Since mid-April, the slopes and roadsides are dyed the pink color of the beautiful flowers of the milamores (Centranthus ruber). In some parts of Spain, such as Catalonia, it is also known as Sant Jordi herb or St. George’s wort, because Its flowering usually occurs around April 23.
The truth is that, although depending on the latitude and climate, it is possible to find flowering milamores even well into the month of October. In addition to margins and gutters, it is common to see them next to walls and rocks, as well as on plots of land and paths. They are also planted as ornaments in parks and gardens.
Milamores is a slender, bluish-green plant up to one meter tall, glabrous, with hollow stems, oval lanceolate leaves and tiny bright pink or whitish pink flowers gathered in dense conical inflorescences. They give off a pleasant aroma.
It is a very common plant in the lSpanish Mediterranean itoral and prelittoralbut it can also be found on the Cantabrian coast and in Portugal. In the center of the Peninsula it is rarer to find.
The milamores rootwhich must be collected in autumn, is used for medicinal purposes.
Medicinal properties
Milamores shares many of its medicinal properties with valerian, to which it is closely related. Contains valerianic acid, essential oil, sesquiterpenes with valeranone and valeriopotrates, alkaloids and tannins.
It acts as a sedative and antispasmodic as active as valerian, and It is usually used for the same purposes. Years ago it had been a remedy widely used by Catalan and Mallorcan herbalists, although modernly other sedatives such as passionflower or hawthorn have been gaining ground.
What is milamores or red valerian used for?
It is very appropriate for calm the nerves, in situations of irritability, stress, hyperactivity and anxiety attacks.
It is also indicated to calm seizures and nervous tics and also as a support against epileptic seizures.
The relaxing power of milamores is demonstrated Effective in excited children and when nerves prevent sleep. In many Catalan country houses it was common to use the dried and crushed milamores plant. to fill small pillows which was given to very active or especially agitated children in order to calm them down and provide them with a restful sleep.
Infusion recipes with milamores
Here you have three infusions with milamores to relax, depending on the effect you want to enhance the most:
- Relaxing herbal tea against insomnia: A good sedative formula, suitable for those who suffer from insomnia, is the one prepared by combining miamores root with passionflower, orange blossom and lemon balm in equal parts, at a rate of two tablespoons of the mixture for every half liter of water.How to prepare it: Boil the two tablespoons of the mixture for 1 minute, infuse for another 10 minutes and strain. It can be taken throughout the day.
- To combat tics and nervous seizures: Milamores is mixed with lime blossom, mugwort and passionflower. Three cups should be taken a day, on an empty stomach and sweetened with honey.
- Herbal tea for anxiety and insomnia. The simple decoction of milamores, taken in the middle of the afternoon, can be a good alternative to a cup of tea or coffee for those people who have trouble falling asleep.
Jordi Cebrián. Advisor: J Mª Teixé, herbalist from “El Manantial de Salud”