Old Man's Beard

(Usnea spp.,)

Other Names:
Beard lichen

Range:


Family:
Parmeliaceae - Lichen-Forming Fungi Family

Growth Type:
Usnea is a genus of grayish-green lichens that formed through a symbiotic relationship between fngi and algae.

Height:
they can grow to be 10-20 cm (4-8 inches) long.

Leaves:
N/A

Stem/Trunk:
The gray-green "branches" allow a test to ensure you have the correct plant. If you gently pull on the hair-like branches they will stretch and spring back when you let go.

Root:
N/A

Flower Season:
N/A

Flower Appearance:
N/A

Seed/Fruit:
N/A

Miscellaneous characteristics:
N/A

Habitat:
Usnea grows throughout the temperate zones of world

Parts Used:
Aerial Hair-like branches

Culinary Uses:
None Known

The following text is meant for informational purposes only. It is not meant to diagnose or treat any illness or injury. Always consult with a physician or other qualified medical care provider concerning the diagnosis and treatment of any illness or injury.

Medicinal Uses:
For thousands of years Usnea has been used to fight off infections. Scientific studies have shown that Usnea kills gram-positive bacteria like Staphylococcus and Streptococcus and gram negative bacteria like Escherichia coli. It does not, however, affect the beneficial bacteria lining the gut walls (Sepahvand et al 2020). This beneficial bacteria is called your microbiome, and it is critical to maintaining your good health. Pharmaceutical antibiotics are also highly effective at killing Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, but they do not stop there. Pharmaceutical antibiotics act like a nuclear warhead, in that they kill both bad, and good bacteria. Studies have also demonstrated that Usnea kills a multitude of viruses. It has also been shown to kill fungi like Candida (Peralta et al 2006). Usnea has been shown to be promising in the treatment of Leukemia (Wenjing Wang et al 2019). Research also demonstrates that plants in the Usnea genus have good cytotoxic effects on colorectal, breast, and lung cancer cells (Tuong et al 2020). There is also a long history of Usnea being used to heal wounds.

Medicinal Actions:
Antibiotic, Antifungal, Antimicrobial, Antineoplastic, Antiviral, Vulnerary