European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

Although this species is locally declining and is considered to be threatened in Belgium and Cyprus, it is considered to be Least Concern due to its widespread distribution, stable populations and no major threats in the majority of its range.

Agrimonia eupatoria is native to and occurs throughout Europe (except the extreme north), temperate Asia and North Africa (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia). It has become widely naturalised outside its native range such as the Azores and in some states of the USA (USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program 2012, Castroviejo et al.1998, Online Atlas of British and Irish Flora 2012).

Throughout the areas in which Agrimonia eupatoria and Agrimonia procera occur, the hybrids are not rare (Castroviejo et al. 1998).
There has been a slight decline in the UK (Online Atlas of British and Irish Flora 2012). A regional survey to study the population dynamics of this species in Sweden showed that it was intermediately abundant yet patchy in distribution but revealed the populations were small (less than 100) and restricted to grassland fragments on road verges (Kiviniemi 2002). In Belgium this species is declining (Van Landuyt et al. 2006).

Agrimony is a rosette-bearing hardy perennial herb which can be found on the fringes of forests and woodland borders, hedgebanks and mounds, thorny thickets, pasture land, field borders, open grassland, roadsides, railway banks and waste places. It occurs on basic to neutral soils and reproduces and spreads by seed (Castroviejo et al 2001, Online Atlas of British and Irish Flora 2012). It flowers between June and September. The fruits and seeds are sticky and adhere to animals, especially fur, and their adhesive properties may aid dispersal in fragmented habitats (Kiviniemi 1996).

It is locally threatened by land abandonment (i.e. succession of grasslands) and land development, for example in Cyprus (Tsintides et al. 2007).

The seeds of this plant contain n-Hexane, dichloromethane and methanol extracts which have antibacterial and free radical scavenging activity (Copland et al. 2003). The leaves and flowers of this plant are rich in tannins and essential oil. It is used as an astringent, especially for infections of the mouth and larynx, as well as for the treatment of ulcers and verrucas. The fresh or dried leaves, flowers and stems can be used to make tea and the seeds are edible however large quantities can cause digestive problems and constipations due to the tannins. It has been popular as a herbal remedy for gentle cleansing of the digestive tract and an infusion has been reputed to be a good treatment for jaundice and liver problems as well as a strong decoction for treating skin problems, wounds and haemorrhoids. This herbal remedy has been approved by the German Commission E Monographs for treating diarrhoea, and inflammation of the mouth, skin and pharynx. The plant can be harvested in late spring and early summer and dried for later use or harvested in late autumn to obtain a yellow dye from the roots.This plant is listed as an angiosperm that provokes photodermatitis (Plants for a Future 2012, Lewis and Elvin-Lewis 2003). It is principally taken as tea as a mild tonic and stimulant and is one of several herbs to gain a reputation as a general prophylactic and purifier of the system especially when combined with other herbs. It can also be used as a veterinary remedy for cuts in horses and cattle (Allen and Hatfield 2004). In Romania an infusion can also be used for treatment of chronic cholecystitis and rheumatism (Tita et al. 2009).

This species occurs in ex situ collections such as the UK Native Seed Hub at RBG Kew. There are no conservation actions in place however appropriate land management of suitable habitats such as field borders and grasslands is required in the areas where this species is declining.

This species was last recorded from Cyprus in 1905 and is listed as Critically Endangered C2a(ii) and now exists in only two sites at Spilia and Pedoulas, at an altitude of 1000-1150 m where 137 plants in total were counted (Tsintides et al. 2007).
In Bulgaria this species is protected in National Parks but is scarcely spread, with single populations with small areas and limited resources of no economic importance (Evstatieva and Hardalova 2004).
In Belgium this species is declining (Van Landuyt et al. 2006) and it is listed as Least Concern in Switzerland (Moser et al. 2002), Luxembourg (Colling 2005), Estonia (eBiodiversity 2012), Denmark (NERI 2007), Germany (Ludwig and Schnittler 1996), Norway (Artsdatabanken) and the United Kingdom (Cheffings and Farrell 2005).