Known as Queen of the Meadow, Bridewort and Meadwort, meadowsweet is an Old
World member of the rose family renowned for its highly fragrant flower
clusters.
For centuries, the flowers have been woven into bridal garlands and to
flavor vinegars, beer and a honey wine called mead. The flowers and leaves were
a popular strewing material cast upon the floor to mask unpleasant odors
associated with poor sanitation. Reputedly, Queen Elizabeth fancied meadowsweet
to scent her private chambers.
In the late 1800s, a German chemist synthesized
acetylsalicylic acid from the herb, which was later marketed by his employer,
Bayer AG, under the name "aspirin.” Today, meadowsweet is used in tea blends and
to prepare topical ointments and salves.
