Long before I knew the physical medicine of this plant, I loved this plant. The smell of the Blossoms in the summer is
rich and deep. The heat of the sun
brings out the resins in the leaf, and walking in the woods at my sisters one
day I asked ”what is that smell?” She
showed me the plant….. and so the love affair began. I made an infused oil with
the flowers.
A few years later, I was in Portland, studying at The School
of Traditional Western Herbalism. Matt
wood was talking about Red Root, and its uses.
I was intrigued. Each class I
would come home with a list of plants to get to know deeper, seeds to buy,
plants to find, or herbs to order so I could start building relationship with
them. Red Root was on the top of that
list.
The next class I had with school was a camping trip on Mount
Hood. Scott Kloos, was the instructor,
along with Chris and Hanna. It was beautiful to be in the woods and
learn, We met many plants that weekend.
(including Dragon Root, but that is another story…) Songs, Food, and stories were shared. Mount Hood and the special group of people
who were there still speak to my heart.
One of the conversations while setting up camp, “Did you see all the Red Root Blooming?” “Yes” others said, but I was confused. The Red root in Matthew’s book Ceanothus
americanus. Red Root, or New Jersey Tea.
A picture of a single up right plant, I
did not see this plant anywhere on Mount Hood.
I looked and looked, and
yes, I was with amazing teachers…. I
COULD have asked…. But I am the type of
student that feels I should work on it myself first…… and what would they THINK? Everyone else can see this Red Root…… What the heck is wrong with ME!!!
So I went home, and driving down the beautiful Mountain I
searched in vain for the illusive Red Root.
I told my sister all about my wonderful trip, and of how disappointed I was that I could
not find this Red Root on my own….. I
was defeated……. Frustrated, and determined to find it. I scoured my plant identification books… and brooded.
Up to the Mountains again to visit my sis…. And she says…..”hey, by the way,
I guess Red Root is what we call Buck Brush.”
WHAT! BUCK BRUSH! I
LOVE THAT PLANT!!!!!!! And that was my
FIRST teaching with Buck Brush….. and it still teaches me! Humbled, and laughing…… Oh I love this plant. It is a different variety of Ceanothis. It has many common names. There are over 30
varieties in the Pacific North West.
I came back in the Fall to harvest some root. It was not easy…… let’s just say I ended up bleeding and crying
while digging….. with many blisters by
the time I had the roots processed. It
is beautiful Medicine. I make an infused oil out of the blossoms and make an
amazing soap. I have used the tincture
of the root to treat lymphatic issues in
low grade infection. Infused oil
of the root for clearing energetic
blockages in the torso. Tea of the root
for swelling from histamine over
reaction.
Matthew Wood writes
of it in the Earth Wise Herbal, and The Book of Herbal Wisdom. Michael Moore has brought out much
information about working with this
plant. His writing of it in Medicinal
Plants of the Pacific West are my favorite.
“Red Root is for
healthy people under stress, not sick people under treatment- the best kind of
herb” M.M.
I went up to the woods this weekend to harvest Red
Root. I was a little more proactive in
my planning (I thought) this time. I waited till after the rains. I asked my brother In Law if there were any
he was planning to take out. He had
already started on an area the day before,
so I started digging…. For about
a half hour covered in mud… with no
luck.. I went back to the house and
asked if he would help me with the tractor….
He came out to work on it for me.
I went for a little walk about,
going to visit Angelica, as he worked.
I heard a huge pop. Soon the tractor was turned off. I hiked back to the spot, and started digging through the piles of
dirt left on the side. Red Root is a
Nitrogen fixer, so Rose roots, and Ghost berries, all like to tangle around the
roots of this plant….. I saw what was
left of some of the tap root, so I
worked on getting that out for a while…..
I kept thinking…. “Wow, I know the base of that plant was huge…. Where is it? “
Then it dawned on me that perhaps my brother in
law brought it up to the house for me…..
so of course it was sitting on the front porch for me when I got
there!!!! LOL oh Red Root…… Buck Brush, you still teach me….. thank you my dear friend…… for the humor, and the help, in so many ways…….. and only a few blisters this time…….
