Six plants traditionally used for period comfort

Cramping, heaviness and edginess in the days around a period send many people looking through the herb garden rather than the cupboard. Six plants come up again and again in European herbal tradition for that kind of discomfort: tarragon, yarrow, lady’s mantle, lemon balm, mugwort and fennel. Here is which part to use, in what form, for how long, and who should leave each one alone.

The six plants at a glance

Plant	Botanical name	Family	Part used	Harvest season	Taste
Tarragon	Artemisia dracunculus	Asteraceae	Leaves, distilled into essential oil	Early to late summer	Warm, aniseed, slightly peppery
Yarrow	Achillea millefolium	Asteraceae	Flowering tops and leaves	Early to late summer	Aromatic, camphor-like, bitter finish
Lady’s mantle	Alchemilla vulgaris, Alchemilla xanthochlora	Rosaceae	Leaves and flowering stems	Early to midsummer	Green, dry, strongly astringent
Lemon balm	Melissa officinalis	Lamiaceae	Leaves and flowers, fresh or dried	Late spring to late summer, before full flowering	Lemony, mild, faintly minty
Common mugwort	Artemisia vulgaris	Asteraceae	Leafy flowering tops	Midsummer to late summer	Markedly bitter, sage-like
Fennel	Foeniculum vulgare	Apiaceae	Ripe seeds	Late summer to early autumn	Sweet aniseed

What they are credited with

• Tarragon essential oil — traditionally used in aromatherapy as a massage oil over the lower belly, for the tight, cramping kind of discomfort.
• Yarrow — long held in European herbalism to be antispasmodic and relaxing, and used as a tea in the days when cramps are at their worst.
• Lady’s mantle — herbalists have used it where periods feel heavy, and its traditional reputation rests on plant compounds described as acting somewhat like progesterone; it is also a classic astringent tannin plant.
• Lemon balm — naturopathy credits it with a double action: soothing to the digestion and calming to nervous tension, irritability and restless sleep in the premenstrual days.
• Mugwort — one of the old emmenagogue herbs of European tradition, drunk as a bitter tea just before and during a period.
• Fennel — a household remedy across the Mediterranean for spasms and bloating, taken as a seed infusion after meals.

None of these plants replaces a diagnosis. Pain that stops you working, or that changes character, is a conversation to have with a health professional.

How to use them

Tarragon essential oil, as a massage

• Pour a tablespoon of a neutral vegetable oil (sweet almond, sunflower, apricot kernel) into your palm.
• Add two or three drops of tarragon essential oil — never more, and never neat on the skin.
• Massage slowly over the lower belly in circles, where the ache pulses, for a minute or two.
• Use it in the evening rather than before going out in the sun: the oil is photosensitising.

Yarrow infusion

• Use one to two teaspoons of dried flowering tops for half a cup of hot water.
• Cover and leave to steep about ten minutes, then strain.
• Traditionally drunk up to three times a day, between meals.
• Expect a bitter, camphor-like cup; a slice of lemon makes it easier.

Lady’s mantle infusion

• Steep four teaspoons of dried leaf in a cup of hot water, covered, for a quarter of an hour.
• Tradition keeps it to two cups a day, in the premenstrual week.
• The taste is dry and astringent; herbalists often blend it with lemon balm, which rounds it off.

Lemon balm tea

• Use half a teaspoon to a heaped teaspoon and a half of dried leaves and flowers per cup.
• Cover while it steeps, five to ten minutes, so the lemon scent stays in the cup.
• Traditionally two to three cups a day, and not beyond a week at a stretch.
• Fresh leaves from the garden work just as well — use a generous pinch more.

Mugwort infusion

• Steep one tablespoon of dried tops in a cup of hot water, covered, for ten minutes.
• Tradition allows up to three cups a day, begun two or three days before the period starts and continued through it.
• It is frankly bitter — most people sweeten it with a little honey.
• Of the six, this is the one with the strictest limits: read the cautions box before you touch it.

Fennel seeds

• Crush about half a teaspoon of ripe seeds coarsely — a mortar or the flat of a knife will do.
• Pour over a cup of hot water, cover, steep ten minutes, strain.
• Taken up to three times a day, usually after meals, and traditionally never for more than two weeks in a row.
• Sweet and aniseed-flavoured: the easiest of the six to drink.

Forms of use compared

Form	How it is prepared	Traditionally used for
Infusion (leaves and flowers)	Hot water poured over yarrow, lady’s mantle, lemon balm or mugwort; covered, steeped 10–15 minutes	Sipping through the day, between meals
Seed infusion	Fennel seeds coarsely crushed, then steeped 10 minutes	After meals, for spasms and bloating
Massage oil	Two or three drops of tarragon essential oil in a tablespoon of vegetable oil	Local massage of the lower belly
Blend	Lady’s mantle plus lemon balm in the same pot	Softening the astringent taste of lady’s mantle

Frequently Asked Questions

The one thing to remember: pick one plant, not four — a covered infusion of lemon balm or fennel is the gentlest place to start, and the cautions box decides whether it is for you.

Which of these is the easiest to try tonight?

Lemon balm or fennel. Both are mild in taste, both are simple infusions, and both are already in most kitchens. Lemon balm is traditionally kept to two or three cups a day for no more than a week; fennel to a crushed half-teaspoon of seeds per cup, after meals.

Can I drink these teas while taking the pill?

Lady’s mantle is the one to be careful with: its compounds are described as acting much like progesterone, so it may be contraindicated for women on oral contraceptives, and a doctor’s opinion is needed first. More generally, anyone on regular medication should check with a pharmacist before adding a herbal infusion.

When should I gather and dry these plants?

Yarrow, lady’s mantle and mugwort are gathered in flower, from early to late summer; lemon balm is cut before it flowers, from late spring onwards; fennel seeds are collected once ripe, from late summer to early autumn. Dry everything in the shade, in thin layers, and store it in airtight jars away from light.

Are any of these safe in pregnancy or for a teenager?

No. Yarrow, lemon balm and mugwort are all contraindicated for pregnant and breastfeeding women and for children; fennel seeds and fennel essential oil are ruled out in pregnancy; tarragon essential oil is out for pregnancy and for children under three. For a young teenager with painful periods, the right first step is a health professional, not the herb garden.

How do I make the bitter ones drinkable?

Mugwort and yarrow are genuinely bitter, and lady’s mantle is dry and astringent. Honey helps, a slice of lemon helps more, and herbalists commonly pair lady’s mantle with lemon balm in the same pot to round off the taste. Always keep the cup covered while it steeps.

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This information is provided for general interest and reflects the traditional use of plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice. If you are on medication, pregnant, or in any doubt, ask a healthcare professional.

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