COUCH GRASS
Agropyron repens
COMMON NAMES: Quack grass, dog grass, quick grass, durfa grass, twitch grass.
FEATURES: Known to farmers in Europe and North America as a pest. The spikes resemble wheat or rye
when in bloom, reaching heights of 1–3 feet; the pale yellow, smooth rootstock is long and trailing, with
each joint sending forth a shoot that becomes a new plant. It should be gathered in the spring and carefully
cleaned and dried. Culpeper says an acre of couch grass is worth ten acres of carrots.
MEDICINAL PARTS: Rootstock, rhizome.
SOLVENT: Water.
BODILY INFLUENCE: Diuretic, aperient, demulcent.
USES: Couch grass is recommended by Dr. Samuel Thompson for lessening the frequency and pain in
cases of excessive irritation of the bladder from any cause. It is a botanical for general catarrhal
treatment. The troublesome plant has been used by famous herbalists for gout, enlarged prostate gland
(with chronic gonorrhea), purulent cystitis, incipient nephritis. Some physicians trust its timely use in
dissolving small calculi. This being so, it is an herb to remember for all rheumatic and jaundice sufferers.
The accepted administration is in an infusion of 1 ounce of couch grass to 1 pint of boiling water, steeped
20 minutes and given in wineglassful doses every 2 hours. Or a decoction of the root made by boiling 1
ounce of the herb in 1 pint of water until reduced to ¾ pint, 10–20 drops in water two or more times a
day.
Dr. Clymer gives the following from Nature’s Healing Agents. In chronic gonorrhea:
Tincture of couch grass (agropyron repens), 5–20 drops
Tincture of motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca), 9–15 drops
Tincture of sandalwood (Santalum album), 10–20 drops
Tincture of buchu (Barosma betulina), 10–20 drops
DOSE: In water, three or more times a day.