Grindelia squarrosa

(Pursh) Dunal

Resinweed, Gum plant

AsteraceaeLeavesFlowersBark/SapSpice/BeveragePotential hazards — see below

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What to Eat

Edible parts: Leaves - tea, Flowers - gum

Fresh or dried leaves can be used to make an aromatic, slightly bitter but pleasing tea. A sticky resinous sap that covers the leaves can be used as a chewing gum substitute.

Known Hazards

The plant concentrates selenium from the soil, and can be toxic when ingested by cattle, humans, and other mammals, but is rarely eaten because of its unpleasant taste. It is a plant that can increase with overgrazing since it isn't very palatable to begin with, and can have a negative effect on the range. It can also indicate poor range management since other species can usually compete with it and slow down its expansion, if they are allowed to grow. The flowers and leaves are used by Great Plains Tribes as a medicinal herb to treat illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis or skin rashes. The powdered flowers were also once smoked in cigarettes to ease asthmatic symptoms. It is used as a traditional medicinal plant by Shoshone peoples in various regions. The Gosiute language name for the plant is mu’-ha-kûm. The Lakota language name for the plant is pteíčhiyuȟa. Hispanos of New Mexico boiled the buds to make a drink to treat kidney disorders. Extracts have been made to treat skin irritations, asthma, and rheumatism. The resin has been used to treat poison ivy rashes topically. The plant is being explored as a potential source of biofuel due to its high content of mono- and di-terpenes which can be converted to a fuel analogous to kerosene or jet fuel. The plant's adaptation to arid climates makes it an attractive option as its cultivation in desert areas would not compete with traditional food crops.

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant. It grows in dry open sites.

Canada, North America, Slovenia, USA,

Countries: Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, Slovenia, El Salvador, Trinidad & Tobago, United States, St Vincent

How to Identify

A herb. It can grow for a few years. It has taproots. The stems are 20-80 cm tall. The leaves are oblong and have lobes or teeth. The leaves often clasp the stem. The flower heads are yellow and 2-3 cm across. They are 25-40 flowers around a yellow disk. The fruit are 4-5 ribbed dry seed heads or achenes.

How to Grow

Propagation: Sow seed in autumn or spring in a cool greenhouse, barely covering it. Prick plants out into individual pots when large enough to handle and plant out into permanent positions in early summer. Divide clumps as new growth commences in spring; larger clumps can be replanted directly into permanent positions, though smaller clumps are best potted up and grown on in a cold frame until rooting well before planting out in spring. Can also be propagated from cuttings.

Medicinal Uses

Rosin weed was used by native North American Indians to treat bronchial problems and skin afflictions such as reactions to poison ivy. It remains valued in modern herbalism, particularly for treating bronchial asthma and conditions where phlegm in the airways impedes breathing. It is believed to desensitize nerve endings in the bronchial tree and slow the heart rate, leading to easier breathing. The herb is contraindicated for patients with kidney or heart complaints. The dried leaves and flowering tops are antiasthmatic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, expectorant, and sedative. The principal use is in treating bronchial catarrh, especially with an asthmatic tendency, as well as whooping cough and cystitis. The active principle is excreted via the kidneys, which can sometimes produce signs of renal irritation. Externally, the plant is used as a poultice for burns, poison ivy rash, dermatitis, eczema, and skin eruptions. The plant is harvested when in full bloom and can be used fresh as a poultice or dried for infusions. A fluid extract is prepared by placing freshly gathered leaves and flowers in a small quantity of simmering water for about 15 minutes. A homeopathic remedy is prepared from the leaves and flowering stems.

Other Uses

Yellow and green dyes are obtained from the flowering heads and pods. The plant is aromatic.

Wikipedia

Source ↗

Grindelia squarrosa, also known as a curly-top gumweed or curlycup gumweed, is a small North American biennial or short-lived perennial plant.

References (4)

Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen M., and James A. Duke. "The Foodplant Database." http://probe.nalusda.gov:8300/cgi-bin/browse/foodplantdb.(ACEDB version 4.0 - data version July 1994)
Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 38
MacKinnon, A., et al, 2009, Edible & Medicinal Plants of Canada. Lone Pine. p 340
Mem. Mus. Hist. Nat. 5:50. 1819