field practice as a substitute for ergot.

1. Folk

   European and Asian folk use as a styptic and menstrual remedy.

2. WWI

   Used as a field hemostatic when ergot was scarce.

Traditional Uses

These uses document historical traditions and do not imply proven effectiveness.

Flavor & Aroma

Aroma: Fresh, mustard-green

Tea Information

Research Summary

Choline, flavonoids, and a peptide (bursin) are studied; traditional hemostatic use has limited modern clinical support.

Evidence levels reflect the currently available scientific literature and may change as new research emerges. Where evidence is limited or conflicting, this is stated plainly.

References & Sources