Why go out in the rain?

Regardless of the season, each walk is an opportunity to discover plants at various stages in their life cycles. On this drizzly Sunday afternoon walk I come across Prunella vulgaris, commonly known as Self-heal or Heal-all. The purple blooms appear from late spring to early autumn but in winter only its dry spikes and hairy bracts, the leaf-like structures just below the flower, remain. As its common name suggests, Self-heal, known as « xia ku cao » in Traditional Chinese Medecine, is an important medicinal herb. Pharmacological studies have shown that this plant has strong antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties[1].

Whilst some plants are at the end of their life cycle, others are just beginning. On the wet woodland path, the first leaves of Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna) have burst through the decomposing vegetation. Its shiny yellow flowers, which inspired Wordsworth to write the poem "The Lesser Celandine"[2], will appear in March or April.

The Tree heather (Erica arborea) is at a slightly later phase. The small delicate  flowers, already visible, will be in full bloom in a couple of months. These flowers are melliferous which means that they produce nectar that can be collected by insects and transformed into honey. The word « melliferous » comes from the Latin words « mel » (honey) and « fer » (bearing). In addition to nectar, the pollen from these flowers also provides essential food for the insects. In return the melliferous insects disperse the pollen which fertilises the flowers which then go on to produce the fruit to ensure the reproduction of the plant.

The bright red berries of Butcher’s Broom (Ruscus aculeatus), attractive to birds, mark the next chapter in a plant’s life. The rhizome of this plant can play a beneficial role in treating problems connected with microcirculation, such as varicose veins, as well as in enhancing the lymphatic system[3].

You don’t have to be British-born and passionate about plants, to benefit from a walk in the woods in the drizzle. Numerous studies report that spending time in forested areas has a positive impact on stress, anxiety and depression, as well as a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system[4]. The law of Hormesis states that exposing yourself to mild physiological stress for a limited period of time improves the adaptive responses and functioning of your body[5]. So, if we combine the health advantages of forest walks with the positive influence of hormesis, the invitation to go and briefly explore wet wooded areas becomes more enticing. Why not put on your raincoat and venture outside?

To find out more about the benefits on walking in nature, see "Five surprising benefits of walking in nature".

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[1] Pan J, Wang H, Chen Y. Prunella vulgaris L. - A Review of its Ethnopharmacology, Phytochemistry, Quality Control and Pharmacological Effects. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Jun 23;13:903171.

[2] https://www.online-literature.com/wordsworth/517/

[3] Raposo A, Saraiva A, Ramos F, Carrascosa C, Raheem D, Bárbara R, Silva H. The Role of Food Supplementation in Microcirculation-A Comprehensive Review. Biology (Basel). 2021 Jul 2;10(7):616. doi: 10.3390/biology10070616. Erratum in: Biology (Basel). 2023 Sep 01;12(9):

[4] Stier-Jarmer M, Throner V, Kirschneck M, Immich G, Frisch D, Schuh A. The Psychological and Physical Effects of Forests on Human Health: A Systematic Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Feb 11;18(4):1770.

[5] Zimmermann A, Bauer MA, Kroemer G, Madeo F, Carmona-Gutierrez D. When less is more: hormesis against stress and disease. Microb Cell. 2014 May 5;1(5):150-153.