Osha-Ligusticum Porteri

Trying to add this one to our medicinal garden, but having a hard time finding it, I think.
Seems it goes by the names bear root, porter's lovage, wild lovage.....  We already grow lovage.  Is it the same thing? Totally different latin name for lovage, though I found one reference to a syn name for lovage as being ligusticum levisticum.

Any help with sources for seeds, or plants is appreciated.

Thanks
Ed

Hello
You should be able to get from Horizon Herbs. You can find their web page online.

Thanks 65:

I had done so more searching and found Horizon.  They are the only ones though.

That is the only one we are aware of also.

Your very welcome.

I learned about OSHAA in Sacred Plant Medicine by Buhner.  He starts chapter 10 by saying,"I have learned about perhaps 150 plants of these a few stand out, whose spirits are so strong for me that I them as spiritual allies"  He goes on to explain that if you can have 4 then these are the plants that you need to strive for.  They are Pasque Flower, Osha, USNEA, and Angelica.  We have the first and last already, and now we'll start working on OSHA.  He calls Usnea, An Herb of the North.  It's lichen/fungi, and I can't see any hope on this one.  You helped with OSHA, any thoughts on USNEA?

We actually have some of the  Usnea in stock. But it is dried. So you wouldn't be able to plant.

I have Angelica growing wild all over my place. What kind of uses do you have for it? I haven't used it for anything.

In Steven Foster's and James Duke's book Peterson Field Guides, Easter/Central Medicinal Plants Angelica uses is listed: Leaf tea used for stomachaches, indigestion, gas, anorexia, obstructed menses, fevers, colds, colic, flu, coughs, neuralgia, rheumatism. Roots, seeds strongest; leaves weaker.

We have sold some Angelica root in the past but no companies are currently asking for any.

Ok thanks. I only heard it was used for candy and for hair wash.

ismile65 wrote:
We actually have some of the  Usnea in stock. But it is dried. So you wouldn't be able to plant.

Usnea is a lichen. If it was dried at low temperature, it might still be viable. Unfortunately, lichens grow VERY slowly.  I don't know of any place where usnea is cultivated for commercial use - it is a wildcrafted herb.

Lovage is related to Porter's lovage, AKA osha, but they're not the same.

FWIW, lovage was used in Europe in the same way that Osha is used here in New Mexico, for respiratory ailments and infections. So while they are not the same plant, they may well be similar or identical in medicinal effect. I make a lovage tincture on a regular basis, serve it as a soft drink (a lot like Dr. Brown's Celery Soda)  and it does seem to keep the nasties at bay.

Osha is generally harvested wild from the mountains, at least in these parts.

ronie wrote:
I have Angelica growing wild all over my place. What kind of uses do you have for it? I haven't used it for anything.

Angelica is also an ingredient in some absinthe recipes.

Does Arrowleaf Balsamroot grow in your area?  Michael Moore says the root will act like a cross between Osha Root and Echinacea Root.

I don't have any practical experience with Osha but it might be worth mentioning here that it forms a mycorrhizal relationship and so is supposed to be difficult to cultivate.  This information is listed on wikipedia's article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osha and the citation is from Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West by Gregory L. Tilford.

just found this site!
Was researching if there is a difference between OSHA, BEAR MEDICINE and what some people call Bear Root. We do inipis (sweat lodges)and sometimes scatter just a very tiny pinch of Osha root on stones to open lungs,open pores & like that,but Do Not use too much.
Osha root poltice is very good for brown recluse spider bites.

USNEA, (old mans bead) my son goes looking for it after wind storms or in the woods on sticks and small limbs. In Mtns it is lime greenish & STRETCHY. I grind it & add good grade vodka. Makes wonderful antibiotic medicine for chestcolds also wonderful poultice for skin,wound infections. I agree it is one to know. Lichen that is a Fungus & Alga together. Don't mistake for spanish moss.

Hello Inez, thanks for sharing!  Indeed, here in Montana, I visited a Crow sweat lodge wherein they burned Bear Root, and it is the Osha Root!  The Crow had a different way than the Lakota, which I had experienced before in San Diego County, since they used Desert Sage (Salvia apiana), and other plants.

As for Usnea Lichen, yes - Old Man's Beard.  Here in Western Montana, it is more of a grayish-green than a yellow-green.  The mosses that are yellow-green here are something else.  The way to tell Usnea is to pull one of the threads apart.  Inside of the greenish skin/coating is a white thread.  The others do not have this.  I was taught to use Everclear rather than Vodka to tincture, although I guess we use whatever we can!  It helps to heat it up first, and you can use boiling water briefly, ring it out and place in Everclear to facilitate this.  It is VERY strong medicine, I don't use it that often, but when you need it - it works amazing!  Excellent for infections - from wounds, to lungs, to urinary tract - you name it!  And you sure don't need much!  I tend to mix a tiny amount with other healing plants of whatever it is I am facilitating healing.

Ronie - on the Angelica, the veins of the leaves go to the tips, not the cuts?  Making sure it is not Poison Hemlock!  Angelica is a wonderful healing herb!  I imagine other species could be used as well (and I believe in China, their species is what they call Dong Quai, the woman's herb).

http://herballegacy.com/Maeder_Angelica_Archangelica.html