Also known as: Spotted Knapweed, Star Thistle, Meadow Knapweed, Russian Knapweed, Centaury, Basket Flower
Parts used: leaves, roots
Meridians/Organs affected: liver, stomach, eyes, nervous system
Properties: vulnerary, nervine, digestive, styptic, hepatic, ophthalmic, anti-carcinogenic, stimulant
Knapweed is a rather robust plant that can be found in dry, infertile soil, vacant lots, near railroad tracks, roadsides, coastlines and high lime or salt areas.
Knapweed has deeply, lobed, gray-green leaves that get up to 6 inches long in its first year. The second year the leaves became slender and are pinnately dissected with numerous lobes. The flowers are thistle-like and appear at the ends of the stems or branches around mid to late summer. The flowers bulbs resemble a small basket before the flowers actually bloom, hence the name 'basket flower'. The flowers range in color, depending on the species, from yellow to pinkish-purple. They bloom from July to October. This plant produces an abundance of nectar and is well loved by honeybees (which possibly helps to explain why they have managed to propagate so easily and freely).
In many states knapweed is considered to be a noxious plant and has found a permanent spot on the "Top 10 Noxious Weeds" list. Although it is considered a weed by most of the populace, it is a medicinal herb that has been used for centuries. Culpeper said that "knapweed gently heals up running sores, both cancerous and fistulous, and will do the same for scabs of the head."
The Native Americans used it for jaundice, eye disorders, venomous bites and indigestion. It was commonly used in the 14th century as an appetite stimulant, a sore throat remedy, and as a topical wound healing agent. Herbalists throughout the ages have used it as a nervine to relieve problems related to the nervous system and nerve impairment. It has also been used as a remedy for bleeding gums, bruises, nose bleeds and catarrh. It is supposed to work very well for glandular issues as well.
In some countries, knapweed is considered an edible plant although it has never been considered so in western cultures. In Albania, Turkey, Crete and Italy, knapweed leaves are boiled and fried in mixtures with other greens.
As is customary with my posts I am including some links below that I hope you will find interesting and beneficial. Stay well and healthy!
Just found this growing on the edge of my clover field. Awesome article! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this wonderful information! I've just moved to an area where it is growing abundantly along the roadsides, and now I know what to do with it!
ReplyDeletethank for the information, i have been curious about this plant.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the info. Recently, within the last month I started using this as a pain killer. The plant originally was just taken off the earth and chewed. It was slightly bitter, but not too tough. Last week I canned up some samples, and was able to successfully use it as painkiller even with that cooking. Last night I canned a lot more, but the stems are now budding and are getting really woody and tough, so the work was a lot harder. For the pain this plant doesn't cause the issues of the Turmeric with diarrhea NOR does it cause the fuggy headedness. I've also tried Wild Lettuce and this is more effective with less sleepiness. One 18 inch pre-bud stem, being able to provide about 300 to 500mg of Wild Lettuce type pain relief with less watery poops and some less tiredness.
ReplyDeleteSo very interesting, thank you for the deeper research too. I'm learning about zoopharmacognosy through Caroline Ingraham and was interested to note that in our field margin full of delicious grasses and herbs, it was the Black Knapweed heads and leaves which our goats made a bee-line for (early September), both young and Nannys. Perhaps a soothing digestant as there had been a flush of grass in their other field which may have caused tummy ache? Am curiously researching.
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