Goldenseal

Habit: Few herbs are as popular as Golden seal. It has a thick yellow root. When goldenseal blooms it is a molten sheet of glistening tabular orange flowers. A vigorous grower it is perfect for covering pergolas, walls and fences and given a chance will shoot up to the top of a stout tree. It needs a lot of room. Flowering from late summer through winter it is most useful, producing a waterfall of colors at a time when there is not that much brightening in the garden. In addition to its flowers, it looks good at all times with attractive glossy, dark green oval leaves. Preferring warmer areas nonetheless grows well even in such chilly areas as Pretoria’s Fountain’s Valley, and many parts of Johannesburg. This extremely useful plant is suitable for training as shrubs or limber and also does well in both sun shades. It is a beautiful healthy-looking plant. Easy to grow, this popular plant does well in most parts of South Africa, enjoying a warm climate but being able to take a fair amount of frost. Although a slow starter it later grows quite vigorously. Providing an unusual color for the garden, produces trailing clusters of large 7,5cm long and wide flowers. It looks very good if given a chance to hang down over balconies or banks.

Feeding and watering: Provide good mulch of compost in spring and early in New Year. Spring mulch should include cupful 3:1:5 fertilizers and cupful bone phosphate. They like lots of water, so soak few times a week, preferably at base, allowing water to run softly, rather than by spraying. Or give good drainage, and in 65cm square hole mix one third compost and kraal manure (half-half) with two thirds soil. Add also cupful each of 2:3:2 fertilizer and cup of bone phosphate.

Although fairly drought resistant once established, it does better if given reasonable amount of water. No special feeding is necessary. It prefers a good well-drained rich soil, so mix well-rotted kraal manure with compost to make up third of your soil mixture. Transplants easily and may be propagated by division, but once transplanted takes several years to flower again. Fairly drought resistant, does not need excessive water but keep fairly well watered in spring and summer. Give mulch of compost/ kraal manure with bone phosphate or super phosphate in spring.

Pruning: Needs heavy pruning after flowering to keep under control. Golden seal should be planted 8cm-12cm below the surface in spring, in beds which have been enriched with compost and kraal manure, together with a cupful of bone phosphate per square meter.

Uses: For quick cover of pergolas, walls and fences. Cut back after flowering-do not prune in spring. Also sometimes necessary to prune golden seal roots by digging circular trench about 95cm from stem of plant to encourage flowers. Goldenseal seeds; buy them at low prices online.

Golden Seal And Health:
Benefits of golden seal: The golden seal roots powder is used as a mouthwash, external antibiotic liquid for skin problems and for the treatment of digestive complaints. Chinese Golden Seal Root is said to ease the mucous membranes and respiratory tract. Echinacea goldenseal is beneficial for the immune system. Goldenseal while breastfeeding is not recommended by some doctors however no side effects have been reported.

Goldenseal And Lyme:

Take 1/2 teaspoon of goldenseal extract three times a day for one week to cure lyme. Marijuana goldenseal: it does not cure marijuana and no positive results are obtained up till now regarding marijuana.