Botanical Name: Caulophyllus thalictroides | Family: Berberidaceae
Common name(s): Blue Cohosh, Squawroot, Papoose Root
GROWING
- Perennial; herbaceous | Zone 3-8 | 1-3 feet tall | Leaves dark purple when they emerge then they turn green. Greenish-brown or yellow-brown flowers mid to late spring, turn into waxy yellow flowers that hang below the foliage.
- Partial to full shade| Moist, hummus-rich, acidic soil | Grows in woods
HARVESTING
Harvest the root/rhizome in Autumn
PREPARATION / DOSAGE
Decoction: Put 1 tsp of the dried root into 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Drink 3x/day.
Tincture: 1-2ml 3x/day
MEDICAL
Constituents: Alkaloids, glycosides, gum, minerals (potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, silicon, phosphorus), salts, starch, steroidal saponins, resin
Actions: Anti-inflammatory, antirheumatic, antispasmodic, anthelmintic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, uterine tonic
Uses: Menstrual irregularities (including cramping), genito-urinary disorders, worms, colic, easing childbirth
Cautions: Do not take during the first two trimesters of pregnancy
CHINESE MEDICINE
Acrid, bitter, warm, mildly toxic
SOURCES
- The Way of Herbs, Michael Tierra
- Holistic Herbal, David Hoffmann
- Indian Herbology of North America
- Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, Andrew Chevallier
- Fine Gardening
- photo credit: Kerry Woods via Flickr cc (flowering) and by carol (carol) [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC BY-SA 1.0], via Wikimedia Commons (leafy plant)
This herb may be growing down by my stream. I’ll be looking for it!
