“Along the roadside, like the flowers of gold That tawny Incas for their gardens wrought, Heavy with sunshine droops the golden-rod.”
-Netje Blanchan “Wild Flowers Worth Knowing” (1917)
I love the Golden Rod, the way it looks, the way it smells…all of it, it’s blossoms, it’s leaves, it’s stems. But, most of all, I love how very helpful it is in controlling my allergy induced asthma that always occurs during this time of the year. I often get hay fever in the fall and I do not take pharmaceuticals for it (I have not taken pharmaceuticals in close to 15 years!) but instead I drink golden rod infusion and it helps tremendously in controlling the secondary lung congestion that I always inevitably get.
Not only does it effectively clear up lung congestion but it is also a diuretic/urinary tract strengthener. It causes excess fluid to quickly and efficiently be expelled from the body (which can be so helpful for premenstrual bloating…) and when used on a daily basis makes it an effective treatment for clearing out kidney stones and stones in the urinary tract.
It is also a sovereign wound herb effective for treating inner wounds like ulcers or any interior bruising or bleeding and when made into a poultice it can be applied to external wounds to promote healing.
And to make an infusion is really really easy…
First pick your flowers. Follow the bees to find the best ones and pick them with about 6-8″ of stem attached.
Bring them home and cut up the blossoms and leaves and put them in a 1 qt. mason jar. Fill the mason jar 1/2 – 2/3 full of lightly packed cut blossoms and leaves.
Fill jar to the top with boiling water, screw on cap and let steep at least 4 hours before drinking.
My favorite way to drink this is to strain the infusion into a pot and reheat till hot but not boiling. Then I add a bit of raw honey and a squirt of lemon. The taste is similar to chamomile but whereas chamomile has undertones of apple to it, goldenrod has more undertones of honeysuckle. Paired up with lemon balm and catnip it makes a really satisfying tea to drink for pleasure rather than medicinal purposes.
To make an easy poultice to apply to a bruise, scrape, cut etc. Just chop the blossoms and leaves and wrap in double thickness of paper towel or clean cotton cloth, wet with boiling water, let cool slightly (just enough to be able to touch it) wring out slightly and apply the still warm paper towel encased herbs to the wound. When it gets cold and starts to dry out, remove, pour more boiling water on the poultice and repeat procedure until herbs are spent.
“Venus claims the herb, and therefore to be sure it respects beauty lost. Arnoldus de Villa Nova commends it much against the stone in the reins and kidneys, and to provoke urine in abundance, whereby also the gravel and stone may be voided. The decoction of the herb, green or dry, or the distilled water thereof, is very effectual for inward bruises, as also to be outwardly applied, it stays bleeding in any part of the body, and of wounds; also the fluxes of humours, the bloody-flux, and women’s courses; and is no less prevalent in all ruptures or burstings, being drank inwardly, and inwardly, and outwardly applied. It is a sovereign wound herb, inferior to none, both for the inward and outward hurts; green wounds, old sores and ulcers, are quickly cured therewith. It also is of especial use in all lotions for sores or ulcers in the mouth, throat, or privy parts of man or woman. The decoction also helps to fasten the teeth that are loose in the gums.”
Nicholas Culpeper, 1653
Infusion of fresh Goldenrod blossoms and leaves, harvested from my own backyard.
Musings Of A Mountain Mama 
You have no idea how much I appreciate these posts. I’m terrified (mostly) of herbal things, but you make it seem so natural and simple. Thank you.
Your Welcome! 🙂 A lot of people are terrified of herbal medicine, but even culinary herbs like oregano, thyme, or basil have medicinal benefits….the most commonly used herbs are rarely toxic and even with those that are toxic you often need to consume it in great quantities to have a toxic effect. Goldenrod is an excellent beginner’s herb for this time of the year because it’s easily identifiable, so pretty and tastes good! Dandelion is a good beginner’s herb for spring time and it is very similar to Goldenrod in it’s effects minus the wound healing aspect…but you can eat the greens in a salad!
Ok. I am out looking at my goldenrod that everyone hates here. I say to myself…..people never know what they are talking about. I check fb and see your new picture. I post on wall. Go to email and you already answered. Thank you. We all have colds here…scared to try it…maybe it will help?
I want to make pine needle tea. Are any pine needles poisonous?
Well, it’s antiseptic in nature and good at clearing up lung congestion so yeah it should help…as for the pine needle tea, I have never personally tried it, not for lack of wanting but for lack of any conifer trees. I live in a deciduous hardwood forest with NO pine trees lol…the only one I know of is my neighbor about a mile down the street has a few spruce trees in his yard, but we have no conifers on our property. I do know that the Yew tree is poisonous and it’s a conifer, so stay away from that..