Ceanothus greggii, or desert ceanothus is found at lower elevations. In flower it is fragrant and the plant is showy with white puffy flowers. It tends to not have the three parallel veins and the lacks the thorns of fendleri, in addition having grey, more white tinged branches. It tends to grow at lower elevations inhabiting a zone called Arizona chaparral- which is not to be confused with the herb of commerce sometimes called chaparral, Larrea tridentata.
Associated with scrub oak Q. turbinella, manzanita, silk tassel, cliffrose and hollyleaf buckthorn.
A third type of Ceanothus is C. integerrimus
which appears more montane, growing at higher elevations with higher precipitation, the leaves reflect this more abundant water supply and are larger, it has a mild 3 veined presentation, and it lacks the leathery waxy quality of our other Ceanothus.
Ceanothus has a history in western herbal medicine notably during the time of it's flowering from the 1830's to the early part of the 20th century. In the colonial period Red Root, was called 'New Jersey tea' and was a substitute for the imported Chinese tea which was in short supply, as in the revolutionary act of dumping tea into the Boston harbor, the Boston Tea Party and was considered patriotic to part ways with the British, during the Revolutionary War time.
"The Family Flora and Materia Medica", by Peter P. Good, A.M written in 1847 speaks of it being astringent and slightly bitter. Useful as an astringent in dysentery and as a febrifuge in Mexico. Good describes it as appropriate for sore throats, and the congested symptoms of impaired circulation in the throat area, here we are building a case for its use in the lymph transport of waste material from the throat into the surrounding tissue. In addition red root was described as an expectorant in relation to lung congestion. He also acknowledged its use in the portal system and uterine/menstrual pelvic stagnation.
"Specific Symptomatology—It has a specific influence upon the portal circle, influencing the circulation. In lymphatic patients, with sluggish circulation and inactivity of the liver of a chronic nature, with doughy-sallow skin, puffy and expressionless face, pain in the liver or spleen with hypertrophy of either or both organs, and constipation, it has a direct and satisfactory influence, especially if the conditions are of malarial origin...or in general glandular disarrangements, the agent is indicated. Bronchitis, chronic pneumonitis and asthma are found present with the above general symptoms. Ovarian and uterine irregularities with such conditions will also be benefited by its use." -American Materia Medica:
Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy: Developing the ...By Finley Ellingwood, John Uri Lloyd 1915.
While current south west herbalists, strongly influenced by Michael Moore, tend to view Red root as a lymphatic remedy, aiding the portal liver system, which was acknowledged by the eclectics of the time.
The herbalists of the period saw in red root a remedy for..." with my application of this shrub to diseases of the lungs. In 1833, while out botanizing one day, my attention was directed to this shrub, by its beauty while in full bloom, and the peculiar appearance of the root. I gave it the name of wild snowball, knowing no other name for it at that time. I tasted and chewed some of it, and I conceived the idea that it would be good for coughs. I gathered some of the shrub, dried it, and added some of it to my compound, used at that time for coughs. I was successful in treating coughs...In such cases I keep a syrup to suit. It is made as follows: Take ceanothus two parts, asclepias tuberosa one part, boil down till you have a very strong decoction; strain, and add refined sugar, and boil down to form a thick syrup; add the tincture of Tolu, to give a flavor, and bottle. Dose—one tablespoonful three times a day." -The New England Botanical and Surgical Journal, by Calvin Newton MD 1849.
Besides the possibility of combining red root with pleurisy root for lung congestion, it is fascinating to see the renaissance scientist Dr Newton exploring the fields and forests, directly tasting the herbs and plants and developing an intuitive treatment from the forests of New England.
In my own studies of herbal medicine I was led both by intuition and direct suggestion from two teachers I had been studying with,
Michael Cottingham from Silver City and John Slattery
from Tucson, to combine two south west native plants. Specifically Red root, Ceanothus greggii and ocotillo, Fouquieria splendens.
First an attempt to grasp systems of the body in relation to the lymphatic system. John Slattery quote, "Putting ocotillo and red root putting them together, and I could give that happily to a vast portion of the population and in a subtle way enhance their immune response because of how it clears stagnation in the lymph, because how it mobilizes how waste products are removed and facilitates transport throughout the body." This is possibly what Dr Calvin Newton in 1849 had encountered and utilized in his formula to treat tenacious coughs, and lung stagnation, expediting the transport of accumulated waste products in the lung.
Herbalist Paul Bergner writes, From The Healing Power of Echinacea and Goldenseal (Prima 1997), "The Eclectics used red root for stagnancy of the portal venous system.
The is the series of veins that carries nutrients from the digestive tract to the liver for processing before it can enter the general circulation. Like other venous blood, portal blood has no pulse or pressure. It also has to move upwards, against gravity, to get to the liver. A sedentary lifestyle, a heavy diet, intestinal disorders, and liver stagnancy can all cause this network to become stagnant. This also effect immunity because blood from the spleen, a lymphatic organ that filters the blood, must also drain through the portal system. Key Eclectic indications for the use of red root were a swollen spleen and a stagnant liver. It was used by soldiers during the Civil War for spleen inflammations that accompany malaria."
Darcy Blue an herbalist currency living near Flagstaff AZ writes, describing the energetics of ocotillo, writes that ,"Ocotillo is a warming and mildly drying lymphatic and blood/fluid mover. It has an affinity for the tissues and region of the pelvis and liver/portal vein system, and the respiratory system." It feels natural to combine red root and ocotillo, they both have affinity for the liver and lymph, ethnographical literature describe both as treating coughs, and Charles Kane, writes,
"traditional use of ocotillo among hispanic New Mexicans has been for sore throats, tonsillitis and to stimulate menses." Almost exactly as the eclectics described red root.
The idea and real quality of an organ system being stuck, like congestion in the lung, bronchitis, pneumonia, inflammation heat, swelling has a psychological component. It produces a mental effect. Pelvic congestion, pain, stuck menses, painful cramps- these bodily states impinge on our thought processes. There is a way of being well and a way of being sick. A disease state within the body calls forth a subtle mental attitude. Of course we have to distinguish between chronic and acute. The length of time the disease state has effected consciousness. So that the treatment of disease is also the adjustment of mental states.
Herbs and plants like red root and ocotillo are both 'heart' medicines, medicines of the emotional spiritual heart. These medicines while not 'psychological' deal with our healing journey. They address the soul and our way of becoming in the place. Plants can be a way back to a place of balance. Our bodies may be out of balance with disease yet our hearts and minds are also stuck in the paradigm of disease states. Part of the process of healing is acknowledging the psyche and mind states through plant medicines.
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Currently I went back and found a quart of Ceanothus integerrimus I had fresh tinctured earlier this year. I had forgotten how astringent and sweet it was, with the strong taste of wintergreen. I decided I need to go back to my herbal medicines. I also pulled out the red root i harvested and mixed up a batch of 50% ocotillo bark and 50% red root, and will begin using it again.
I realized my heart is in need of healing and I felt I need to return to this herbal work for obvious reasons.
In my own studies of herbal medicine I was led both by intuition and direct suggestion from two teachers I had been studying with,
First an attempt to grasp systems of the body in relation to the lymphatic system. John Slattery quote, "Putting ocotillo and red root putting them together, and I could give that happily to a vast portion of the population and in a subtle way enhance their immune response because of how it clears stagnation in the lymph, because how it mobilizes how waste products are removed and facilitates transport throughout the body." This is possibly what Dr Calvin Newton in 1849 had encountered and utilized in his formula to treat tenacious coughs, and lung stagnation, expediting the transport of accumulated waste products in the lung.
Herbalist Paul Bergner writes, From The Healing Power of Echinacea and Goldenseal (Prima 1997), "The Eclectics used red root for stagnancy of the portal venous system.
The idea and real quality of an organ system being stuck, like congestion in the lung, bronchitis, pneumonia, inflammation heat, swelling has a psychological component. It produces a mental effect. Pelvic congestion, pain, stuck menses, painful cramps- these bodily states impinge on our thought processes. There is a way of being well and a way of being sick. A disease state within the body calls forth a subtle mental attitude. Of course we have to distinguish between chronic and acute. The length of time the disease state has effected consciousness. So that the treatment of disease is also the adjustment of mental states.
Herbs and plants like red root and ocotillo are both 'heart' medicines, medicines of the emotional spiritual heart. These medicines while not 'psychological' deal with our healing journey. They address the soul and our way of becoming in the place. Plants can be a way back to a place of balance. Our bodies may be out of balance with disease yet our hearts and minds are also stuck in the paradigm of disease states. Part of the process of healing is acknowledging the psyche and mind states through plant medicines.
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