Page 177 - Lost Book Remedies

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies

False Solomon’s Seal,

Maianthemum race-

mosum (Smilacina race-

mosa)

False Solomon’s Seal, also called Solomon’s plume and
feathery false lily of the valley, is a flowering plant that
grows across continental North America. It is a useful
plant, but often gets overlooked in favor of more versa-
tile plants. I recommend you get familiar with this
plant since it grows almost everywhere. It has been
moved from the Lily Family to the Asparagus Family.

Note that this is a different plant than true Solomon’s cooked. Soak the root first in water, change the water
Seal. You can easily tell them apart when flowering as and cook. Eat like potatoes.
False Solomon’s Seal has terminal feathery flower clus- Medical Use: False Solomon’s seal root is used me-
ters with red berries while Solomon’s Seal carries their dicinally for a variety of problems. The roots and leaves
bell-shaped flowers and dark blue berries on the un- of False Solomon’s seal are used to make tincture,
derside of their stem. It likes moist forests. salve, tea, or capsules. It is a lubricating plant and the

Identification: False Solomon’s seal grows up to 3 rhizomes contain saponins.
feet (0.9m) tall from underground rhizomes, produc- Sore Throats and Oral Irritations: A strong
ing single unbranched arching stems with large leaves root tea is valuable for sore throats and other mouth
that are up to 6 inches (15 cm) long and half as wide. irritations. Try the root tea double in strength and use
They have smooth margins and parallel veins. The it to gargle several times a day until all irritation is
stem is green, gone.
softly hairy
and, when in Coughs: Make an infusion of leaves as a cough rem-
flower, ends in edy. Sweeten with raw honey for extra soothing power.
a cluster of Congestion: For bronchial congestion, try breath-
feathery white ing in the steam while making a root decoction. Then
flowers. Each use the decoction internally to treat symptoms.
flower has 6 te-
pals, 6 stamens, Regulating the Menstrual Cycle and Hor-
a pistil, and monal Swings: False Solomon’s Seal Root Tea or
short style. Root Tincture is used to regulate the menstrual cycle,
Their small to relieve symptoms of menstrual disorders, and help
star-shaped with swings in hormone levels.
flowers appear
in mid-spring. The flowers produce round, green fruits Stomach Complaints: An infusion of the root is
that turn red or red and purple-striped when mature. used to relieve stomach pain and soothe the digestive
system.
Each berry has a few seeds.
Stop Bleeding and Treat Wounds: Use a poul-
Edible Use: The fruit are eaten raw or cooked. They tice from the crushed leaves or root and apply it to
have a bitter-sweet flavor and are a good source of vit-
amin C. Eat in small quantities only, larger amounts wounds, scrapes, rashes, cuts, burns, and insect bites.
Its anti-inflammatory nature reduces the irritation in
have a laxative effect. Young shoots are eaten raw or
cooked as a green vegetable. The roots are eaten the area and soothes the skin. Dried powdered root

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