# Xanthorhiza simplicissima (ulcers)



## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

I gathered Xanthorhiza simplicissima last week. It's one of several plants known as “Yellow Root”. It contains Berberine which kills H. pylori. 

“H. pylori infection occurs when a type of bacteria called Helicobacter pylori infects your stomach. A common cause of peptic ulcers.” mayoclinic.org/diseasesconditions/…/definition/con-20030903

If you have a peptic ulcer this plant is worth its weight in gold! Be warned, tea from this plant is incredibly astringent, pucker you up worse than a green persimmon! LOL, its not quite that bad! I sweeten 1.5 quarts with 4 heaping Tbsp of the crystallized sugar from the bottom of a honey jar and it still had a bit of a pucker factor.

Tea can be used as a wash for skin ulcers and to clean wounds, a mouthwash for sore throats and bleeding gums. In a slave it’s good for bed sores and fungal infections. The plant is very similar to goldenseal, Hydrastis canadensis but it is a much milder medicine.

I knew yellowroot grew along this creek but it was still very difficult to see, especially this time of year when the leaves were a mix of rusty green. In the first pic the same plant had rustygreen and brown leaves 3 inches above the leaf litter, almost impossible to see from more than a few feet away. The leaves were a bright yellow in a couple of spots which were a lot easier to see.

I don’t harvest the roots. I just cut the stem about an inch above the ground and make tea from the leaves and stem. The root will put back up in the spring.

Yellow root is found as far north as upstate NY. Look for it along sandy creek banks surrounded by hardwoods.


----------



## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

I thought I'd add... if you take a knife and skin the bark on the stems you will see a very distinctive yellow/green color, hard to mistake.

Yellowroot also makes a very nice looking tea. This is a 2 quart bowl.


----------



## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

Around our parts we call it goldenseal or ground raspberry ...


----------



## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

True “goldenseal” or Hydrastis canadensis doesn’t grow this far south. It is often called “Yellowroot” as well. This is one of those common name conundrums! Both plants contain Berberine and for the most part are used the same way. There are differences that I've been studying of late.

I’ve read that true goldenseal is getting rare in the wild from over harvesting. This is one of the reasons I don’t harvest the root of Xanthorhiza simplicissima, just the stems and leaves. Don’t want the same thing happening to it! A very useful plant!


----------

