Spotted Joe Pye Weed(Eutrochium maculatum)
Other Names:
Gravel root, joe-pye weed , kidney root, purple boneset, tall boneset, trumpet weed
Range:
Family:
Asteraceae - Aster Family
Growth Type:
Herbaceous perennial
Height:
2 to 6 feet tall.
Leaves:
Large dark green, ovate to lanceolate, leaves with serrated edges are arranged in whorls or 4 or 5 along the stem.
Stem/Trunk:
Stems are pubescent, purple, or purple spotted.
Root:
Rhizome
Flower Season:
Late summer
Flower Appearance:
Fragrant purple flowers, in flat-topped clusters of 9 or more florets per head.
Seed/Fruit:
Small dry seed with hair-like bristles
Miscellaneous characteristics:
Plants are typically single stalked.
Habitat:
Preferring full sun of ditches, marshes, rich fens, and swamps. Can sometimes find in partial shade.
Parts Used:
Food: Entire plant
Medicine: Root/Rhizome
Culinary Uses:
Prior to flowering, the entire plant can be cooked an eaten as a stewed vegetable.
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.
Energetics
Taste: Bitter
Thermal: Cooling
Humidity: Drying
Medicinal Uses:
Arthritis, Cystitis, Dysuria, Gout, Hematuria, Prostatitis, Urethritis, Urinary Calculus.
An excellent antimicrobial. Legend has it that Joe Pye was the name of an Indian who used a decoction of the plant's rhizome to cure typhus in colonial America. Historically E. maculatum has been used to treat urinary tract infections and Kidney stones. This is the reason for the common name gravel root. With an affinity for the genitourinary tract, it is called for in acute and subacute dysuria, cystitis. urethritis, vesical and prostrate irritability with or without sediment; works on mucosa, not infectious agent.
Here is a link to a 2008 article published in the Journal of Medicinal Plants, detailing the antimicrobial activity of E.maculatum.
Cautions According To WebMD
Contra-Indications
None Known
Possible Side Effects:
None Known
Possible Interactions:
None Known
Medicinal Actions:
Anti-Inflammatory,
Antilithic,
Antimicrobial,
Bitter,
Cathartic,
Diuretic,
Emetic,
Febrifuge,
Nervine
Herbal Preparations For E. maculatum
Strong Decoction
Part Used: Rhizome
Plant State: Fresh or Dried
Place 2 ounces of fresh, or 1 ounce of dried plant into a pan. Add 1 quart of water, and bring to a boil. Continue to boil over medium heat, stirring periodically, until reduced by half. Cool the mixture, and strain and drink.
Dosage: 2-4 oz up to four times daily as needed
Tincture
Part Used: Rhizome
Plant State: Fresh
Alcohol Percentage: 50%
Plant to Alcohol Ratio: 1:2
Label a quart mason jar with the plant name, the part of the plant used, the percentage of alcohol used, and the date the tincture was started.
Fill the jar to the neck with chopped fresh leaves, then pour in 750 ml of 100 proof vodka, or 500 ml of 150 proof Everclear and 250 ml of water. Next pour the contents of the jar into a blender and blend until all of the plant material is thoroughly chopped into fine pieces and incorporated into the menstrum. This will increase the surface area and provide better leaching of the plant constituents. As a matter of fact, this method works so well that, if necessary, the tincture can be used in as little as 7 days. Now pour the contents of the blender back into the jar, being careful to scrape every last bit of goodness from the blender. Place a lid on the mason jar, shake it well, and place the jar in a dark cupboard. Once a day for the first 7 days, take the jar out of the cupboard and shake it well. Place the jar back into the cupboard, and leave it soak for another 3 weeks. After the tincture has soaked for 30 days, remove it from the cupboard and strain out the spent plant material. Your tincture will remain viable for 2-3 years.
Dosage: 30-90 drops up to three times daily
Tincture
Part Used: Rhizome
Plant State: Dried
Alcohol Percentage: 60%
Plant to Alcohol Ratio: 1:5
Label a quart mason jar with the plant name, the part of the plant used, the percentage of alcohol used, and the date the tincture was started.
Place 150 grams of dried plant material into a quart mason jar. Now pour in 750 ml of 100 proof vodka, or 500 ml of 150 proof Everclear and 250 ml of water. Next pour the contents of the jar into a blender and blend until all of the plant material is thoroughly chopped into fine pieces and incorporated into the menstrum. This will increase the surface area and provide better leaching of the plant constituents. As a matter of fact, this method works so well that, if necessary, the tincture can be used in as little as 7 days. Now pour the contents of the blender back into the jar, being careful to scrape every last bit of goodness from the blender. Place a lid on the mason jar, shake it well, and place the jar in a dark cupboard. Once a day for the first 7 days, take the jar out of the cupboard and shake it well. Place the jar back into the cupboard, and leave it soak for another 3 weeks. After the tincture has soaked for 30 days, remove it from the cupboard and strain out the spent plant material. Your tincture will remain viable for 2-3 years.
Dosage: 30-90 drops up to three times daily
