How to Grow Goldenseal

Introduction

Native American Indians once used goldenseal as yellow dye, a cure for upset stomachs, wounds, whooping cough and pneumonia. This perennial flower is a member of the buttercup family and is most commonly used today for bleeding gums and to help ease eczema. Organized studies have shown it successfully fights E. coli. It's not easy to grow goldenseal from seed, but well-cultivated roots prove helpful to keep on hand.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Steps

1

Step One

Search for a planting area with well-drained soil, preferably under a shade canopy of trees like walnut, oak or sycamore. Preferring 60-75 percent shade, Goldenseal likes humus-rich soil, without sand or clay. It will not grow in areas with high heat or humidity.

2

Step Two

Plant live goldenseal rootlets during dormancy, sometime in October. Divide them into small pieces and plant them about 8 inches apart in a row.

3

Step Three

Stay busy doing other things while you wait for your goldenseal to bloom. Flowers appear two years after planting, in April and May, and have three small light green sepals and no petals. Goldenseal's fruit ripens in July, looks like raspberries, contains two black shiny seeds and is not edible.

4

Step Four

Harvest roots and the underground stems in the fall 3 or 4 years after planting. The roots and stems are used for medicinal purposes and are what gives goldenseal its commercial value for use as a gargle, skin wash, tincture or syrup.

5

Step Five

Protect harvested goldenseal roots from moisture and light. Roots will be bright yellow and gnarled, from ¼ inch to ¾ inch thick. Use them within three years.

Tips & Warnings

• If you struggle with athlete's foot or other problems with the tootsies and do not have diabetes, try a commercial foot soap containing goldenseal root.
• Consult a physician before using goldenseal. Pregnant women and people with high blood pressure, glaucoma, diabetes or heart disease should never use goldenseal.