A member of the mint family, Leonurus cardiaca is an herbaceous perennial native to central Asia and southeast Europe. Now naturalized around the world, motherwort is loved for its calming properties and energetics relating to the heart. It has been used in traditional herbalism for its beneficial properties and is considered cooling and drying. Motherwort can be used in tincturing or steeped to make a cup of relaxing motherwort tea. Motherwort has dull green, hairy leaves and an intensely bitter taste. The botanical name Leonurus refers to a fanciful resemblance of the leaves to a lion's tail. One rather odd Hindu tale relates that if you make a tea of motherwort and add it to the laundry when you wash your socks and underwear, you will bring peace to your home. Traditionally used as a tea. Frequently combined with hawthorn. May also be taken as an extract or capsule.