Osha Root

Osha, Ligusticum porteri, a traditional Native American medicinal plant known as Bear Root, Chuchupate, Indian Parsley, Wild Celery Root, and Colorado Cough Root. A member of the parsley family, it has been used to treat respiratory and digestive conditions for centuries here in the south west. It grows high in the south eastern Rocky Mountains, often above 8000ft beneath the canopy aspen trees and it is incredibly slow growing and because the plant is destroyed when harvested since it is the root we are after it is endangered due to overharvesting. One root would serve a family for at least a year or two. It is almost impossible to cultivate in the garden but I persist and am ever hopeful of a success. Because it is so dear and hard to come by I like to use it for more accute things such as high altitude sickness, at the onset of respiratory complaints and right away with allergy related issues. With allergies I will take it when I've gotten into something that sets me off like the pollen from male junipers and of all things, tumbleweeds or with stings and insect bites. After the first day I then switch to chickweed tincture to soothe any lingering affects such as hotness or itchiness. Osha contains antiviral and antibacterial compounds that can relieve inflammation in the bronchial tubes. It helps alleviate symptoms such as sore throat, sinus congestion, and cough, pretty much anything allergy related and has been used to treat bronchitis, flu, and pneumonia. Take it as soon as your symptoms appear and when you are coughing and sneezing. You can prepare a decoction from crushed and dried Osha Root, it's tough so it require a long slow simmer, tincture it in 100 proof vodka, when I am tincturing it I let it go for at least 8 weeks, mix root extract (tincture) with honey to make a cough syrup or just pop the spent roots from the tincture process in some honey and eat it. The taste is of very strong celery and side benefit, Osha contains the hormone oxytocin so if nothing else you will just feel better, kind of like a herbal hug.

Osha has some lookalikes, Water Hemlock, Poison Hemlock, Queen Anne's Lace, Cow Parsnip and Hog Weed. Positive identification is a must with Osha as the lookalike can be deadly. Osha is an herb with no known side effects; however because it contains oxytocin it should not be used by pregnant or nursing mothers.