Stinkende gouwe | Chelidonium majus

about Stinkende gouwe | Chelidonium majus

Chelidonium majus | Stinkende gouwe

Family of the poppys, this plant is very common in the Netherlands, it grows between the pavement tiles of the street and is recognizable for its yellow small flowers and warm-yellow coloured juice that comes out of the stemp when broken. The seeds are found in long and skinny pods, similar to tiny beans.

The plant hold poisonous alkaloids - berberine, coptisine, chelidonine, sanguinarine and chelerithrine. These together form the yellow coloring in the juices within the stem. It also contains saponins. Alchemists used the plant when searching for the "steen der wijzen". While witches in the middleages used it in creams - it is often also called a "heksenkruid" or "witchesherb".