Rocky Mountain bear medicine. Wildharvesting Osha root. "Ligusticum porteri"
Below.... you can see the Osha growing in its preferred ecosystem. Sub alpine meadows...at 8000ft and higher. She grows where the bears roam...and aspen groves thrive! She tends to have a peculiar love for the mountian mycelium...and is hard to grow in one's own garden. Osha is a true wild one!
I was born in the Rocky Mountains in 1975...in a small town near the southern border of Utah and Arizona, called St George, Utah. As a young boy around the age of 7 or 8....we would immerse into the woods for weeks at time....camping and exploring the range of the Rockies ...that spreads from southern utah...all the way down to the tip of northern Phoenix, Arizona. This land was... and IS... my HOME...and I love the LIFE that lives here!!! The plant colonies that live in this region, in particular.....are very peculiar! Botanically, I feel it's one of the most magical spots on earth....to learn herbalism and just immerse with many wild species.
CLICK THE VIDEO BELOW---- to view one of our harvests on the mountain!
For this post..... I'll focus on one of these plants ....and it has many names! Osha(Ligusticum porteri) is the most common name...but there are many others. Chuchupate(bear medicine)..is one of my favorites! Ligusticum porteri is the species growing in our area of the Rockies.
Osha is FELT!!!! Just working with her is rewarding to the senses! Her smell alone....is uplifting! Powerful terpenes! I learned much about Osha from other herbalists. Two of my favorite are Stephen Harrod Buhner and Michael Moore. They both write about this plant...as if they love it beyond all the others. I testify...she's sacred! In their books, which i'll link below, they helped me to identify osha. I use osha almost daily. A few days break in between usage. I find that it keeps my lungs...cleared out...i can breathe so well! If i ever get sick with fever or flu...i just up my dose...and I'm never sick for too long. I've read buhner and moore calling it nature's penicillin.
Here's Buhner's book where he mentions Osha the most. He mentions it in most of his books...but this one really nails it! https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Plant-Medicine-American-Herbalism/dp/1591430585/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523969453&sr=8-1&keywords=buhner+sacred+plant+medicine&dpID=51SVGWs0epL&preST=SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40&dpSrc=srch
For Michael Moore, I would scoop this book: TONS OF OSHA info! https://www.amazon.com/Medicinal-Plants-Mountain-Michael-Moore/dp/0890134545/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1523970649&sr=1-1&keywords=michael+moore&dpID=41zQRC5Z0%252BL&preST=SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40&dpSrc=srch
These two authors...and their passion for osha...are soooo felt as you read their words!!!! THEY HAVE romantic relationship with this one....lol and i do too! Here's Michael Moore talking about osha:
When identifying osha....there are distinct indicators...and signatures. There are toxic and deadly plants like hemlock that look so much like osha...but smell very differently. Hemlock stinks horribly! Osha does not. There's also other indicators...that help distinguish osha from hemlock. altitude, smell, and red streaks..at the root crown. It's also hairy..and has....upturned hairs...at the root crown. The smell is huge though...hemlock smells..like a "dead mouse" whereas osha smells like spicy celery, or parsley. BE CAREFUL.... though...even advanced herbalists...mis label..the two. That is our disclaimer! She's worth the effort....I TESTIFY!
Osha is a VERY peculiar looking root...once washed off. Looks like an alien to me.
Here's more examples of the color of the stems. pinkish and up turned hairs!
We usually harvest just enough roots to cover our needs for a year or even two. We also store dried root in mason jars.
mmmmmm!!!! I can't express how good this smells!!!!!! magic medicine!!!!!
Once washed.....we tincture the fresh root in organic ethanol. We use 190 proof ethanol from grapes or cane sugar.
Cheers to growing our own food/medicine.... and "wild" harvesting our wild medicines! I hope this post...helps spark a bit of interest...and curiosity. CHEERS TO ALL OF OUR HEALTH!!!!
Thanks for viewing....and sharing this post fellow Steemians! We appreciate ALL OF YOU!!!!
<3 ahhhhhh ... ok we really are twins lol i lived in northern new mexico (taos) for a year and of course met the bear root up in a little herbal shop in the mountains... caught my eye and then... never was the same after that. buhner is one of my fav herbalists of all time (so so rich and good! touching on what it means to be human and herb allies on that journey yes! herbal antibiotics, fasting, lyme disease and more!) and i have watched that vid by michael moore. so good that you grew up around this root. i feel a very strong connection with it too.. and a couple years ago made a gallon tincture that i still have a quart left of!
i have mixed feelings about myself harvesting it as i am not native to the area and i know some people talk about it being overharvested. i do know one harvester who "tends a wild patch", only takes what he needs, replants the seeds, etc... i have had him harvest for me in the past. powerful stuff! we have native goldenseal here... perhaps our families could do a trade of freshly harvested roots?! just putting it out there if you're interested in swapping bioregional medicine, no pressure! so happy to see this this morning! <3 truly this plant is one of my favs... so close to the spirit and works not only on the body.... !! Resteeming this beauty!
yessssss total twin tribes!!!!! so cool you lived in taos and came to know the local intelligences!!! you sooo know and feel what i mean!!!!! i can see you in that herbal shop...spotting the ancient osha! so felt!!!! thanks so much sister...for you testimony and words here!!!! it truly is an herb who's affects are "legion"....as i've heard moore mention. we use it for everything too. as you mentioned lyme and so much more!!!! my next post will be on usnea...one of buhner's other favorites.. as you know. we tincture osha and usnea together...as you can see in the image in the post. totally feel you on the sacredness of harvesting. we tend to a small slope on the mountain very similar to this herbalist's description in the video..below. we seed and harvest down slope...from larger mothers. we hope to tend to this hillside for years to come! magic!
totally feel ya on harvesting and the sacredness of that. it took me two years to find them at the right altitude. once i did....i honed in on some private land....they were growing on. for the last many years...i have been gathering from this one hillside..and the colony that grows on it. seeding new babies..and carefully tending to the colony. i love them so much!!! this video...is kin...to how i work with the colony here. perhaps you even know this herbalist. ;)
we would absolutely trade ya'll....for fresh roots of your local land!!!!!!!!!! native goldenseal?!!! wow!!!! what an honor and a JOY!!!!!! we will harvest more super fresh roots..in august/september...as the seed pods develop. :) @mountainjewel we appreciate you so dang much!!!!!!!! truly humbled and honored by your support of our expressions! STEEM ON..... SISTER AND BROTHER!!!!!! i love these words you wrote "so close to the spirit and works not only on the body." mmmmmm!
ahhhh such a good reply from you. thanks for the nourishment, connection, enthusiasm, inspiration, teaching, and vibrant life you lead. much respect and care!!! ok cool! i made a gallon of hydrastis canadensis tincture (with organic alcohol) last fall. my friend vinnie, who is in her 70s living here for 40 years!) is the one who i got the roots from. she grows certified organic and biodynamic woah!! and has for many many years. goldenseal is native to our area so it grows well. we planted over 200 plants last year on our land that will be ready in 2 years. i actually traded her my time for the goldenseal and for her organic grass fed beef last fall... a cool connection. i have that tincture and willing to trade that in bulk ooooor i can get some fresh roots depending on what you and your family want. i am so excited to hear of your holistic and respectful connection to our friend Osha... what a blessing. this medicine is so close to me and now i feel close to you. it has connected me to the bear and so much else. i feel like we could have a great talk about this medicine lol! <3
thanks so much mountainjewel sister. my goodness...the land of goldenseal!!!!! organic and biodynamic?!!!! geez...and wow!!!!!! :) priceless! we are down for trading for tincture or root. sounds like you're tincturing like us....so it alllll sounds good....whatever you feel like trading us. i love handling the actual root...so i can feel the plant in as many ways as i can. no rush on our end....but a root even to hold and look at from your sacred land or your friends...is more than worth the wait! mmm...the grass fed beef sounds amazing too lol. cheers! :) big weston price fan here! we have a great local source for the grass fed beef also.
same here...we can send you fresh root around september....or tincture ...or both. :) we will have plenty! i look forward to learning from goldenseal...since she's so close to your heart and land. i'll start studying it now. i feel blessed beyond words for the potential to receive some of that magic from ya'll! i haven't work with that one at ALL yet! thank YOU...for your respectful connection....to the plant nation...and our beloved osha. I FEEL YOU! no doubt we could enjoy deep sangha....about osha and many others lol!!!!!! so grateful to connect with ya'll here on steemit!!!!!!!! tribe. earth family!!!!!! cheers sister...thanks again!!!!!! deep respect and gratitude.
resteemed here too ;) @the-hearth
thank you so much @mountainjewel!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You may have solved a mystery plant that grows in my yard. Very interesting.
oh that's so cool to read! yah.. the spot where i harvest it grows right on a families private cabin land. it grows right up to their front door...and down the slope away from the cabin..into a open meadow of pines and quakey aspen. ;) you'll know from the smell...and the other indicators if it's osha or not. cheers!!!!! you have a gem living on your property. here's a good video on how to tend to them.
LOL You made me put my coat on and go look at them again. :) They do smell sort of like spicy celery. Have been wondering for quite some time what it is. It's very prolific. Thank you so much for all the wonderful information.
soooo cool!!!!!! you're so welcome @warpedweaver! that sure does look like it! next step...dig some up and check the color near the base of the stems. look for that pinkish hue. also...the upturned hairs! gorgeous colony there! you must be up around 8000 ft ish. gorgeous land!!!!
actually about 3,100' Foot hills, sorta sage and hay country, summer cattle grazing. You know I'm going to go dig a clump! lol It is all over the place and I attempted to get rid of it, obviously with no luck. It's all over the hill sides in this area.
@rawutah, good morning. I have another question regarding the Osha. I did dig up a small clump this morning. my question is, does it produce a milky substance where roots were cut?
Really Utah is full of natural resources like wild species and herbals. You are living such a beautiful place and researchable place for herbalism.
thank you so much @msena!!!!! i appreciate you taking the time to comment!!!! we love it here!!! if ever in utah...enjoy these rocky mountains! so many wild.... herbs to enjoy!
Awwwww spt!!! The very first herb you sent to me when we were penpals. She's sooooo freakin gorgeous!!!! The smell alone!!!! I wanna hear more about your childhood BTW!!! Please write more!!!
beloved spt!!!! yesssss....truly one of our first shared loves....in plant town!!! i love our herb hunts....and all our shared JOY!!!! our little one coming up....now...learning about all these intelligences....is beyond sacred to my heart!!! PURE JOY TOWN! the smell alone indeed...right? whew!!!! ok.....ok....more childhood posts woven into this blockchain! thanks so much padnuh!!!!!!
Another great educational post!
thanks @mmo-mmo!!!
Video extraordinary. You so love nature. I think nature is the best friend :)
Herbal medicine, cool!
thanks so much my friend! nature is the best friend!!! so well said...thank you! :)
Video and pictures are cool! It's a nice nature with all the secrets of herbal medicines. Very happy to see great videos, but there's a funny thing when my brother cooks in a screw :)
Green day! 👍
hehe....it was a fun day that day!!!!! thanks so much sister seha!!!! we LOVE the herbs from this area. i hope someday we can visit indonesia...and see all the plants there! we lived on the big island of hawaii and loved it! i also lived in the philippines for a few years..and loved that too! my earth family!
I'm new to steemit so looking around for like minds to follow. What a wonderful post, with such great photos! so glad to have found it! I'm an herbalist by trade, and I so envy that you live in a place where you can safely wildcraft and live so close to nature. Someday I hope to do the same! Blessings to you!
hello @heatherkaminski!!!!! welcome to steemit!!! so good to meet you here in this place!!!! i appreciate your comment so very much. following you now! so grateful to connect with herbalists like yourself. blessings to YOU my friend! :) we love the Rockies!!!! we feel so blessed to be able to share on steemit our love of this area of the world. enjoy steemit! so much to glean...share.... and enjoy here!
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