Clematis vibalba

Botanical

What is it

Clematis vitalba ("vibalba" is a misspelling), commonly called Old Man's Beard or Traveler's Joy, is a climbing vine native to Europe. It is used in some traditional herbal preparations and Bach flower remedies.

Evidence for 1 use

AI-assisted evidence assessment — talk to your doctor before relying on any single supplement.

General health (Bach flower remedies)

Mixed Evidence

Bach flower preparations are highly diluted and have not been shown to have specific clinical effects beyond placebo.

How it works

Clematis vitalba contains protoanemonin, a vesicant compound that is irritating to skin and mucous membranes when fresh. Upon drying or aging, protoanemonin converts to less irritating anemonin. Traditional internal use is rare due to toxicity, and the plant is mostly used externally in folk medicine. Bach flower remedy preparations use highly dilute mother tinctures with no pharmacologically meaningful active content.

Dosage

There is no recommended internal dose for safety reasons. Bach flower preparations use a few drops, which contain essentially no active plant material.

When and how to take it

Not appropriate for internal supplementation.

1 commercial form

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Bach flower remedy

Used as a flower essence rather than a conventional supplement.

Highly diluted; no measurable active compound

Safety

Fresh Clematis vitalba is irritating and can cause skin blistering, mouth ulcers, and severe GI upset if eaten. Drying reduces irritation. Internal use is discouraged in most authoritative herbal references.

Who should be cautious

Avoid internal use. Avoid in pregnancy, breastfeeding, and in children. Take care when handling the fresh plant due to skin irritation.

Interactions

No significant interactions reported because internal use is uncommon.

Frequently asked questions

Can I eat Clematis vitalba?⌄

No. The fresh plant contains protoanemonin, which is irritating and can cause vomiting, blistering, and severe GI upset.

Are Bach flower remedies effective?⌄

Controlled trials of Bach flower remedies have not shown effects beyond placebo.

References

Clematis vibalba on Wikidata — Wikidata link

Clematis vibalba on NIH DSLD (US supplement label database) — NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database link

Research on Clematis vibalba (PubMed search) — PubMed link

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Evidence-based·How we grade evidence

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This page is educational, not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Evidence grades are AI-assisted assessments — talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement, especially if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, on medications, or managing a chronic condition.