Up on Mutter’s Moor, you might spot a few of our native goldenrod plants, Solidago virgaurea. As you walk towards the carpark, on the Sidmouth side of the main loop, the plants are on the left, enjoying the comparative shade from direct sunlight.   

It is easy to mistake goldenrod for toxic ragwort, but take a closer look.  The flowers of goldenrod are positioned along the length of the main stem on multiple side branches and its leaves are lance-shaped and without the lacy filigree of ragwort.  

The oldest written records of goldenrod’s value as medicine are from Southern Europe in 13th century and tell of its use a wound herb, with its antiseptic and astringent actions helping to prevent infection and close the wound.  In Tudor London, goldenrod was greatly valued for this quality, and expensive due to demand and its scarcity.  Allegedly, however, it quickly fell out of fashion when it was found growing in Kentish Town, just outside central London, its perceived exoticism rapidly fading.

Nowadays, goldenrod is primarily used by herbalists in conditions of the kidney and bladder and it is considered a kidney restorative.  The qualities that have made this plant so useful in treating wounds, in combination with its diuretic and its anti-inflammatory actions, are helpful in the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs).  Combined with other herbs including the common ‘weed' couch grass, urinary frequency and irritation can also be addressed.

Its wide range of constituents and actions mean goldenrod can be included in herbal prescriptions for other health issues.  Its astringency dries up excessive mucous and thanks to the quercitin it contains, goldenrod is also anti-allergic.  This combination of actions, means it can be included in herbal prescriptions for allergic rhinitis, hay fever and sinusitis, for example.

Goldenrod’s long history of medicinal use in Europe has inspired much recent research into its constituents and their effects in the body, throwing up possible new applications for the herb.  One study has shown certain constituents to have anti-adipogenic effects leading to weight loss, and another has revealed anti-diabetic effects.  In combination with dietary and lifestyle change these properties may be of value.

For home use, the flowering tops, picked when just starting to open, can be placed into olive oil and left in the sun to infuse for a couple of weeks.  Once strained - and much like arnica - the oil can be rubbed into bruises or sore muscles to ease both. 

Goldenrod’s showier Canadian relative, Solidago canadensis, is also often found growing in the wild, having hopped the fence from ornamental gardens.  It can be used for the same medicinal purposes as our native plant and flowers a little later in the year.

Canda Diacono is a qualified Medical Herbalist, registered with the National Institute of Medical Herbalists.  To find out more about a herbal approach to attaining good health, visit  www.candadiacono.com. 

If you have any medical concerns please consult with a medical professional, and please be 100 per cent sure of your plant identification if ingesting it or putting on the skin.