# Sweetgras Hierochloe odorata


**How much do you know about Sipatsimo?**
1 Do know where they grow in the/in the world?
2 Can you name three plants that grow together with Sweetgrass?
3 How would you describe its fragrance?
4 Have you seen Sweetgrass before? If yes, how would you describe it?
5 Why does it smell more strongly when it’s drying?
6 Does Sipatsimo need pollination to produce seeds?
7 What do you know about the human uses of Sipatsimo in the past and today?
8 What do you know about the impacts of Sweetgrass on their environment?
9 How has colonialism changed human approaches to land management and community health?
10 What do you think is important to know when wanting to plant Sweetgrass?

Sipatsimo is a plant native to Europe, Asia and North America. This aromatic grass from cold, humid zones finishes growing at the end of summer and can reach up to 60 cm in height. Its name comes from the Greek ‘hieros’ meaning holy or sacred and ‘chloe’ meaning grass and the plant has long been linked to spiritual practices, both in North America where it was burnt as incense and in Europe where it was thrown on the ground at the entrance to churches.

### Plant Family:
Poaceae (an important plant family to humans that includes grains, maize and rice)
### Description:
Sweetgrass is a fragrant, rhizomatous, perennial grass whose stems are hollow and hairless with open sheaths. The leaf blades are flat at maturity, usually glabrous, 10-30 cm. (3.9-11.8 in.) long. The sweetgrass inflorescence is an open panicle 4-9 cm. (1.6-3.5 in.) long; the lower branches are drooping to spreading. The spikelets are three- flowered, the two lowest florets staminate (male) and the uppermost is perfect (both female and male). Sweetgrass is an early blooming plant and flowers from May to July.
### Habitat:
Loving moisture and wet feet, Sweetgrass grows in wet meadows, local prairies, and the edges of sloughs and marshes.


**Parts used:** arial parts
### Culture(s): northern Eurasia and North America
### Element: air/water
### Energetics: warming, slightly drying
**Taste:** Sweet
### Therapeutic Actions:
antipyretic, anticoagulant, expectorant, liver tonic

**Indicated for:** fever, blood clotting, coughs, sore throat, indigestion,
**Spirit:** With its gentle fragrance, Sweetgrass provides a sense of coming home for many people, or they feel cozy and protected from negative influences in their surroundings. It connects us to our inner trust in the wholesome workings of the world, in our true selves and in our innate abilities.

Being in the presence of Sweetgrass, activates our senses and helps us move out of states of stubbornness and stagnation by unleashing our inner child that wants to play, daydream, love or engage in artistic endeavours.

It is further used to help harmonise spaces, places and crowds of people, nourishing loving emotions in them and/ or creating a sense of safety, consolation and protection. It can also stir the fires of passion and love; bring light and positive energies into home and life; provide ease, lift the mood and nourish an overall sense of well-being.
### Astrology: Venus
Sweetgrass supports our sense for a esthetics, beauty and harmony. It allows us to approach humans and specific situations with warmth, openness and a strong interest to connect. Venus represents human relationships and the immersion into sensibility.

Venus rules our Fridays.

The Doctrine of signature or language of plants tell us that Venus plant are to be recognised by their pink and pastel colors, lovely scents, beautiful showy flowers, harmony, softness, loveliness, copper color or content of the metal copper, healing affinity to eyes, skin, kidneys and sexual organs.

The planet Venus is strongly associated with the emotion of love. Born in the ocean (which represents emotions) gave her the name “Schaumgeborene”.
Many of the plants that stimulate vitality and the lust for love and life are dedicated to her. Their workings are mild and tonifying, which is why these plants round out formulations with very potent plants that potentially cause side effects.

Venus plants are immensely beautiful with their harmonic soft forms that treat the eye with abundant variety in shape and colour as well as perfumes. Venus plants are the most important components in love potions, cosmetics and perfumes. They strengthen veins and the kidney.
Venus plants are indispensable in psychotherapy when people wish to dispose of emotional burdens on the soul, particularly those triggering fears states, to soften their hearts and open up to new experiences and to engage in practices of self-care and to gain self-confidence.

Venus plants help to change the course of disease to the healing, many help eliminate waste through the urinary system, they soften parts in the body and have an overall harmonising effect.


### **Constitutents:** Cumarin, Ferulasäure, Melilotsäure, Fructane. Coumarin only develops when the gras is drying.

### Uses: Medicine, Spirituality, hygiene products including bedding hay and cushions, hair wash and perfumes.
Additional users include the treatment of digestive upsets, difficult labour and pain. It can be administered as teas, tinctures or salves. Sweetgrass mixed with seeds of meadow rue (Thalictrum occidentale and be made into a tea to clear congested nasal passages.

Inhalations or infusions can be used to help with coughs, colds and sore throats. Women in labour and the sick were bedded on Sweetgrass hay as it is antibacterial and relaxing, often inducing calm state of mind and/or putting somebody to sleep.

### Making Medicines:

#### Contraindications:
Do use when in recovery mode or healthy only, NOT in ACUTE state of illness due to immune-modulating properties and sugars, which the body needs to avoid when severely sick. Also contraindicated for those using blood thinning medications.

#### Breathe Easy Syrup
The one we are tasting together includes the following plants all know to support the respiratory, nervous and digestive systems:
• Roots from Elecampagne, Dandelion, Solomon Seal, Ginseng, Licorice
• Leaves from Lungwort, Mullein, Thyme, Sweetgras + Vanilla Bean
• Soak all freshly cut and dried herbs in spring water over night. Heat up to boil and let rest for at least 20 mins. Strain the herbs.
• Add high-quality brown sugar to the mix and simmer on low temperature until the syrup turns viscous. Fill into clean jars.

Indicated as a tonic for lungs challenged through sickness, toxicity (e.g. smog and smoke) or grief.

#### Salve for skin and soul soothing:
**Step 1**
Use a mix of dried and fresh Sweetgras and add to a nourishing high quality oil of your choice (in a sterile glass container). Add parchment paper to lid to avoid plastic leaching. Infuse for at least 2 weeks. Make sure no plant matter ever floats on surface to avoid moulding. (Check that oil will stay good for at least one year)
**Step 2**
Strain gras. Use double boiler method to heat oil but not cook it. Add beeswax (you can vary using 1 part beeswax to 4-6 parts oil depending). Fill into sterile containers. Salve stays good for a year. Once opened, it will need to be stored in the fridge or used up very quickly.

#### Tea
Infuse a few Sweetgras sheaths (amount depends on preference) for at least 30 minutes if not several hours. Since Sweetgras is a powerful medicine, this tea is NOT recommended for daily consumption and should be consumed in small amounts only.

#### Oxymel Refreshing Drink
**Step 1**
Use a few leaves of Sweetgras. Add to honey and apple cidre vinegar at a 1:1 ratio. Shake vigorously every day for at least 2 weeks.

**Step 2**
Strain gras. Use 1-2 eating spoons to mix with with sparkling water.

### Wildlife: Rodents, caterpillars and small mammals browse on sweetgrass.
### Restoration:
Sweetgrass is a useful plant for wetland and riparian restoration and mitigation and spring protection/renovation. Sweetgrass has potential for conservation use for erosion control on moderately sloping, hillside seeps. Seeps are sometimes erosive because the soil stays liquid, and the saturated conditions inhibit the growth of many plants. The sod-forming and moisture tolerant characteristics of sweetgrass will stabilize the seep.

### Establishment:
Sweetgrass is a rhizomatous perennial that is native to cooler regions of North America and Europe. It is found in moist, cool meadows, shaded stream banks, and cool mountain canyons. Its native habitat, Sweetgrass roles primarily in wetlands and riparian areas. Due to the loss of wetland habitat throughout Northern America and northern Europe, it is rarely appropriate to harvest wild plants.

### Propagation from cuttings:
Sweetgrass can be propagated easily from container or bare root stock, as it produces many rhizomes. It can also be propagated from seed. However, in nature, Sweetgrass is a sporadic seed producer, and germination rates are fairly low.

Handling and care require commitment and attention to detail to maximise survival. Initially, the clouds should remain in the parts for an additional 2 to 3 weeks after you receive them, and watering must occur every day while in the parts this is because of the possibility of lingering transplant shock and because the soil in the pods dries out fairly quickly. The plants will continue to grow and thrive in the original containers for quite a period of time while site location and preparation efforts are finalised.

Pick the sites where Sweetgrass is to be transplanted carefully, and prepare the site properly before planting. Keep the area clear of competing vegetation and make sure to choose a winner area to mimic Sweetgrass’s natural habitat. During the establishment, the soil should be kept very wet to moist.

### Plant management:
After the plants have established and grown to a minimum height of 4 to 6 inches, routinely weed and remove unwanted vegetation to reduce competition for late nutrients and water. This will help your client to grow vigorously. The rhizomes (underground, horizontal stems) develop early and will emerge during the first growing season. The grass will continue to spread if left unattended. The leaves will reach a length of approximately 12 to 15 inches and can be harvested once or twice a year. Foliage is very relaxed and needs to be carefully lifted when wanting to cut the stands close to the ground. The actual number of harvests depends on climatic conditions, seasonal timing, and your familiarity with the plant.

## References

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you

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