Goldenrod is well-known for it's healing abilities. Herbal medicine practitioners use it to counter inflammation and irritation caused by bacterial infections or kidney stones. Mistaken for causing allergies in late summer and early fall, golden rod is innocent as it's pollen is sticky and doesn't float in the air. Ragweed is the cause of hay fever.
The scientific botanical name is Solidago canadensis. There are many other species of Solidago with varying names for the plant such as Aaron's Rod, Baguette d’Aaron, Canadian Goldenrod, Early Goldenrod, European Goldenrod, Gerbe d’Or, Herbe des Juifs, Solidage, Solidage du Canada, Solidago gigantea, Solidago longifolia, Solidago serotina, Solidago virgaurea, Vara de Oro, Verge d'Or, Woundwort.
Key Points
- native to Canada
- nutritiously edible
- wide medicinal use to treat inflammation and pain
- doesn't cause hay fever
History
Native Americans have long used the herb. Some cultures traditionally chew the leaves to relieve sore throats, and the roots for toothaches.
The name solidago comes from the Latin solida meaning "whole", and agio meaning "to make". It will make you whole by healing you.
Where is it found?
The Canadian goldenrod is native, as you might have guessed, in Canada, but also to North America as it's found throughout the United States as well. It's considered invasive as it has spread. Other species are found all over the world, like Europe, Japan and China. It's found on all continents except Antarctica.
It can be found in moist or dry fields and meadows, edges of forests, swamps, clearings, orchards and compost piles, and along roadsides, ponds, streams, fencerows and shorelines, and in cultivated fields.
What's it used for?
All goldenrod species are edible and have health benefits. The leaves and flowers can be consumed as a garnish or in salads. Fresh of dried leaves and flowers are used to make teas. Leaves can be cooked like a spinach in soups, stir fries, stews or casseroles. The leaves can be used for later cooking by blanching them before freezing.
Animals like deer and other like to eat goldenrod as a source of nutrition.
Goldenrod is use to reduce swelling (inflammation) and pain, as a diuretic to increase urine flow, and stop muscle spasms. Also used for gout, joint pain (rheumatism), arthritis, as well as eczema and other skin conditions, to treat tuberculosis infections that have become active again after a period of inactivity (latency), diabetes, enlargement of the liver, hemorrhoids, internal bleeding, hay fever, asthma, and an enlarged prostate.
Goldenrod is used as an irrigation therapy with lots of fluids to increase urine flow and treat inflammatory diseases of the lower urinary tract, as well as stones in the kidney or urinary tract. It's also used as a mouth wash for inflammation of the mouth and throat. Applied to the skin it can improve wound healing.
Are there any risks?
The irrigation therapy mentions above shouldn't be done by people with heart or kidney disease that produces fluid retention. Irrigation therapy may not work for all infections, don't count on it as a 100% remedy. Other than that, there are not issues taking goldenrod.
References:
Previous posts on Getting to Know Herbs:
German Chamomile | Blue Vervain | Blessed or Holy Thistle | Common Horehound | Cayenne | Ashwagandha | Gotu Kola | Common Verbana/Vervain | Holy Basil | Sweet Annie | Globe Artichoke | Butterfly Weed / Pleurisy Root | Joe-Pye Weed / Gravel Root | Valerian | Malva/Mallow | Boneset | Elecampane | Lungwort | Cramp Bark | Motherwort | Common Plantain | Eleuthero (Siberian ginseng) | Black Cohosh | Common Bearberry | Mahonia Mountain Grape (Oregon Grape) | Blue Cohosh | Goldenseal
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