Salvia lyrata, commonly called Cancer Weed or Lyreleaf is originally a central and south-eastern US, Native perennial which typically occurs in moist or sandy soils in open woods, clearings, thickets and stream banks.It has spread to many other regions.The flowers are lavender and the low growing leaves have a beautiful vain pattern and are lyre-shaped .They bloom in the spring and then become part of where they grow you can hardly see them.
The genus name Salvia comes from the Latin word salveo meaning “to save or heal.”For a very long time it was considered an aid and curative of skin and other cancers.
Native Americans used the mature roots to creates a salve to put on sores, and they would brewed the leaves as a tea for coughs and lung ailments which were said to be pretty effective.
