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October 23, 2017

Weeds that are Actually Medicine, Sumac

Winged sumac I found
 on a recent foraging trip
I have always found the sumac to be beautiful in its structure and enjoy the interest it brings to a landscape, but it wasn't until I started gaining knowledge of the healing properties of plants, that I found out how valuable sumac is to health. Sumac grows wild throughout the Sub-tropical regions of  the world, like Greece, Turkey and the Middle East and in the United States in the Southeast and Southwest. You will see it growing wild here in North Carolina in hedgerows, at the edges of pastures and along the road slightly under the canopy of trees. But you will also see it grown as an element of landscaping in the yards of older homes and in old abandoned country "home places".

Much like Goldenrod, Sumac has gotten a bad rap... I can't tell you how many times people have told me to look out for the "Poison Sumac" when I tell them I am going out to forage for sumac. So to start with I am going to say this... unless you are wading into a marsh to forage for Cattails, you will never be in danger of running into poison sumac, more on this later in the post. Sumac, from the genus of Rhus, is a large woody shrub raging from 3ft to as high as 30 ft, depending on species. They have pinnate leaves, feather-like leaf divisions arising on either side of a center axis, like a palm frond or a fern. The leave "fronds" are arranged in a spiral formation around the branches. The flowers form in dense pannicles of tiny greenish to creamy white flowers. The fruit drupes that form in a cluster known as a"bob", are reddish purple and borne above the leaves The Sumac bobs ripen in August to September in our area, but if weather is dry in the fall you can still find some sumac that is fit to pick as late as October.

There are many varieties of sumac in the U.S.A. Here in the Piedmont of North Carolina, the most common species are the Winged Sumac and the Smooth Sumac, but I have seen the Staghorn sumac, that is usually found in the mountains of western N.C., growing here in the here in the Piedmont as well. Usually the Staghorn sumac found wild in the Piedmont has been planted as a landscape feature by human hands and the birds have scattered the seed in the wild places. On my most recent sumac search I found all three varieties in a hours drive through the country. You can do an online search for the varieties that grow in your locale, there are usually even some good photos of what the species look like.

Winged sumac air drying 
Sumac is both edible and medicinal. It has strong anti-oxidant properties due to the amount of vitamin C it contains, but it is also, an anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, an anti-fungal, particularly for  aspergillus fungus which causes lung infections and infections other organs. It reduces blood sugar levels, which makes it a useful herb for diabetics, and has anti-cancer properties. An infusion of sumac bark or roots taken over a period of time can make positive alterations to the state of ones health. It is an antiseptic, astringent, diuretic, it increases the production of breast milk, can stop bleeding but also stimulates the circulatory system dilating the capillaries for better blood flow.Sumac berry's tangy flavor is the result of a high content of malic acid, citric acid, fumaric acid and ascorbic acid. For purposes of preparedness, sumac is a valuable source of foragible Vit C. Since in many scenarios, getting enough vitamin C could be very difficult. The barks and roots of sumac can be used  in an infusion as an antiseptic, as an astringent, a diuretic. It is used in alternative medicine for the treatment of colds, fever, diarrhea. It is used to treat mouth sores, sore throat and other inflammation of the mucous membranes. It helps with rectal bleeding, inflammation of the urinary tract and painful urination. An infusion of  the leaves is used for asthma and diarrhea. Chewing the leaves will give relief to sore gums and rubbing the chewed leaves on lips will soothe cracked dry lips.

The leaves can be harvested and used fresh or collected while they are still green and dried for later use, the bark can be collected at any time and dried or peeled and used fresh when needed. For medicinal purposes, use one tsp. of either bark or leaves steeped 1/2 hour hot water. When cool consume 2-4 cups a day. Use as a gargle or mouthwash for oral issues. In tincture, a dose is 10-20 drops in some water 2 times a day.

Now for a few words about poison sumac before I go on to talk about harvesting, storing and using sumac. Sumac, Rhus coriaria  and Poison Sumac,  Toxicodendron vernix, are members of the same family as poison ivy  and cashews. Poison sumac grows in boggy areas and wetlands. In North Carolina it is only found in Coastal areas and swampy areas of the Sandhills. It is also found in the swamps of the deep south and marshy areas throughout the New England and Great Lake states. The plant grows directly in the water or in the boggy areas very close to the water. It is a shrub or small tree. The leaves can look similar to poison ivy and the stem that connect the leaflets to the branches are red and some of the leaves, particularly the newest leaves have a reddish tinge. The woody parts of the plant are grey and smooth, and the mature berries which are borne underneath the leaves in loose clusters, are greenish white. To get into poison sumac is unlikely unless you are wading in a marsh, foraging cattail or wapato in areas where it is common. But if you are likely to do that, it would be advisable to know what it looks like and to steer clear of it, because it is extremely irritating to the skin, like poison ivy on steroids... The blisters go very deep and can persist for weeks on end. 


Although there are a few similarities, Poison Sumac's white berries and the fact that grows in marshy situations, 
where edible sumac has red berries and prefers a dry environment, makes it pretty easy to tell Poison Sumac
 from  the edible, medicinal sumac.

Start watching for the ripening sumac in August. It is possible to still find viable bobs well into October but they earlier ones will be more likely to have the highest content of malic and ascorbic acid. To harvest Sumac, look for plants that are in open places, away from traffic and road runoff. Also it is important to look at the ground and make sure that there is no swaths of dead brown vegetation that would indicate that an herbicide has been sprayed in the area. Choose fresh bobs that have no mold or insect infestations and cut the bob stems an inch or so below the last berries in the cluster. Some varieties are fuzzy and thickly clustered together, (Staghorn sumac), other are loosely clustered with shiny berries sticky with malic acid, (Winged sumac). All varieties are useful.

Staghorn sumac in the fall.

To dry the sumac bobs, spread them out in an area that gets good air circulation, but is out of the weather. Turn the bobs every couple days to make sure they are drying uniformly. They should be dry enough to grind in a week or so. A dehydrator on fan, no heat, can be used as well. I have a mesh hanging dryer made by Stack!t that I use to dry my sumac and I am very happy with the results. 
In dry weather the Stack!t hangs under the cover of our veranda. If it is rainy,
 I hang it in the house and point a box fan at it.

One hint, the berries that are sticky do not ever seem dry due to the amount of sticky residue on the berries but after a week or so the skin on the berry will be dry enough for grinding. Once dry, the berries can be stored as bobs in an airtight container for use later or they can separated from the stems and picked through for undesirable berries and then the remaining berries can be ground in a spice mill just long enough to loosen the dried fruit from the seeds.Then sift through a flour sifter or strainer with mesh large enough to let the fruit flakes go through but small enough to keep the seeds in the strainer. If all the fruit fibers didn't come off the first time through, return to the spice mill and sift again until all the fruit fibers have been removed. The red flakes that come off the seeds are what can be made into za'atar or other seasonings.

Here is a simple recipe for Za'atar:

1/4 cup dried and ground sumac fruit
2 Tblsp. dried thyme
1 Tblsp. white sesame seeds, toasted
1 tsp. sea salt or dulse

Combine and mix well. Store in an airtight jar and use within a year, since ground sumac loses its potency over time. The Za'atar can be used to season chicken or fish,sprinkled on soft cheese or hummus, but my favorite thing to do with it is to brush pita bread with extra virgin olive oil and freshly pressed garlic, then sprinkle a nice thick coat on of the za'atar on top and broil until the top of the spice is lightly toasted. I cut it like a pizza and serve with a Mediterranean meal or as an appetizer with hummus. Yum!

Sumac bobs may be soaked for several hours or overnight in room temperature water, then strained and sweetened with honey for sumac-ade, a natural look alike for pink lemonade. Since hot water draws out the tannins, making the water bitter, only use room temperature water for making sumac beverages. 

Sumac is also a very effective agent for tanning hides for leather since it is high in tannins. The tannins also make sumac a desirable plant for those who dye yarn or fabric, since they do not need a mordant. The tannins also make for color fast dyes in colors ranging from beige and yellow to pinkish red and black, depending on what part of the plant is used.

So, this sadly misunderstood plant is actually of great value to the forager, healer, tanner and dyer. As a Prepper, knowing where to find the medicinal herbs and forage foods in your area is a good idea. I hope you will keep your eyes peeled for stand of sumac to forage from and maybe add them to your herbal pharmacy and forage pantry!   


The above information is for educational purposes and is not intended to treat or diagnose illness. It is the responsibility of the individual to research and educate themselves before making health choices for themselves and their families.

October 11, 2017

Weeds that are Actually Medicine, Goldenrod

Starting in late August/early September the fields in our area are covered in swaths of tall spires of golden yellow flowers waving in the breeze. It is a lovely sight. These flowers are Solidago, commonly known as Goldenrod,  a member of the Asteraceae family. Goldenrod has many positive attributes, not only is it pretty in masses in the fields, it is a favorite forage plant for bees in the autumn. The flowers are used to produce a warm yellow dye to color fabrics and yarn, but most importantly, the golden rod plant has medicinal properties.

Goldenrod has many medicinal uses. It is an antiseptic, astringent, it is anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, a carmative, ( reduces gastro-intestinal gas), and promotes sweating and urination for detoxification. It it reduces excess mucous and irritation caused by allergies, is helpful in treating urinary tract issues, can be used as a gargle for congestion in the larynx, and can be applied topically to wounds to promote healing.

It is easy to identify Goldenrod when in bloom, due to it's crown of golden flowers. The fields and hedgerows are thick with them from late August through October. They can range in height from knee high to head high, depending on the age and location of the plant.  Goldenrod has a woody stem and thin, ovate leaves that are in opposing pairs along the stem.

A head of goldenrod flowers.

The stem is woody and the leaves are long, oval and arranged in
opposing pairs along them stem.
Goldenrod is often blamed for fall allergies, but it is not Goldenrod that is the culprit, it is Common Ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia. Ragweed really looks nothing like Goldenrod, it has unremarkable flowers of light yellow borne atop stems that have ferny deeply cut leaves. It produces volumes of air borne pollen that torment fall allergy sufferers, Unfortunately, it visually fades into the background, letting Goldenrod's tall spires of bright golden flowers take the blame for all the itchy, watery eyes and runny noses. In truth, Goldenrod has no air borne pollen at all, instead it has sticky resin-like pollen that clings to the feet and bodies of insects that visit its flowers. You literally can't inhale Goldenrod pollen. One of Goldenrod's medicinal uses is to alleviate the allergy symptoms caused by ragweed.

Deeply cut ferny leaves of Ragweed
Ragweed flowers
To harvest Goldenrod, cut the top 1/3 of the plant when the flowers are in full bloom, strip the large leaves off on the woody part of the stem. Leave the woody stem so that hanging the herbs to dry is easier, but if just using in tincture trim off the woody part and tincture only the flowers, small leaves and soft parts of the stem.

A closeup of the Goldenrod flowers
will help make sure identification is easy.

This is what Goldenrod looks like in situation.

 There are many ways to preserve Goldenrod. It can be made into a tincture or it may be infused in a crockpot with honey, strained and bottled for use with those who can't tolerate alcohol or for children. It can be made into lozenges by infusing in honey or heavy sugar syrup and boiling to"hard crack" on a candy thermometer and then pouring into molds. It can be dried and used as an infusion for tea or ground and made into capsules or used as an ingredient in a poultice. With all the different ways it can be used, it is good to preserve some as tincture and some in dried form to allow for flexibility in use as needs arise.

To prepare the Goldenrod for tincture, pick through and remove anything that was cut in the field that was not Goldenrod, grass, other plants, dead pieces of flotsome. Today Skittles decided to "help" with this part of the process...


Cut the Goldenrod into small pieces, removing the thick woody pieces, but leaving the soft stem and leaves.


I tincture my medicinal herbs in 190 proof grain alcohol that I have previously tinctured with organic lemon peel. Lemon peel is full of essential oils that are anti-septic, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and anti-viral... with that many "anti" properties lemon essential oil will boost the healing properties of the any herbs being tinctured.


Fill the container tightly, half way with plant matter and then fill to where the neck of the jar narrows with your alcohol of choice. I use 190 proof grain alcohol, but I live close to South Carolina where it is legal to sell 190 proof. Here in North Carolina the strongest you can get is 100 proof. You can use either grain alcohol or vodka of the highest proof you can purchase.


I then put a Ziploc type sandwich bag in the mouth of the jar and lightly press into the surface of the liquid. Once I am sure the plastic covers the surface of the liquid I slowly fill the bag with water to 3/4 from the top of the jar. Then I push out the remaining air and zip the bag closed, fold the top of the bag into the 3/4 in head space and cover tightly with a lid. I do this step to make sure that all the plant mater is well below the alcohol, to prevent molding.  Invert the bottle of tincture every day for the first week and then once or twice a week for another 5 weeks. After the six weeks has passed, strain the tincture through cheesecloth, squeeze out all the liquid, bottle and tightly cap then label with the date it was poured off and store.


The herb can be dried for use later or for making teas and poultices by tying 2 or 3 stems together and hanging in an area with good air circulation that is protected from the weather.  I hang mine from the rafters of the vaulted ceiling in my sitting room, but I also have a Stack!t air drying gadget that works for small quantities. It hangs outside under the cover of our veranda to catch the breeze.

I have lots of room in the rafters of our sitting room to hang herbs to dry.

The stack!t works great indoors or outside,
 but I prefer to hang it in the breeze if it is nice outside.

The Stack!t is great for drying small quantities of herbs and
since it has sections, it is easy to dry more
than one kind of herb at a time.
The dried plant material can be roughly ground up and infused into tea or finely ground and loaded into capsules, (I use 00 capsules and a Capsule Machine, both can be purchased at www.mountainroseherbs.com). Dried plant material should be stored in a cool place, in a tightly capped jar stored out of the light.  Goldenrod tincture should be stored at full strength in tightly capped amber bottles and kept in a cool, dark place. Tinctures of 100% alcohol or 100% honey infused with herbs will keep indefinitely. Once diluted the tincture's clock begins ticking... it will store for several years, but will eventually lose it's potency).

For use as a tincture or honey infusion, dilute 1:5 with water and take 1/2 -1 tsp. 3 times a day, (it will go down better with a little honey).  If making a tea, infuse 3 tsp. in an 8 oz. cup of hot water and allow to steep 15-20 minutes, then strain and drink with a little honey. This also should be consumed 3 times daily.

So now is the time to go out and harvest some goldenrod while it is in full bloom and get some tincture and dried herb ready at hand. It is best to harvest Goldenrod deep in a field or along a woods edge away from traffic exhaust fumes and road run off. If you have a park nearby that is a good place to harvest away from traffic and spraying. If you can't get it anywhere else look for low traffic country roads and get back at least 50 feet off the road to harvest. Be sure to wear long pants and boots and watch for snakes and fire ant hills. Of course, you should never go on fenced private land without asking permission, so if you find a prime crop of Goldenrod behind a fence, tempting as it may be, leave it if you can't find the owner to ask permission.

 I have posted a step by step tutorial on how to make a tincture on another blog post. Here is the link: https://aprepperspantryjournal.blogspot.com/2016/11/its-tincture-time-again.html

                                                                                                        Happy Wildcrafting!
                                                                 


The above information is for educational purposes and is not intended to treat or diagnose illness. It is the responsibility of the individual to research and educate themselves before making health choices for themselves and their families.