When we moved here last fall, I just knew I’d find a few more medicinal herbs to learn and write about, but that those activities would have to wait for spring. While there were still some flowers on the mountain, I had to get unpacked.
Spring, late as it occurs here, has shown that we are indeed blessed with many new shrubs and wildflowers right in our yard or a short walk away. The chokecherries will start blossoming soon, and I expect the fields of mullein to turn yellow within a couple of weeks. Last Monday’s evening walk revealed that we have currants on site (wax currants, which aren’t so tasty), and yesterday morning I decided that it was time to identify that yellow flower covering our mountain.
One of the deterrents against learning about wild herbs for many people is, I believe, the hassle of proper plant identification. Warnings abound to not confuse this beneficial flower for that deadly flower. ‘Cause, you know, you could die.
Fortunately, arrowleaf balsamroot is very distinctive in
appearance, making it super easy to identify.
It’s about a foot high and a foot wide, the flowers look like yellow
daisies, and the leaf is shaped like an arrowhead. As a special bonus, it doesn’t have any
poisonous lookalikes.
Arrowleaf balsamroot’s actions are quite similar to lomatium, though it is not as powerful in general.[1] It is, however, a potent antifungal.[2] Unfortunately, that research on its antifungal properties is about all that has been conducted in the way of modern research. Everything on the use of arrowleaf balsamroot for medicine comes from Native American records and tradition.
HARVEST
Arrowleaf balsamroot grows throughout the western US, except for Arizona and New Mexico. According to the website for the Natural History Museum of Utah, it ranges from 4300’ to 5900’ in elevation, but I’ve got plenty of it here at 6400’.
While the leaves are used some, it is the root that is most frequently made into medicine. Leaves can obviously only be harvested during the late spring, summer, and early fall. The roots can be harvested year-round but are harder to locate without the flowers to guide you. Younger plants are easier to dig than older, larger roots.
PREPARATIONS
Whatever method chosen, remove the outer dry bark layer before drying or tincturing. [3]
Infusion. 4-6 ounces 2-3 times per day. [4]
Poultice. The large, soft leaves are poultice-ready for use on burns.
Root sap. The sap is an antiseptic and topical anesthetic for skin wounds.
Tincture. If the fresh roots are fairly well hydrated, tincture in a 1:2 weight to volume ratio in 65% alcohol. If the roots are drier, cut and dry them first, then tincture in a 1:5 ratio of 65% alcohol. Dosage is 30-60 drops 2-3 times per day. [5]
HISTORICAL USAGE
- Dental
- Toothache (root chewed) [6]
- Eye
- Eyewash (infusion) [7]
- Gastrointestinal
- Musculoskeletal
- Neurological
- Headache (infusion)[12]
- Tea poured on the head
- Steam inhaled
- Respiratory
- Bronchitis[13]
- Cold[14]
- Cough (infusion) [15]
- Fever (root infusion) [16]
- Influenza[17]
- Sore throat (root chewed) [18]
- Tuberculosis (infusion, root sap) [19] [20] [21]
- Whooping cough (infusion) [22] [23]
- Skin
- Arrow wounds[24]
- Athlete’s foot [25]
- Blisters (poultice, root plaster) [26] [27]
- Boils (dried root powder) [28]
- Bruises (poultice) [29] [30]
- Burns (leaf poultice) [31] [32]
- Gunshot wounds[33]
- Insect bites and stings (sap, topical use; dried root powder) [34] [35]
- Minor wounds (sap, topical use) [36] [37]
- Poison ivy (leaf infusion used as wash) [38]
- Urogenital
Caution. The roots can cause nausea when eaten fresh or when large amounts of infusion are consumed. [44]
Links to related posts:
[1] Charles W. Kane, Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 2017, 73.
[2] A. R. McCutcheon, et al., Antifungal screening of medicinal plants of British Columbian native peoples, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, December 1994, Vol 44 No 3, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7898123/ (accessed 19 May 2021).
[3] Charles W. Kane, Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 2017, 73.
[4] Charles W. Kane, Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 2017, 73.
[5] Charles W. Kane, Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 2017, 73.
[6] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 147.
[7] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 147.
[8] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 148.
[9] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 147.
[10] Linda Kershaw, Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 181.
[11] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 147.
[12] Linda Kershaw, Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 181.
[13] Charles W. Kane, Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 2017, 73.
[14] Charles W. Kane, Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 2017, 73.
[15] Linda Kershaw, Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 181.
[16] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 147.
[17] Charles W. Kane, Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 2017, 73.
[18] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 147.
[19] Linda Kershaw, Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 181.
[20] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 147.
[21] Arrowleaf balsamroot, Natural History Museum of Utah, https://nhmu.utah.edu/native-plants/plant/Arrowleaf%20Balsamroot (accessed 19 May 2021).
[22] Linda Kershaw, Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 181.
[23] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 147.
[24] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 148.
[25] Linda Kershaw, Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 181.
[26] Linda Kershaw, Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 181.
[27] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 148.
[28] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 148.
[29] Linda Kershaw, Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 181.
[30] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 147.
[31] Linda Kershaw, Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 181.
[32] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 148.
[33] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 148.
[34] Linda Kershaw, Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 181.
[35] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 148.
[36] Linda Kershaw, Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 181.
[37] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 147.
[38] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 148.
[39] Charles W. Kane, Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 2017, 73.
[40] Linda Kershaw, Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 181.
[41] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 147.
[42] Linda Kershaw, Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 181.
[43] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 148.
[44] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 148.
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