Cicely Mary Barker's Fumitory Flower Fairy

Given me hundreds of years ago, 
My name has a meaning you shall know: 
It means, in the speech of the bygone folk, 
"Smoke of the Earth" --a soft green smoke!

A wonderful plant to them I seemed; 
Strange indeed were the dreams they dreamed, 
Partly fancy and partly true, 
About "Fumiter" and the way it grew.

Where men have ploughed 
or have dug the ground, 
Still, with my rosy flowers, I'm found; 
Known and prized by the bygone folk 
As "Smoke of the Earth" - 
a soft green smoke!

Fumitory grows in fields, wasteland and on old walls.  It has climbing stems with grow to 10-12 inches. The leaves are a silvery gray-green with small pinkish white flowers with purple tips flowering from April to October.  It is a native to Europe, North America, Australia and South Africa.  It was called Earth Smoke because it was born of the "vapors of the earth", although it may have been given its name because from a distance it is like a field on fire, or because the juice would clear the eyesight by bringing tears to the eyes like smoke does.

Herbal doctors and practioners since Roman times have valued fumitory for its purifying properties. It has been used internally as a treatment for jaundice, arthritis and arteriosclerosis. Externally is has been made into a lotion to fade freckles, treat eczema and for cradle-cap in babies.  Collect fumitory for drying from the wild in  late spring to autumn.