growing along the rocky banks of Victoria’s beaches during a walk. The first thing you notice is the sticky resin on your hands when picking just one flower head. You know it must have some interesting qualities!
Researching this flower for more information and to confirm its name, Grindelia squarrosa, I had to smile when finding a well-respected international herbalist’s description of gumweed that included he found them along the rocky outcrops of Victoria’s beaches here on Vancouver Island!
I imagine that you have seen them on your walks!
Cough Syrup
Discovering that they are great with honey in a cough syrup mixture and organic, I decided to infuse a batch. Buying a bottle of cough syrup costs $12.00 and up. I decided to buy a large jug of honey on sale for $12.00 and make my own! The mason jar I am using would equal four purchased bottles of cough syrup or more.
Imagine reaching for your cough syrup and knowing exactly where the healing ingredients was picked and processed. That the few fingerprints on them are mostly your own!
Within a short time of adding the flowers to the honey, it became a rich, dark colour and thickened.
Tincture
I also decided to create a tincture using vodka that is great for colds, sore throats, and coughs!
In Plants of the Rocky Mountains by Ryan Drum, gum from the pounded flower heads was applied to poison ivy inflammations and taken internally to relieve coughing and congestion. “Extracts from the dried flower heads and leaves have sedative, antispasmodic and expectorant qualities…[and] are used in modern medications for treating asthma and bronchitis,” the book explains.
Books by Renee Lindstrom
Early Childhood
Available on Amazon – Playing with Cattails
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Awareness through Nature
Inside Awareness Center for Integrative Somatic Learning 