Old-world heart herb confirmed growing wild in Ontario
iNaturalist: lookaround
Medicinal Plants
Motherwort spreads readily along fence lines and garden edges, so if you've seen a scrappy mint-family plant with jagged leaves and pink flower whorls taking over a corner of your yard, this confirms what it is and that it's likely there to stay.
Someone in Bethany, Ontario found and photographed common motherwort, a shaggy, mint-like plant that's been used for centuries to calm anxiety and support heart health. It's not native to Canada, it came over with European settlers, but it's naturalized and now pops up in yards, roadsides, and waste areas across the region. Other iNaturalist users reviewed the photos and agreed on the ID, making this a confirmed record.
Key Findings
Observation reached 'research grade' status on iNaturalist, meaning multiple users confirmed the species ID from photos
Location recorded as Bethany, Ontario (postal code L0A 1A0), Canada
Common motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) is a naturalized, non-native mint-family plant historically used in herbal medicine for anxiety and cardiac support
chevron_right Technical Summary
A gardener in Bethany, Ontario spotted and confirmed common motherwort, a naturalized medicinal herb long used to calm nerves and ease heart palpitations, growing wild in their area.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
common motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) observed in Bethany, ON L0A 1A0, Canada
Research-grade observation of common motherwort in Bethany, ON L0A 1A0, Canada.
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
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Leonurus cardiaca, known as motherwort, is an herbaceous perennial plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. Other common names include throw-wort, lion's ear, and lion's tail. Lion's tail is also a common name for Leonotis leonurus, and lion's ear, a common name for Leonotis nepetifolia. Originally f...