Goldenrod - The herb that both cleans and heals

URINARY | DIGESTIVE | RESPIRATORY | SKIN

*Do not use in pregnancy or in those with Asteraceae allergies *

It's autumn now and my goldenrod has started to blossom and is slowly becoming top heavy with tiny, bright yellow flowers that remind me of stars.

I planted my it in a big pot because I heard it's invasive, but now looking at how tall and pretty it is I'm beginning to think that maybe I should just let it invade my garden. I've also recently read that goldenrod nourishes poor soil and as I live in Perth and my soil is like sand I think that after it has flowered I will plant some into my garden and let it run wild. Maybe next year I will be writing about how impossible it is to get goldenrod out of the garden! Time will tell 😄.

However, goldenrod attracts so many pollinators to the garden that I think it would be lovely to have en masse. In her beautiful book, The Healing Garden, Juliet Blankespoor writes:

"Goldenrod supports over 100 species of caterpillars. The nectar is popular with many butterflies, including monarchs. It also attracts garden beneficials such as praying mantises, ladybugs, assassin bugs, damsel bugs, syrphid flies, and parasitic wasps" (p282).

The Medicinal Uses of Goldenrod

Goldenrod can be used medicinally as either a herb or a homoeopathic remedy. Herbally, Solidago canadensis is commonly used although other types of Solidago can be used. The homoeopathic remedy made from goldenrod is Solidago virgaurea and I've written about it in a separate blog. You can access that blog here >

Goldenrod helps the body remove waste by stimulating the liver and kidneys and Culpeper (n.d., p167) refers to it as a "balsamic vulnerary herb" that both cleans and heals. When looking at it with a bird's eye view, its primary sphere of action is the organs of elimination - the kidneys, liver, lungs, colon and skin. It cleans, detoxifies, flushes waste out and in so doing decreases inflammation. Hence it is also used for gout, arthritis or aching joints when there is a build up of fluid in the joint. Goldenrod is also high in antioxidants and is antifungal.

Herbal uses: Goldenrod

Diuretic | Astringent | Anti-inflammatory | Antifungal | Vulnerary | Warming & drying

"Where is the nearest chair?" (Matthew Wood, 2008)

• Urinary system - Goldenrod is frequently used as a herb for infections of the kidneys, bladder, or urinary tract. It's also known to help flush out kidney stones. Matthew Wood (2008) highlights that goldenrod is especially beneficial for someone who is tired and worn out, either from an illness or from stress. Physically, they're suffering with tired, achey back, legs and feet and an altered urinary output or kidney problems. Emotionally they're exhausted, as if they "can't process the issues of life", and the words you'll hear from them is "where is the nearest chair?" because all they want to do is sink into a chair and give their aching feet and back a rest (Wood, 470). This weariness, tired back, legs and feet makes me think a little of the homoeopathic remedy Kali Carb.
• Respiratory tract - Just as the flowers are yellow, so is the nasal discharge. Goldenrod is used when white nasal discharge has turned yellow, and the sinuses are blocked, for example with allergies, flu or a cold. Wood also recommends goldenrod as his number one herb for someone with an allergy specifically to cats and for allergic conjunctivitis, when the whole white of the eye is a suffused red (Wood, n.d.).

• Digestive tract - Goldenrod is both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory and can be used for fungal infections (for example candida), gastroenteritis, irritable bowel syndrome, internal bleeding and haemorrhoids. Wood says it's to be used when there is digestive stagnation, as if the body does not have the energy or stamina for the food to travel all the way through the digestive tract. Yarrow Willard (2020) says it balances and tones entire internal ecosystems and is therefore an important herb when treating candida. He also mentions it is seven times higher in antioxidants than green tea.
• The skin - The Latin name for goldenrod is Solidago and it's derived from the Latin word 'solido' which means to make whole or join. It's no surprise, therefore, that goldenrod is a vulnerary herb used to heal open wounds. It's also used to treat boils and other skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and fungal infections. Generally it is applied topically to the skin either as a poultice in wound care, a gargle or douche. Interestingly, Wood (2008) notes that goldenrod has an affinity for the skin of the legs and head - especially scabs and sores on the legs or scalp.

In a talk on goldenrod, Wood (n.d.) points out that in traditional Chinese medicine the kidneys store the jing, our primal essence or life force, and he associates the 'kidney mentality' as being exhausted, worn out, and having no stamina. When a person presents with such a picture, for example after a long drawn-out stress or illness, then goldenrod can help restore their vitality.

How to use Goldenrod as a herb

*Because goldenrod is a very drying herb it should not be taken continuously longterm and should be used with caution in people with a dry constitution. It should also be avoided in pregnancy and in those with Asteraceae allergies*

The following guidelines are taken from Margaret Roberts (2002):

• Tea: 1/4 cup fresh or dried flowering tops. Pour over 1 cup boiling water and leave to stand for 5-15 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey if desired. Take 2-4 cups daily for acute conditions. Do not take longterm.
• Douche: Take 2 cups of fresh flowering heads or 1.5 cups dried flowers. Add 2 litres of water and simmer for 15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes then strain. Add 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar and use as a douche. Use all of it in one go and make a fresh batch for the next night and again for the third night. Use for 3 nights running.
• Gargle: Use cooled tea as a gargle for oral thrush. Gargle 8-10 times per day.

Juliet Blankespoor (2022) gives this lovely formula to help clear sinus congestion caused by allergies or head colds. She emphasises that due to its drying qualities it should not be used at the beginning stage of a cold or in people with a more dry constitution. Note - I have slightly adjusted the formula as she gives hers in ounces and I use milliliters!

• Free and clear sinuses formula by Juliet Blankespoor: Combine fresh tinctures: 30ml goldenrod leaf and flower, 15ml yarrow flower tincture, 15ml nettle leaf. Dosage is 3-4 ml up to three times a day.

Blankespoor (2022) also suggests the following combinations:

• Sore throats, thrush, laryngitis: Goldenrod and sage.
• Urinary tract infections: Goldenrod, marshmallow root, corn silk, uva-ursi, goldenseal.

Jean Palaiseul (1973) shares this recipe by Arnauld de Villeneuve, a 16th century physician and alchemist who declared it will "unfailingly break up the stone in the bladder". I haven't tried it yet but it sounds intriguing!

• Renal stones: 8g powdered goldenrod infused overnight in a glass of white wine. Drink slightly warmed every morning on first rising for 10-15 days.

Palaiseul (1973) also gives a delicious syrup recipe:

• Goldenrod syrup: 100g plant to one litre water. Boil for 10 minutes and then leave to infuse for 12 hours. Strain through a cloth and dissolve in 100-200g sugar over a low heat or in a bain-marie. Take 2 teaspoons daily away from meals. Take for 8-10 days and then have an 8-10 day break before starting it again.

References

Blankespoor, J. (2022). The Healing Garden. Harper Collins Publishers LLC.

Bone, K. (2021). Functional Herbal Therapy: A Modern Paradigm for Clinicians. Aeon Books Ltd.

Culpeper, N. (n.d.). Culpeper's Complete Herbal. Foulsham & Co. Ltd.

Palaiseul, J. (1973). Grandmother's Secrets: Her Green Guide to Health from Plants. Penguin Books.

Roberts, M. (2002). The Essential Margaret Roberts: My 100 Favourite Herbs. Spearhead.

Willard, Y. (2020). The Herbal Jedi: The Healing Powers of Goldenrod [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/Lbq3T3ZDvbQ?si=gSboUcaqnMBIW29Q

Wood, M. (2008). The Earthwise Herbal Volume 1, A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants. North Atlantic Books.

Wood, M. (n.d.). Herb Talk: Goldenrod. Matthew Wood Institute of Herbalism. https://matthewwoodinstituteofherbalism.com/

Please note: The health and nutritional information provided by Ruth Hull and/or this blog is intended for general educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute or replacement for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have any concerns regarding your health and before making any changes to your lifestyle or diet you should always consult your general medical practitioner or other health professional.

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