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Golden Rod
aka Goldruth, Wound Wort
Solidago virgaurea
Family: ASTERACEAE
Habitat:
Golden Rod comes from Europe including England Central Asia. North America and now in Australia. There are over eighty different species, but this species is the only one native to England
The part used is the leaves and makes a delicious herbal tea.
We make up a delicious tea by using the dried leaves of Golden Rod and adding some dried Allspice. It tastes just like a rich Chai tea and makes for a wonderful combination tea.
The leaves are alternate, clear green and has terminal panicles of golden yellow flowers which are both ray and disk. The flowers can be used as a dye.
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Golden Rod (solidago virgaurea) in Full Bloom
showing one reason it gets the name Herb of Joy |
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This magnificent herb stands about 1 metre tall and boasts its brilliant golden yellow flowers in Autumn on our Middle Path property.
Propagation is by seed or division of the roots which form as spreading rhizomes. Golden Rod loves full sun and is much better planted in an area that it can spread its wings as it can become invasive but very easy to pull out.
Golden Rod is an excellent food plant by the larvae of various Lepidoptera species. The invading larva induces the plant to form a bulbous tissue mass (called a gall) around it, upon which the larva then feeds. Various parasitoid wasps find these galls, and lay eggs in the larvae, penetrating the bulb with their ovipositor.
The rich and vibrant golden glow from the flowers
will cheer anyone up |
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An abundant amount of nectar is produced from Golden Rod so this wonderful herb would be excellent near a bee hive as it makes a dark and strong, nutritious honey.
Golden Rod in some places is highly respected and is held as a sign of good luck or good fortune and yet are considered as weeds by others. There is a saying beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Golden Rods are mostly short-day plants and bloom in late summer and early fall and some species produce abundant nectar when moisture is plentiful before bloom, and the bloom period is relatively warm and sunny. Honey from goldenrods often is dark and strong due to admixtures of other nectars. However when there is a strong honey flow, a light (often water white), spicy-tasting honey is produced. While the bees are ripening the honey there is a rank odour and taste, but finished honey is much milder. |
The flowers are such a bright golden yellow that it is a joy to have them around and as a cut flower they last well over a week. This is not the only reason that Golden Rod is called the herb of joy.
Well known for its calming effect Golden Rod is used for treating depression and the nervous system and gives you a feeling of wellbeing and joy.
The profound healing, soothing, calming effects of Golden Rod especially on the kidneys which work off all our emotions, saves the kidneys from being battered after severe emotional stress of any kind.
Golden Rod is certainly the herb of joy and can bring you much comfort.
The generic name comes from the word solidare, for the plant is known as a vulnerary, or one that "makes whole". When the leaves are bruised they smell like wild carrot.
Actions
anti-inflammatory, anticatarrhal (upper respiratory tract), antiseptic (respiratory tract), antiseptic (urinary),aromatic, astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, mucous membrane tonic, renal tonic, stimulant, vulnerary.
Constituents
The leaves contain bitter astringent principals, citric acid, essential oil, flavonoids, polyacetylenes, salicylic acid, tannins, saponins, tartaric and oxalic acids.
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Golden rod can quickly mass into
into a joyous impenetrable thicket
which the bees love |
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Medicinal Uses
- Aromatic,
- Amenorrhoea
- Asthma
- Arthritis
- Bites
- Bladder stones
- Catarrh
- Cirrhosis of the kidneys
- Coughs
- Cuts
- Cystitis
- Depression
- Diarrhoea
- Diphtheria
- Disappointments
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- Dysmenorrhoea
- Dyspepsia
- Eczema
- Edema
- Emotional shock
- Emotional stress
- Flatulence
- Gallstones
- Gargle
- Gout
- Hay fever
- Haemorrhaging
- Infection
- Influenza
- Intestinal bleeding
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- Kidneys
- Kidney Stones
- Laryngitis
- Menstruation (excessive)
- Naso-pharyngeal
- Nausea
- Pyorrhoea
- Renal failure
- Rheumatism
- Sinusitis
- Stomach disorders
- Throat (gargle)
- Ulcers
- Venereal diseases
- Wounds
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Dosage
The dosage is 1 teaspoon of the dried herb in a cup of boiling water let stand for 20 minutes and drink one cup 3 times per day.
Dose for taking a Herbal Tincture is 2-5 mls 3 times per day.
Solidago virgaurea L COMPOSITAE
Golden Rod
The common name refers to the herb's appearance. It is an attractive plant and has been taken into cultivation as a useful late-flowering ornamental.
The herb is not certainly mentioned in ancient writings and there is evidence that it was particularly promoted by the Arabs in the Middle Ages, since to fifteenth and sixteenth century Italians it was known as Erba pagana and the Germans called it Consolida Saracenia. Golden Rod has principally been used as a wound herb, hence the name consolida from the Latin to make whole - and hence its generic name. Traditionally it was employed both externally and internally. Clarke introduced an extract of the fresh flowers to homeopathic medicine in igo2, and in 1949 it was discovered by Hager that Brazilians used the closely related herb S. microcosms DC as a wound plant, too.
Description Erect perennial to 1 m tall; on knotted rhizome. Stems usually sparsely branched, sometimes unbranched. Leaves alternate, pubescent, the basal ones obovate to oblanceolate and petiolate, to 10 cm long. Upper leaves smaller and becoming sessile. Leaves either dentate or entire. Flowers golden-yellow, to 15 mm wide, arranged in terminal panicles; appearing late summer to late autumn.
Distribution Native to Europe, North Africa and Asia. Introduced elsewhere. In woodland clearings, wood edges, grassland; on deep porous acid and calcareous soils, to 2800 m altitude.
Cultivation Wild plant. Propagated horticulturally by division in spring or autumn, or from seed sown in spring. Prefers open conditions, and soils which are not too rich.
Constituents Essential oil; flavonoids; tannins; saponins; various organic acids comprising mainly citric, tartaric and oxalic acids; unknown substances.
Uses(dried flowering plant) Anti-inflammatcry; expectorant; vulnerary; astringent; weakly diuretic.
Of much use applied externally in poultices or ointments to assist tissue healing; used internally for the same purpose, and also in urinogenital inflammations or to treat chronic skin problems.
Formerly taken as an adjuvant (assisting agent) with other remedies, of benefit in asthma, arthritis and rheumatism.
Rarely used in cases of diarrhoea. Its ability to reduce cholesterol levels is not clinically substantiated.
Contra- indications
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