Planting the Future

PLEURISY ROOT

Asclepias tuberosa

JOANNE MARIE SNOW

It’s a cool, cloudy autumn day in New England. I relax here in my apartment and think back on my many experiences with pleurisy root, or butterfly weed (as it’s commonly called). Because the plants have long since gone to seed, I sit surrounded by the many photographs that I have taken of pleurisy root throughout the years.

To further connect with the plant, I place some dried root into my mouth. My body enjoys the bitter taste, and yet there’s something deeper that I need and desire to commune with—the mystical and magical aspects of the plant, the plant’s spirit. To do this, I close my eyes and meditate on the plant. My mind flashes to summer. I’m sitting beside the plant in awe of its vibrant orange flowers. I become lost in its color and form. What a miracle that such beauty exists. I reach deeply to meet with the plant. I ask the plant my question: “What is it that you want me to share?”

My mind goes back further, to the first time that I became acquainted with pleurisy root. I had been studying the medicinal qualities of plants for just a few years, but I’d been “hanging out” with plants my whole life. Still, I didn’t have much experience using plants medicinally, and I was looking forward to experimenting more with them. I had come down with a bad cold while working nights as a nurse’s aid and going to college full time during the day. I thought about taking echinacea and a few other herbs, but I really wanted to find out exactly what some of the other herbs I had been studying could do. My major at the time was biology, and I was having a lot of fun learning and doing experiments, so I figured I’d do a little experimentation on myself.

I decided not to treat my symptoms and to allow myself to get sick, which didn’t take long given my schedule. I waited until my chest was so sore that it hurt to breathe. It almost felt like I was going to have a heart attack. I don’t recommend this type of experimentation, but I was young and going through a Thomsonian phase! I rarely got ill, so here was my chance to find out how well these herbs could work.

I sat bleary eyed at the kitchen table, jars of herbs and herb books spread out around me. Most of the herbs I had wildcrafted; others, such as pleurisy root, I had purchased. I started to put together a formula, wondering perhaps if my experiment had gone too far. Would these herbs work? I had faith that they would, if I picked the right ones. I decided to use a blend of science and intuition to make my selections.

I knew I needed a really good lung herb as a primary component of the formula—something that would break up my congestion and get my fluids moving. I had some coltsfoot that I had wildcrafted myself, but something told me that this wasn’t quite what I needed. When I picked up the jar of pleurisy root, though, I felt a big “yes.” At first I didn’t want to use the plant, because I hadn’t harvested it myself. I was trying to be a purist, using only what I wildcrafted or had grown. However, the root tasted nice and strong, and my body seemed to badly need and want it. So I gave it a try.

I made my bitter brew, thinking of all the green witches who had done the same throughout the ages. I thanked the plants for their gift, thinking, “ I hope this works.” Amazingly, within a few hours my congestion began to loosen, and the pain decreased. By the next day I was feeling much better; the pain was gone and I was breathing easier.

What an incredible herb—not only a gift of beauty for the heart and soul, but a profound healer for the physical body as well! I certainly had found out about the power of pleurisy root and the effectiveness of herbs. My experiment was complete, and I felt no further need to let myself get sick again.

Pleurisy root is a member of the Milkweed (Asclepiadaceae) family. Leafing through a field guide might give you the impression that this is a small family. However, there are about two thousand species in the Milkweed family. The vast majority of them grow in tropical and subtropical areas.

Pleurisy root is an erect perennial herb that grows from 1 to 2 feet in height. The stems are hairy, simple or branched. One of the key characteristics of this plant is that it has a watery juice—not the milky juice of most milkweeds. The leaves are alternate along the stem and are oblong and narrow in shape; they’re 2 to 6 inches long.

The most telling characteristic of this family is its unique flower structure; pleurisy root is no exception. The plant has vibrant orange-red to yellow flowers that attract butterflies, hence the name butterfly weed. The flowers are arranged in flat-topped clusters (umbels) borne at the end of the branches. I’m going to go into some detail describing the flower parts. They are so astounding that they deserve the extra attention. To be honest, they demand it!

The flowers have five petals, which are fused at the base and deeply divided. They curve backward to conceal the calyx (sepals). Above the petals is a crown. Botanically, the crown is known as a gynostegium, which is formed from the fusion of the anthers (male) with the stigmas (female). How profound! I wonder if, in an etheric sense, the plant would help us to unite our inner male and female natures? I’ll have to work on that one, and I’d also like to ponder what doctrine of signatures would be represented in this feature. Each gynostegium is surrounded by five nectar horns that consist of an upright hood and a protruding crest. The petals and the gynostegium combine to create a unique flower that you really have to see to believe.

I remember the first time I tried to describe a common milkweed flower, which is similar to this one. I had thought myself a pretty good botanist, but the only parts I could readily identify were the petals and sepals. The intricate beauty and complexity of these flowers astound me. No matter how many times I’ve examined them, each time fills me with fresh awe.

The fruit is a hairy, narrow, spindle-shaped, 4- to 5-inch-long pod called a follicle. The follicles contain numerous milkweed-type seeds. Each has long silky hairs that carry it majestically through the wind; the seed can give itself up to the currents in the faith that it will fall in a place where it can propagate and grow. I think that there’s another doctrine of signatures in there somewhere.

The root is a rhizome with a knotty, branched crown. It has ringlike markings and is grooved lengthwise. The color is grayish brown on the outside and whitish on the inside. The dried root doesn’t have much of a smell. It does have a bitter, almost acrid taste when you first put it in your mouth. I find that after chewing it for a while, it loses its bitterness and has a nutty, almost carrotlike flavor.

Members of the Milkweed family have been used as medicinal plants for thousands of years. This is reflected in the generic name Asclepias, which is from the Greek name Aesculapius (Askepius), referring to the god of medicine. Aesculapius was an actual person, a physician who became deified in the eighth century B.C.E. In Greek mythology Apollo taught medicine to Chiron the centaur, who taught his healing skills to Aesculapius. The genus was named to honor both Aesculapius and the medicinal properties of the plants that are part of the family.

In North America pleurisy root and other native milkweed species were used extensively by Native Americans for a variety of purposes. The Omaha and Ponca called the plant makan saka (raw medicine) and kiu makan (wound medicine). As the common name indicates, Native Americans used it to treat pulmonary and bronchial troubles. It was also chewed and used as a poultice on wounds. Other tribes used it as a laxative, heart medicine, and antidiarrheal, as well as for stomach and intestinal pains.

The colonists learned about the plant’s uses from Native Americans. It soon became a popular folk remedy for bronchitis, pleurisy, and other lung ailments. The Eclectic physicians of the late 1800s and early 1900s used pleurisy root as a diaphoretic, expectorant, diuretic, laxative, tonic, and carminative.

According to Felter and Lloyd, “It was one of the most common of the indigenous medicines employed by the Eclectic fathers.” They used it to treat intercostal neuralgia, rheumatism, pneumonia, bronchitis, stomach problems, diarrhea, and dysentery. Pleurisy root was listed in the United States Pharmacopoeia from 1820 through 1905, and in the National Formulary from 1916 through 1936.

As its name implies, pleurisy root is used to treat various lung and bronchial conditions. It’s not as widely used today as in the past, which befits its to-watch status. However, it brings great relief (as I found out) to people who have congestion and infections that have settled in the lungs. It is used to treat infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia. According to herbalist Matthew Wood, it’s particularly useful to treat the lingering aftereffects of these conditions.

Pleurisy root reduces inflammation, promotes diaphoresis, induces expectoration, and has antispasmodic properties as well. It helps increase fluid circulation in the lungs—which is especially helpful for a dry, nonproductive cough when there’s a feeling of tightness in the chest.

There has been little investigation into the pharmacological effects of pleurisy root’s constituents. Low dosages of the extracts have been shown to cause uterine contractions in laboratory animals. Historically, it has been used for gynecological conditions; its effect on an animal’s uterus may explain why. However, because of its ability to contract the uterus, its use during pregnancy is not recommended.

The rhizome of pleurisy root can be used fresh or dry. According to my copy of the United States Dispensatory, printed in 1851, pleurisy root “yields its properties readily to boiling water.” Even though roots are generally decocted, pleurisy root is prepared by an infusion. Use ½ to 1 teaspoon of the chopped root to 1 cup of hot water and let it steep for at least ten minutes. This can be taken two or three times a day. According to the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, the dose for a tincture (1:10 in 45 percent alcohol) is 1 to 5 ml, three times a day.

However, it’s important to remember that dosage varies with each individual. This is especially true with tinctures and extracts. Many commercial products come with recommended doses ranging anywhere from 10 to 60 drops, two to three times a day. I’ve found that for me, just 5 drops of pleurisy root tincture taken two or three times a day works fine. The important thing is to start slow and listen to your body.

If you want, you can easily make your own tinctures. There are several ways to do this. The easiest is the “folkloric” method, which produces quite effective medicines. Finely chop the cultivated fresh or dried rhizome. Put it in a jar and cover with brandy or vodka. Completely cover your mash, and then add another 2 inches of alcohol to top it off. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and let it sit for four to six weeks. Shake it a few times a day. I “talk” to mine, invoking age-old magic. Sometimes I’ll put various crystals and minerals around the jar to enhance certain qualities.

Pleurisy root contains cardiac glycosides and can produce nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea if taken in too high a dosage. I feel it’s better to start with a low dose—5 to 10 drops at a time—for all herbs. You never know how the body is going to react. Because of its cardiac glycosides, pleurisy root is not recommended for people who are taking cardiac medications; it may interfere with such treatment.

Pleurisy root can be propagated easily by seeds or root division in the spring or fall. Fresh seeds require a period of cool, damp stratification; mix them with peat moss and put them into a refrigerator for ten to twelve weeks. Older seeds don’t require this process. You can sow the seeds outside or in.

To sow, put the seeds in a container (if inside) and cover to depth. (The depth of a seed refers to the width of the seed when it’s lying on its side; therefore, put just the amount of soil that’s equal to the seed’s width over it.) Germination usually takes place within two or three weeks. Unlike mature plants, which prefer dry conditions, seedlings need to be kept moist until they are well established.

When the seedling has five to six leaves, it’s ready to be moved to its permanent location. (I recommend a permanent location because the plant doesn’t like to be transferred. It can be moved, but the roots are thin and break easily, so the plant will take awhile to come back.) Pleurisy root prefers well-drained, sandy soil. According to the New England Wild Flower Society’s cultivation guide, it likes a pH of 4.5 to 5.5. Plants should receive half a day of full sunlight at the very least. The soil should contain 25 to 30 percent sand to a depth of approximately 1 to 2 feet. Mature plants like dry conditions. Water once a week only if you’ve gone a few weeks without rain. Pleurisy root will not flower during its first year of growth; it spends this time developing its root system.

For more specific information concerning growing pleurisy root in your area of the country, check with your local garden club or wild-flower society.

The cultivated rhizome is usually collected in the late fall, after the energy from the aerial parts has gone back into the root. Among herbalists there are always differences of opinion, so while some herbalists feel pleurisy root is best collected in the spring, most collect it in the fall.

The rhizome is long and thin and tends to break easily. Dig around it carefully to pull up the whole root. When harvesting from your cultivated beds, break off the piece of rhizome that holds the bud (which is next year’s growth) and replant it. This way you’ll ensure the plant’s continued survival.

The next step is to thoroughly clean the root, giving special attention to the knotty sections to make sure all the soil is removed. To dry the root, cut it into thin sections. Because it’s so long, slicing it longitudinally works quite well.

UpS RECOMMENDATIONS

• Use cultivated sources only.

• Elecampane is a possible substitute.

Pleurisy root is currently on the United Plant Savers To-Watch List. Where I live in New England, it’s rare to find it growing in the wild. Thankfully, this plant is fairly easy to cultivate. It’s grown throughout the United States as an ornamental and for the butterflies it attracts. Its bright orange flowers fill my heart with joy and wonder and are a blessing to us all.

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd. King’s American Dispensatory. Vol. 1. 1898. Reprint, Portland, Oreg.: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1983.

Gledhill, D. The Names of Plants. 2d ed. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press, 1989.

Hamel, Paul B., and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses. Sylva, N.C.: Herald Publishing, 1975.

Kindscher, K. Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie: An Ethnobotanical Guide. Lawrence: University of Kansas Press, 1992.

Newall, C. A., L. A. Anderson, and J. D. Phillipson. Herbal Medicines: A Guide for Health Care Professionals. London: Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.

Wood, G. B., and F. Bache. United States Dispensatory. 9th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1851.

Wood, Matthew. The Book of Herbal Wisdom: Using Plants as Medicines. Berkeley: North Atlantic Books, 1997.