Underground Apothecary | A guide to harvesting root medicines

Each plant part we use for medicine ~ bark, leaf, flower, seed, and root ~ has an optimal harvest window during the growing season. This harvest window is when the medicinal properties in that part of the plant are at their peak. Knowing these harvest times is the secret to making potent herbal medicines.

In this blog post, I share all the info you’ll need to gather your own root medicines now and through the dormant season ahead. You’ll find detailed info on when to harvest based on season, lifecycle, and root type; as well as how to harvest roots without harming the plant. And at the end of the article you’ll find a mini materia medica on 10 root medicines that thrive in our Pacific Northwest climate.

The tops of the tall Elecampane (Inula helenium) plants turning yellow and brown as the plants begin to die back for the season.

Underground apothecary

We are now just a few weeks past the Autumnal Equinox, the temperatures have become cooler, the rain often unceasing, and the darkness has crept up earlier and earlier each night. The season has shifted drastically from days spent outdoors adventuring with the sun on our faces, to retreating indoors to stave off the dampness beside the wood stove.

Out my window the leaves have begun to turn vibrant shades of yellows, oranges, reds, and purples. Soon, all through Scorpio season, the leaves will begin shedding. By the time the sun moves into Sagittarius late next month our view entirely transformed, he canopy of our deciduous forests completely bare and stark against the early winter sky.

After the leaves have fallen, the comforting green canopy that we were blessed with all spring and summer long, will be absent until mid-Aries season, six long months from now. Here in the Pacific Northwest, where we live on northern Vancouver Island, the dormant season encompasses a solid half of the year.

The dormant season is a time of deep rest when the plants have drained their energy downward and inward; encouraging us to do the same. The fall can be a melancholy time, a time that can requires us to dig deep, and unearth our own inner resources to stay positive and vital.

After the busyness and outward activity of the spring and summer seasons, the fall allows us permission to do less, rest and recuperate. As we follow and sync up with the rhythm of nature through the cycle of the four seasons, we can find ease and nourishment in these seasonal transitions.

As we move deep into the fall season it is a time to digest our experiences. A time to reflect on what lessons can we integrate from the previous months of outward growth; what we can gather and bring inward, assimilate; and eliminate. For, it is not from outward doing, but from these deep times of reflection that true wisdom comes.

Just like the root medicines hidden beneath the soil, we too have our own apothecary within us. The wisdom that we cultivate inside ourselves, our deepest roots, our solid core, our inner reserves, our essential jewel that shines outward; cultivating that wisdom and presence is our medicine to carry, and our gift to others.

Life cycles and harvesting Root Herbs

The first step in understanding when any particular root herb will be ready to harvest is to know its lifecycle: is the plant an annual, biennial, or perennial?

An annual is a plant that takes just one year to complete its lifecycle. Annuals grow from seeds, spout leaves, flower, set seed, and die all in one growing season. There are not many annuals that are commonly harvested for their roots, but the timing to do so is once the plants are in early flower and have had a chance to grow to their full potential, but before the plants have begun to set seed.

When the roots of an annual herb are harvested, it will end the life of the plant. Annuals will not regrow, and can’t be replanted after root harvest.

A biennial is a plant that takes two years to complete its lifecycle. Biennials sprout from seeds, and grow leaves and roots in the first year. Then, in the second year, they send up flower stalks, set seed and die. Biennials are harvested for their roots in the fall or winter of the first year only. It is important to not harvest biennials for their roots once the plants begin regrowing in spring. The new spring growth and the formation of flowers stalks in biennial species will deplete the root rapidly, making the root fibrous and not valuable for medicine.

Like annuals, biennials can not be replanted after the root is harvested. The root harvest will end the life of the biennial.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a tender perennial herb native to India. It is grown as an annual both in our climate and as a commercial herb in its native climate.

Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) is a biennial plant, the roots are harvested after the first season of growth.

Calamus (Calamus acorus) is a rhizomatous perennial that can be harvested after year 2 onward.

Perennials are plants that return year after year. A perennial can be defined as as any plant that lives three years or more. In general, most of our common herb plants live 15-30 years. Perennials can be propagated by various methods: seed, cuttings, layering, divisions etc. When grown from seed, perennials usually take a minimum of two years to mature into harvestable stage.

The roots of perennials are normally harvested during the dormant season of years two and three. After year three, the roots can often still be gathered, but as they become more mature will often become too woody and tough to use. Mature perennials may also begin to rot out in sections where the roots have become too old or crowded, these roots will be replaced by younger more vigorous roots around the perimeter of the plant. Dividing and replanting mature perennials will revitalize them and encourage fresh root growth.

If the crown tissue is left intact, the vast majority of perennials can be replanted after they have had their roots harvested.

Types of root structures

There are two types of root structures displayed in plants: fibrous roots and tap roots. Occasionally plants have a combination of the two. The vast majority of the herbal roots that we use for medicine are classified as tap roots. Another type of ‘root’, technically not a root but a modified stem, is the rhizome; rhizomes are also commonly harvested for medicine.

Fibrous roots consist of many slender minimally-branching roots originating below the crown of the plant. Fibrous root systems generally remain close to the surface of the soil, with a depth of less than one foot in herbaceous plants.

Plants with fibrous root systems are generally less drought tolerant that tap-rooted plants, and have less mass to store nutrients, but due to the dense mats formed by the roots, they tend to be very good at preventing soil erosion. Fibrous-rooted herbs include Valerian, Echinacea (E. purpurea), and Ashwagandha. Some plants will display a combination of fibrous roots and tap roots, such as Mullein and Teasel.

Tap roots are generally large and fleshy, and root deeply into the soil, sometimes to a depth of several feet. The classic tap root has one singular central fleshy root descending straight down deeply into the earth, with any lateral roots branching off the central root. Many plants exhibit multiple tap roots rather than a singular one, but as a general rule tap roots can be distinguished from fibrous roots by their thick and fleshy structure.

Among other constituents, tap roots are usually full of starches that help support the immune system, bring down inflammation, and nourish the gut. Because of their large storage capacity and ability to delve deep into the soil drawing up nutrients not normally accessed by shallow rooted plants, tap roots are also very high in minerals. Tap-rooted herbs include Burdock, Dandelion, Comfrey, and Astragalus.

Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) is an example of a herb with a fibrous-type root structure. Echinacea is a perennial that takes a minimum of 2 years to reach harvestable stage.

Dock (Rumex spp) roots are thick and fleshy and grow deep down into the soil to draw up nutrients, especially iron. Dock is a classic example of a tap-rooted perennial.

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) has rhizomes that spread vigorously just underneath the surface of the soil, sending up new shoots to form dense patches.

Rhizomes are modified stems which lay laterally just under the surface of the soil. Some behave like ‘runners’ and travel vigorously sending up new shoots with very shallow fibrous roots along their nodes. Examples of this type of rhizome include Stinging Nettle, Fireweed, Wild Ginger (Asarum), and Mint (Mentha).

Other rhizomes tend to behave more as storage structures for the plant; this type tends to be thicker, fleshier, and much slower to grow than the runner type. Examples of this type of rhizome include Solomon’s Seal, Calamus, Turmeric and Ginger (Zingiber). Some plants, such as Western Bleeding Heart, have a combination of both types of rhizomes.

Harvesting root medicines

It is important to wait until the dormant season arrives to harvest roots. To understand why, it helps to visualize a perennial plant laying dormant in springtime, a mass of roots without any leaves or shoots above the soil. To send out the first leaves, before the plant can begin gathering energy from the sun, it has to push out new growth entirely on its own.

This initial burst of energy comes from reserves stored in the plants roots; and in this process the root becomes transformed. The plant begins to use its stored root energy not just to produce and nourish the new growth above, but also to grow new root hairs that can absorb water and send nutrients to those new leaves. During the process, the roots will become tough, ‘hairy’, and depleted of nutrients and medicinal properties.

After the growing season, when the plant has had ample time to photosynthesize and send down new stores into its roots, the roots will have transformed once again and become potent medicines. They will remain so until the plants begin to regrow again the following spring.

Click to download a PDF of this chart here.

Here on northern Vancouver Island, root season begins as early as late September. I find it helpful to wait until the fall rains have softened the soil sufficiently, but before the soil gets too soggy; which makes digging easier. There is no need to wait for first frost to dig roots, by the time it frosts in our mild climate the plants have long since gone dormant.

Root harvesting tends to be a bit more laborious than some of the other types of herb harvesting. It is pretty physically demanding digging out those deep roots! Then there is all the washing, chopping, and processing. Not to mention replanting of the perennial root crowns.

When digging roots, use a spade or shovel and start about one foot out from the edge of the crown and work your way around the outside of the plant in a circle. Gently dig under the root ball, and pry the plant up slowly to avoid breaking any valuable roots off in the soil.

Ravensong Herbal Apprenticeship students harvesting Burdock (Arctium lappa) roots.

Burdock is a tap-rooted biennial, it’s roots grow very straight with very few lateral branches. Each root can grow several feet deep into the earth.

Burdock has thick, starchy, tender roots that can be cooked and eaten as a root vegetable; or made into a nourishing and gut-healing medicine.

Excess soil can be shaken off the unearthed roots by repeatedly tapping the root ball firmly against the ground. Then the roots can be sprayed with a strong jet from the garden hose. Sometimes tap roots need to be gently scrubbed with a brush to get all the dirt off, but only gentle brushing is needed; you don’t want to take the outer layer of skin off the root.

It is much easier to clean roots if the plants are left whole; leaving the plants intact gives you something to hold on to during washing. With fibrous-rooted plants, it can be helpful to fill a bucket or bowl full of clean water, hold the plants by their leaves and vigorously swish the root mass in the water to clean off any remaining dirt and debris. Avoid soaking roots for any length of time, especially aromatic roots, as you will begin to lose medicinal constituents as they leach into the water.

Once they are mostly clean, the roots can be trimmed off the plants, and the remaining portion of the plant (the crown) set aside for replanting. After they are removed, roots can be cleaned further if needed. Once clean, they can then be processed into smaller pieces for drying or medicine making.

Ravensong Herbal Apprenticeship students harvesting, cleaning and processing Elecampane (Inula helenium) roots.

Elecampane is a perennial herb with large fleshy aromatic taproots that tend to spread laterally rather than downward.

Once the roots are trimmed off, the Elecampane crowns are ready for replanting.

The botanical term for the tissue located between the roots and the shoots of a plant is called the ‘crown’. The crown tissue is like the heart and body of the plant. It is the part that remains vital when the plant is dormant; and will actively send shoots upward and roots downward during the growing season. The crown is usually found just below the surface of the soil, and can be a half inch to several inches thick.

When harvesting perennial herbs, the crown can be left intact or divided for replanting. The crown tissue should include several dormant aerial buds; these buds are often bright pink or red in colour (see Elecampane photo above right). The buds will sprout new shoots the following spring.

After harvesting, any leaves or stalks above the dormant buds should be trimmed to a couple inches before replanting; this will prevent water loss, encourage root growth and help the plants to focus on getting reestablished after planting. At least an in inch or so of root should also be left below the crown. When replanted, mature crown tissue will often produce new roots of harvestable size after only one season.

Freshly dug Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) plant. Valerian is a perennial with aromatic, fibrous roots. The plants can be divided by gently pulling the shoots apart. This makes for easier cleaning, and gives the plants more room to grow once replanted.

Left: Freshly harvested Valerian roots, rinsed and ready for medicine making. Right: The roots and leaves have been trimmed with 2 inches of green tissue above the crown, and an inch or two of roots below the crown.

Valerian crowns ready for re-planting. When planting, the entire crown, as well as the base of the leaves should be covered with an inch or two of soil and gently firmed in place. Mulch is also recommended.

Make sure to cover the crown tissue with at least an inch or two of soil when replanting. Any shoot tissue that is pink or white in colour was originally beneath the soil and should be replanted as such; any green tissue can be above the soil. Mulching with spoiled hay, alfalfa, fallen leaves, seaweed, or the trimmed stalks and leaves of the plants themselves, will protect the plants and keep them cozy for the winter.

The earlier in the fall season you harvest and replant your crowns, the better the chance they will have of becoming established. The mild temps during early fall will allow the replanted crowns to send out fine root hairs before winter, giving them a better chance at thriving, as well as a head start for next spring.

Drying, storing & making medicine with roots

Roots are great when used fresh for making liquid extracts like tinctures, double extracts, and infused honeys; but they may also be used dry for this purpose. If you are unable to use them right away, most roots will stay stable for up to a week after harvesting, when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Just as with any other plant part used for medicine making, roots should be processed into fine pieces to increase the surface area before extracting them into your chosen menstruum. If the roots are fresh they can be finely minced in a food processor before using, or if dry, they can be coarsely ground in blender or coffee grinder.

The big tough tap roots of a three year old Licorice (G. glabra) plant.

Licorice roots, cleaned and cut into sections for processing.

Licorice root chopped into smaller pieces to increase the surface area for extraction.

Due to the incredible amount of water-soluble nutrients packed into many of our root medicines, such as minerals and starches, the roots lend themselves well to extraction in both water and vinegar. Two menstruums that are very good at pulling out these types of nutrients.

It is great to have dried roots on hand for winter-time decoctions. When dried and stored properly, roots will generally keep well for a year or two. The more aromatic roots such as Valerian or Elecampane, will start to loose their properties more rapidly and should be used within 6 months.

It is best to slice or chop your roots into small pieces before drying. They can be become quite tough and woody once dry and be very difficult to chop or break down. I find a food processor works well to mince the roots into small pieces prior to drying. Some roots are tough even when fresh, such as Oregon Grape root or Licorice root, and need to be processed by hand, in this case hand pruners can work well.

Due to the high moisture content of most roots, a dehydrator is recommended for dying them properly. Always dry herbs with lots of air circulation between the pieces, out of sunlight, and in a warm room. If you have a wood stove in your home, roots can sometimes also be dried next to the stove where the air is warm and dry but not too hot. Once they are thoroughly dry, they can be stored in an airtight container out to direct sunlight.

A Select Materia Medica of 10 root herbs

Roots are magical medicines that can differ greatly in their value and properties. Some roots are extremely aromatic and helpful for relieving pain and cramping, such as Valerian, Devil’s Club, and Angelica; others are super bitter and stimulate bile flow while supporting the liver, like Yellow Dock and Oregon Grape root.

Some roots are very nutritive, nourishing and calming to inflammation such as Comfrey, Marshmallow, and Burdock. There are also root medicines for the immune system, like Echinacea; for supporting the adrenals, like Ashwagandha; and for opening the lungs, like Elecampane.

Hidden beneath the surface of soil, there is an entire underground apothecary to delight in…

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is used as an adaptogen to help protect and restore the body during times of stress. It calms the nervous system and supports the adrenal glands, helping to reduce and level out the body’s reaction to stress. Ashwagandha can be taken to relieve insomnia and improve the quality of sleep.

The aphrodisiac properties of Ashwagandha make it a useful herb to increase vitality and libido. The root has been shown to improve sperm quality, treat impotence; and generally improve fertility in both men and women.

Ashwagandha is a tender perennial herb that can be grown as an annual in our climate, seeds can be purchased in our shop here. Ashwagandha can be purchased as a single-herb tincture, it is in two of our tincture blends: Deep Sleeper and Happy Adapter; and also an ingredient in our Iron Rich Syrup.

Burdock (Arctium lappa) is one of our important alteratives, helping to support the body in detoxification. It is a specific remedy for clearing skin conditions, especially those that are inflammatory in nature such as eczema and acne.

Burdock is a good tonic for overall digestive health, helps to improve appetite, and is strengthening for weak constitutions. The root has shown antitumor activity and is useful as an anticancer herb. It is especially useful as a supportive herb during and after chemotherapy, due to its cleansing and nourishing properties.

Burdock is a biennial herb, harvested after the first year of growth. Seeds can be found in our shop here. Burdock is available in our apothecary as a single-herb tincture, and can also be found in several of our tincture blends: Serene Skin, Devine Detox, and Love your Liver. It is one of the main ingredients in our Iron Rich Syrup. It is also in our popular Heavenly Hair Rinse.

California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) contains alkaloids similar to those of the Opium Poppy (P. somniferum) but much milder. The entire plant is used for medicine, but the root is considered stronger than the leaves and flowers.

California Poppy is a wonderfully soothing and pain-relieving nervine, great for insomnia due to nervous tension, discomfort or pain in the body. It has a long history of use for restlessness, tension, and sleeplessness in children.

California Poppy is grown as an annual or short-lived perennial. It can be grown easily from seed and will naturalize in the garden. California Poppy is available as a single herb tincture, and can also be found in our Pain Leaver tincture blend, as well as our In Your Dreams Honey. California Poppy can be found as an alcohol-free glycerite; and in two glycerite blends: Kid Calmer and Kid’s Curative.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) root is a wonderful alterative herb for draining excess heat from the body due to liver stress, and reducing inflammation. It is a safe, gentle but effective tonic for the liver and is a good herb to start with when utilizing herbs to cleanse or support the liver.

Dandelion root is great for clearing skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis and eczema; as well as reducing allergies. It is helpful for reducing bloating and breakouts before menstruation, and helps to regulate hormones through its cleansing action on the liver.

Read more about Dandelion’s medicine, plus growing, harvesting, medicine making and more in the blog here. Dandelion seeds can be found in our shop. It is also available as a single-herb tincture; and is in several tincture blends: Allergy Easer, Hormone Balancer, Love your Liver, and Serene Skin. It is one of the main ingredients in our Iron Rich Syrup.

Devil’s Club (Oplopanax horridus) is warming and stimulating to the lungs and respiratory tract and useful for remedying cold and congested conditions caused by cold and flu infections.

The root is energizing and protective against stress. An effective remedy for treating type II diabetes, Devil’s Club helps to regulate blood sugar levels and reduce cravings for sugar and binge-eating.

Topical preparations are useful for sore muscles, menstrual cramps, and rheumatic pain; and used to treat skin infections such as staph, candida, and other bacterial or fungal infections.

Devil’s Club is a wild-harvested herb that is not easily adapted to the garden. Learn more about it’s medicine, plus detailed instructions on how to wild harvest the rhizomes in an ethical sustainable manner in our blog here.

Devil’s Club is available in our shop as a single-herb tincture; and can be found in our Happy Adapter tincture blend. You can find it as an infused honey; and in our Devil’s Fire Cider. Topical preparations of Devil’s Club can be found in our shop: Infused oil and salve.

Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) is an alterative herb useful for detoxifying the blood and lymph; and is popular as an immune system booster for colds and flus.

Echinacea is also a good remedy for toothaches, and can be used as a mouth wash to reduce bacterial build up and encourage healthy tissue growth. Echinacea applied topically helps to promote healthy cells and prevent abnormal growths.

Echinacea is a perennial herb that is easy to grow from seed. It can be found in as a single-herb tincture in our shop; as well as in our tincture blends: Immune Booster and Devine Detox. Our Throat Soother Spray, and our Feel Better Honey.

Elecampane (Inula helenium) is used as a lung remedy for coughs, colds, asthma, and respiratory infections. It has a relaxing and soothing effect on the lungs, while at the same time opening the lungs and stimulating expectoration.

Elecampane is also a good digestive warmer, bitter stimulant, and carminative; indicated when digestion is sluggish or there is bloating and gas. It also has an antibacterial effect, and helps to numb and remove parasites from the digestive tract.

Elecampane is a perennial herb, seeds can be found in our shop here. Elecampane is available as a single-herb tincture; and is also found in several of our tincture blends: Better Bitters, Lung Love, and Parasite Purger. Elecampane is also a main ingredient in our Sore Throat & Cough Honey, and Cough & Cold Syrup.

Oregon Grape (Mahonia spp) is used for the treatment of liver and gallbladder issues; the root is taken to ‘reset’ digestion and improve overall digestive function. It’s antimicrobial action makes it specific for infections of the digestive tract (eg. Giardia, Ecoli, Candida), as well as urinary tract infections.

Oregon Grape can be used topically in preparations as a herbal antibiotic and wound healer. The salve is helpful for acne, psoriasis, eczema, as well as bacterial and fungal infections such as Staph, Tinnea, and Candida.

Learn so much more about the medicine of Oregon Grape, harvesting and more in the blog here. We have single-herb tincture available, as well in our tincture blends: Groovy Gut, and Parasite Purger. Oregon Grape is also found in our Skin Sav-r Face Cleansing Oil, Psoriasis Remedy Salve, and Cuts & Scrapes Salve.

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is effective at calming and sedating the nervous system. It relaxes the body and relieves cramps, aches, and body pains. It can be taken to help with difficulty sleeping, nervous tension, anxiety, and panic attacks.

Valerian can be useful for digestive pain due to gas, cramping and bloating. It is also useful for menstrual cramps, pms, and restless leg syndrome.

Valerian is a perennial that can easily be grown from seed. We have it available as a single-herb tincture in our shop, as well as an infused honey.

Yellow Dock (Rumex cripsus) is one of our strongest liver cleansing herbs. Through its influence on the liver it helps to clear the skin, balance hormones, and purify the blood of toxins. It promotes the flow of bile to relieve congestion in the gallbladder and jaundice.

Yellow Dock root is used in the treatment of anemia; not only is it rich in iron but it also helps to improve the absorption of iron by the body. Topically it is used for psoriasis and eczema, for inflammation, and the relief of stings, itching, and sores.

Yellow Dock is a perennial herb that can be grown from seed; we also have seeds of our native Western Dock (R. occindentalis) which can also be used medicinally. Yellow Dock is an ingredient in our Iron Rich Syrup; and in our Itch Remedy Salve.