Earth-smoke, Fumaria Tonic

Our garden has been colonised by the wild flower "Fumaria" (fumitory)  from the Latin "earth smoke", and in French fumeterre.  I think it is 'earth smoke' because it arises from the ground like a cloud of smoke and silently envelopes all the other plants, although it looks very lightweight fluffy and inoffensive, has no overt weapons...

Like smoke;  fumaria rising above a courgette plant and seeping through the holes of the trelis

 JC and I have come to take a benign view of the "weeds" which plant themselves in our garden, as they always bring some sort of medicinal property, and now we think of them as a gift rather than a nuisance (although consequently our garden is not suburban ship-shape).

Fumaria taking on fennel, a passion fruit and a few weeds

Cloud of fumaria

Billows of smokey fumaria

We made a herbal tea/decoction;    take a fistful, simmer for 5 minutes in water and drink.  It tastes HORRIBLE.  Then comes the rush, rrrrrrroawhrs!    It is good for yer liver and cleans out yer kidneys, aids digestion, prevents constipation, reduces inflammation and is best taken about now, in June, in flower, with every meal for about 10 days.

Fumaria decoction, golden yellow with a hint of green

Drink this and it'll make you say RRAAAOUW