The herb is native to the temperate climates of Europe, Asia, North America, and North Africa, and grows preferentially in dry forest meadows and along forest edges. Giant goldenrod and Canada goldenrod are also naturalized in much of Europe. The commercial product comes from cultures in Germany or is imported from wild collections in Eastern Europe (Hungary, former Yugoslavia, Poland, Bulgaria). Often the commercial product is also a mixture of all three goldenrod species, but the most effective is goldenrod.
Goldenrod in herbal medicine
In herbal medicine, the dried above-ground parts of goldenrod collected at flowering time (August-October) are used.
Goldenrod: typical characteristics
Goldenrod is a perennial, up to 1 m tall, erect herb with elongated leaves. The lower stem leaves have an elliptical shape, while the upper ones are narrow. The numerous bright yellow flower heads with ray florets about 6-12 mm long are in compound racemes. The related giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) and Canadian goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) are used for similar ailments.
Constituents used as medicines
Goldenrod is typically characterized by golden-yellow flower heads surrounded by roof-tiled, greenish bracts and ray florets.
Other components of the drug include individual fallen-out yellow flowers and gray to green, somewhat puckered leaf fragments. Cylindrical, dark, longitudinally striped stem fragments also occur. However, the stem content should be less than 20%, since the ingredients that determine efficacy are found mainly in the flowers and leaves.
What does goldenrod herb smell and taste like?
Goldenrod herb does not emit any particular odor. The taste of goldenrod herb is tart and slightly astringent (astringent).
