The Great Bear Medicine – Osha Root and its Benefits
Just by mentioning osha root, I am compelled to share the importance of respecting and protecting this plant that is also known as bear root.
United Plant Savers (UpS), a conservation organization that focuses its efforts on populations of medicinal plants collected from the wild, includes osha root on a list of at-risk species due to over harvesting in many parts of the Southwest.
Osha Root Benefits
Osha (Ligusticum proteri) has long been used by the native peoples of the Southwest for conditions affecting the lungs. It is native to the Rocky Mountains.
Osha Root Uses
It is a slow growing member of the parsley family or Apiaceae family, and the part that is most often used for medicinal preparations is the root. The leaves and seeds are also used by some to season food. Osha root is also known as bear root because bears seek it out when needed for what is believed to be medicinal purposes.
Ethics of Osha Root
If you decide to harvest Osha root, please be mindful not to over harvest, do so in an ethical way, and seek out the guidance of someone who is familiar with this plant as it closely resembles several plants that are extremely poisonous.
The current ethically made osha offerings from Cedar Ridge include the Osha Extract and the Osha Immune Elixir.
In a future post, I will share more on other medicinal plants commonly found in the Southwest and used in the Cedar Ridge line of products.