08/12/2024
Goldenrod! So much to love about this abundant native plant!
💛🧡💚
Goldenrod is astringent, as you will notice when tasting it. This quality translates into a tightening of the mucous membranes and a resulting reduction in inflammation in the tissues it comes in contact with.
This quality, combined with the rich flavonoid content of the plant, makes it all indicated for people struggling with seasonal allergies. In prevention, goldenrod leaf and flower can be enjoyed in tea, 3-5 days per week at dose of 1-3 cups per day, combined with other herbs for taste if desired (see below for my favourite combinations!). In acute cases of allergies, especially if the eyes are watering and the nose dripping, drink 4-5 cups daily. You may want to add a little eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis) and/or hyssop (Hyssops officinalis) in such cases!
Because of its high flavonoid content, goldenrod improve the quality of the blood vessels walls and in doing so halts the progression of varicose veins. You may wish to combine it with hawthorn leaf and flowers and perhaps a little yarrow leaf and flower for this application!
As a diuretic herb, goldenrod supports the adequate movement of fluids through the kidneys, and is a good ally to those with a tendency to UTIs, amongst other urinary and renal ailments. Note that corn silk may be a good addition to your goldenrod here :)
Finally, a lesser known but also great application for goldenrod is its external use, as poultice, compress, oil or ointment. Think about it as a gentler alternative to arnica, to apply on bruises and sore muscles, for example. You can also use goldenrod externally on fungal infections, on scrapes and cuts as well as on varicose veins. (Note that, unlike arnica, goldenrod is safe to use on open wounds.)
BLENDING: Goldenrod possess a complex taste, with high aromatic notes and a warming quality, somehow combined with a lingering, oily bitterness and a drying effect in mouth. Many of you who have been attending my herb walks may remember that I especially like to combine goldenrod with equal parts of tulsi and nettles. I also will combine it with moistening herbs such as marshmallow leaf and flower, licorice root or corn silks when dryness is a contributing factor to the ailment I intend to address. 🌿🌸🌼
CAUTION: Although it is possible to be allergic to goldenrod, most commonly when people get seasonal allergies at this time of year, we can move our gaze to ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) when looking for a culprit. 😉
Generally, it is wise to avoid taking goldenrod internally without adequate guidance if there is acute inflammation in the kidneys, if there any blockage of the ureters or if struggling with oedema caused by renal or cardiac impairment. 🛑
As always, and as with any plants, of course, stop usage if you suspect having an adverse reaction. Common sense should always prevail!
HARVESTING: There are several different species of goldenrod in the Maritimes, all of which re safe to consume as herbal teas. I choose Solidago canadensis, the variety that you can see in the pictures attached, or Solidago puberal for they abound where I live. If you are hesitant in which species to use, take a little piece of leaf, chew it, and determine whether you like the flavour! Taste will vary slightly from one species to another.
Both leaves and flowers are medicinal. Harvest goldenrod when the flower heads are not quite in full bloom yet. Once the flowers have fully opened, they will continue maturing during the drying process and you will end up with much feathery seeds rather than bright yellow flowers!
I cut the stems at the point at which the leaves start looking less vibrant, and then either hang them upside down in bouquets or lay them flat on racks to dry. It is an easy plant to dry, and as long as you can shelter it from direct light and provide sufficient ventilation, it should be dry within a week or so. Once fully dry (you can hear crackling when pressing the leaves), you can strip the leaves and flowers from the stems and store them in a cool, dry place, in an air tight container.
**Because of the potential for this plant to cause allergies, but mostly because of the possibility of cross pollination with other herbs producing allergies, if intending on using goldenrod for allergy prevention, make sure to harvest the plant before the flowers are open, thus limiting the amount of pollen on the plant and additional "foreign" pollen deposits by pollinators. 🐝
Fun fact: goldenrod is considered by taxonomists (people whose job it is to fit organisms, in this case plants, into categories) to be “one of the most difficult taxonomic problem in North America”! This is due the this plant high diversity of form, which refuses to fit neatly into boxes! Makes me love her even more! 💛
PREPARATION: To make goldenrod tea, use 1 generous teaspoon of dried leaf and flower per cup of hot water. Cover, allow to infuse for 10-15 minutes, filter and drink! 🫖
Prepare poultices, compresses, oils and ointments as you would with any other plant 😉 If you need a reference on how to do just so, email me and I likely can help out!
info@andreeanneherbalist.ca
Happy August everyone!! 🌟☀️🌼
