Yellow Root and Goldenseal is an herb that has been used for generations to “cure” a variety of common ailments. With its reported effectiveness in soothing everything from mouth sores to PMS, many people would like to learn how to get their own supply of the golden yellow herb.
The first is the first. Make sure you have permission from private land owners before hunting on their property. Hunting Goldenseal on government property can and will get you a fine and possibly jail time. Yellow Root also grows in the same places as poison ivy, be careful to know what you’re throwing away or you may need the herb’s “anti-itch” properties faster than you think.
where to find it
The grass grows along the banks of streams, primarily in the eastern half of the United States. There is some that grows west of the Mississippi, but it is typically found from northern Florida to southern Maine.
it seems
First of all, Goldenseal and Yellow Root are the same plant. It’s just given different names in different parts of the country. The average height of the plant is eighteen to twenty-four inches. The leaves look like parsley. The plant is deciduous. The best way to tell if it’s what you’re looking for is to remove the nail and peel some of the bark off the stem. The internal flesh is bright yellow. I would suggest taking a small sample to your local agricultural or extension agent before ingesting any plants you find in the wild.
Okay, I found it and ID’d it. Now what?
Once you’ve located the Yellow Root, gotten permission to take it, and there’s someone who can actually identify it for you, don’t dig up the plants. Pull the goldenseal up by holding the stem by the ground.
The roots are really just a mass of shoots. If you dig the whole root, it won’t come back out. If you pull up the root, the root sprouts again the next spring and you’ll have Yellow Root to pull up again in about two years. If everyone acts responsibly, when it comes time to uproot, future generations will still have this valuable natural resource.
Once you’ve uprooted the plant, remove the leaves and place them back where the plants came from. This will act as a natural fertilizer for the new growth. Do not use400 any type of chemical fertilizer to speed up new growth. This will harm aquatic life and pollute our groundwater tables. Now that you’ve removed and “ripped” the goldseal, it’s time to take it home to finish the process.
drying time
Now cut the stems into six-inch pieces and place them on a rack about four feet from the ground. This should leave you with the roots. Wash the roots with lukewarm water, making sure to remove all dirt. Now place the roots on the rack. It is best to take the stems and roots of Yellow Root at night to prevent moisture from re-entering them. The entire process usually takes about seven days to completely remove the moisture from the Goldenseal.