Yellow Dock (root) Tea

Botanical Name: Rumex crispus

Plant Family: Polygonaceae

Plant description: Yellow Dock is native to Europe and Northern Asia. The flowering stems grow to1.5 m tall in deep soils, but are often lower. The plant forms a rosette of leaves and usually not till the second year sends up stems that branch into inflorescence. The leaves are green, lanceolate with a pointed apex narrowing at the base with long stalk and wavy margins. Stem leaves are alternate, smaller and narrower. The small flowers are greenish-red in dense clusters along panicles at the top of the main stem. The fruit is a three sided nut with smooth-edged wings. There are many species of Dock easily confused. A distinguishing point is the base of the leaves where the leaf meets the stalk in the rosette stage of growth. Yellow dock leaves taper into the stalk at an angle of 30 to 90 degrees. Broadleaf dock leaves curl back into the stalk making an angle greater than 90 degrees. The seed wings of yellow dock are twice the width of the seed and have smooth edges whereas other Docks have little barbs or hooks on their wings or smooth edged wings that are shorter than the width of the seed. The root is distinctively yellow as is the root of other dock species.

Part used: Root.

Harvest: In autumn or winter.

Active Constituents: Anthraquinone glycosides (including emodin and chrysophanol), tannins, bitter principles, resin, iron.

Energetics: Bitter, astringent, cooling.

Actions: Gentle purgative, cholagogue, depurative, hepatic, tonic.

Uses: Yellow Dock is traditionally used in chronic inflammatory disorders with sluggish bowel or hepatic problems. These include chronic skin conditions such as dermatitis and psoriasis and arthritis both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis Also used for constipation, some liver and gall bladder disorders and traditionally as a blood cleanser.

Dosage: Decoction – pour one cup of boiling water onto one teaspoon of dried herb and boil for ten minutes. Drink up to one cup three times daily. Fluid Extract (1:2) – 15—30ml/week.

Cautions: None known.

Interactions: None known.

Certified Organic Australian grown, in Tasmania by Highland Herbs Tasmania.