Black Root

Leptandra virginica syn. Veronicastrum virginicum

COMMON NAMES

• Beaumont Root
• Black Root
• Bowman's Root
• Brinton Root
• Culver's Physic
• Culver's Root
• Hini
• Leptandra
• Oxadoddy
• Purple Leptandra
• Tall Speedwell
• Tall Veronica
• Whorlywort

Black root - a perennial herb with slender stems growing up to 7 feet tall. Whorls of three or more narrow lance-shaped leaves circle the stem at its joints. Small white, pinkish, or blue flowers (June-September) cluster in spikes 3 - 8 inches long at the ends of the stems.

When Cotton Mather, the famous Puritan leader, sought a remedy for his daughter's tuberculosis in 1716, it was black root that he asked for, and his request is the first recorded use of the name. Black root was well known to most early practitioners as a powerful laxative and emetic (a substance that causes vomiting). It was certainly a violent medication to use for a lung ailment, and Mather's daughter died soon afterward.

American Indians, who discovered the plant's therapeutic properties, employed black root ritually too. For ceremonial purifications, the Seneca Indians induced vomiting by drinking a tea made from the plant's dried root. The Chippewas used the root as a "blood cleanser."

Another property that has been attributed to the root is its ability to increase the flow of bile from the liver. Herbalists employed dried black root in the treatment of liver disorders and for chronic indigestion and other conditions thought to arise from liver dysfunction.

PARTS USED

Dried root.

USES

Black root is still used in small doses today as a laxative and a remedy for liver and gallbladder disorders. The herb also treats flatulence and bloating, and eases the discomfort of hemorrhoids and rectal prolapse. Black root is occasionally given for skin problems if poor liver function is a factor.

HABITAT AND CULTIVATION

Black root grows across North America in meadows and woodlands. The root is unearthed in autumn.

CONSTITUENTS

Black root contains a volatile oil, saponins, sugars, and tannins.

USUAL DOSAGE

Decoction: put 1 - 2 teaspoonfuls of the dried herb in a cup of cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Take one cup three times a day.
Tincture: take 2 - 4 ml of the tincture three times a day.

COLLECTION AND HARVESTING

Black root, which was introduced to European herbalism via the Seneca Indians, should be dug up in the autumn and stored for a year before use.

COMBINATIONS

Black root will combine well with barberry and dandelion.

COMMENTS