Horseweed

Parts Usually Used

Leaves or plant

Description of Plant(s) and Culture

Horseweed is a native North American annual plant with stiff, erect, branched and leafy stems, 1-7 feet tall. The grooved, bristly, and hairy stem bears alternate, entire or serrate leaves that are oblanceo-late and petioled near the bottom of the plant, narrow and sessile near the top. Numerous tiny (to 1/4 inch), green and white flower heads appear in panicled terminal clusters from June to November.

Each flower head has many greenish white ray florets which do not spread and many yellow disk florets.

Where Found

Found in North and South America and Europe. Generally inhabits waste places, roadsides, fields, and meadows all over North America except the extreme northern parts.

Medicinal Properties

Astringent, diuretic, styptic, tonic

Uses

Historically, herbalists recommended horseweed for diarrhea, dysentery, internal hemorrhages, hemorrhoids, and nosebleeds. Native American traditions utilized a tea brewed from the root for menstrual irregularities. Traditional sources also recorded its use for bladder complaints, rheumatism, colon trouble, kidney gravel, fevers, bronchitis, coughs, cystitis, and dropsy. In various African folk traditions, the plant was applied for skin conditions such as eczema and ringworm.

Bibliography

, Loma Linda, CA 92354, Original copyright 1939, revised edition 1994 The Herb Book , by John Lust, Bantam Books, 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY. copyright 1974. Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants , by Steven Foster and James A. , 15 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023 Indian Herbalogy of North America , by Alma R. , 180 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014, first printed by the United States Government Printing Office, Washington, in 1928, this Dover edition 1974 An Instant Guide to Medicinal Plants , by Pamela Forey and Ruth Lindsay, Crescent Books (January 27, 1992).