The Medicinal Garden

Day 215: You might think that I would be the type of person who touted natural remedies as first-line curatives for anything from appendicitis to ingrown toenails. Not so, although I will admit that I often wish we didn't have to rely on chemical intervention to prevent disease. The fact of the matter is that nature can only do so much. Examples: strawberries contain a natural antibiotic which combats streptococcal bacteria, but eating them by the gallon will not cure a strep throat. Eating them in advance of being exposed to the bacteria will bolster natural resistance, but it is not a guarantee for stopping it from taking hold. Likewise, garlic will help lower blood pressure and high cholesterol, but the patient will also need to adjust their consumption of fats and salt, and in addition, may need to take an antihypertensive or statin to have any true measure of success. To paraphrase, "Nature helps those who help themselves." That said, I have a handful of plants I use as "spring tonics." Nettle tea is high in vitamin C and can give you just the boost you need to fight off that spring cold. Nettles are abundant in the Pacific Northwest; not so Goldenseal, my go-to immunity booster pictured above.

Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) is native to northern Canada where it is also known as "yellow puccoon." It prefers the same habitat as buttercups, so when thirty years ago I found plants for sale at Pike Place Market, I bought two or three. I had a perfect spot for them between my house and garage, and for the first few years until they were well-established, I protected them with a two-foot tall "lath house" to maintain coolness and moisture. By the time the lath house deteriorated, my "medicinal garden" was firmly entrenched.

While Goldenseal root is offered by on-line sellers, buyers should understand that a tea made from the leaves is equally effective and not fatal to the plant. The yellow-orange roots are knotty and can be divided for propagation. Each root produces exactly TWO leaves, so if you want to cultivate a patch of it, harvesting roots is not the way to go! Bear in mind that a plant needs its leaves in order to photosynthesize as well. I judiciously harvest only leaf tips, cutting off an inch or so with scissors and leaving the main portion of the leaf intact. Enjoyment of the tea is an aquired taste. It is rather bitter and distinctly "herbal," but I have found it to be a very refreshing summertime drink. I keep a jar of it in the fridge, and just a few sips will quench my thirst.