Skullcap
Scutellaria elliptica

Other Names: Blue Skullcap, Common Scullcap, Hairy Skullcap, Hooded Skullcap, Helmet Flower, Hoodwort

Habitat: (Scutellaria elliptica) Native N. American perennial herb, found from New York to West Virginia and southward to South Carolina, Alabama and Missouri. Growing in rich woods, thickets, bluffs and along road sides.  Cultivation: Skullcap is easy in a sunny position and any ordinary garden soil. Sow seed in early spring after danger of frost is past. The root is a creeping short rhizome, which sends up hairy, square stems, 6 to 18 inches high, branched, or, in small specimens, nearly simple, with opposite downy leaves, heart-shaped at the base, 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches long, scalloped or toothed edges. The blue to lavender flowers are in racemes and grow from the leaf axils of the upper plant. They are hooded, tube shaped, and two lipped the upper lip being the hood and the lower lip having two shallow lobes. Flowers bloom from May to August, gather above ground parts, in the summer as flowers bloom, dry and store for later herb use.

Properties: Skullcap is a powerful medicinal herb, it is anti-inflammatory, abortifacient, antispasmodic, slightly astringent, emmenagogue, febrifuge, nervine, sedative and strongly tonic. Constituents include flavonoid glycosides, Scutellarin and Scutellanein, Catalpol, Lignin, Resins, Sugar, Tannins, and Volatile oil. The high flavonoid content of Skullcap are receiving scientific attention for their inflammatory properties, these flavonoids also have antiviral, antiretroviral, antitumor, and antibacterial properties. Excessive dosage may stimulate rather than sedate the central nervous system. Skullcap is used in the treatment of a wide range of nervous conditions including epilepsy, insomnia, hysteria, anxiety, delerium tremens, withdrawal from barbiturates and tranquilisers. A medicinal infusion of the plant is used to promote menstruation, it should not be given to pregnant women since it can induce a miscarriage, the infusion is also used in the treatment of throat infections. The infusion is given for nervous headaches, neuralgia and in headache arising from incessant coughing, pain, and inducing sleep when necessary, without any unpleasant symptoms following. Skullcap is currently being used to treat ADD and a number of nerve disorders. Should be used with some caution since in overdose it causes giddiness, stupor, confusion and twitching.

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Folklore: Well known among the Cherokee and other Native American tribes, as a strong emmenagogue and female medicinal herb. Used in some tribes as a ceremonial plant to introduce young girls into womanhood. Also used to induce visions. Once believed of use in the treatment of rabies and schizophrenia.

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Medicinal tea: To 1 oz. of the powdered herb add a pint of boiling water, steep 10 min. give in half-teacupful doses, every few hours.