Health Benefits
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Tuesday, July 15
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest
    Health Benefits
    • Home
    • Dental Health
    • Mental Health
    • Weight Loss
    • Health Wiki
    • Nutrition
    • Healthy Recipe
    Health Benefits
    Home»Herbs and Spices»Facts and benefits of Abscess Root
    Herbs and Spices

    Facts and benefits of Abscess Root

    By SylviaDecember 10, 2017Updated:December 10, 2017No Comments5 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

    Facts and benefits of Abscess Root

    Polemonium reptans commonly known as  Abscess Root, Creeping or Spreading Jacob’s Ladder, False Jacob’s Ladder, American Greek Valerian, Blue bells, Stairway to Heaven, Sweatroot, Skunk Weed, Onechte Jacobsladder and Polemonie Fausse is a flowering plant in the polemoniaceae (phlox family) and genus Polemonium, native to eastern North America. Abscess root is also called “false Jacob’s ladder,” because it has astringent activity similar to Jacob’s ladder. These two plants are used in similar ways, but differ chemically. It also gets its common name from the pairs of opposite leaflets on the compound leaves which resemble a series of steps on a ladder. Genus name comes from the Greek name polemonion originally applied to a medicinal plant associated with Polemon of Cappadocia.

    Plant Description

    Abscess root is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows about 1 to 3 feet high with a spread of 1 1/2 to 2 feet wide. The herb is found growing in deciduous woodlands, lower wooded slopes, bases of bluffs, shaded banks of streams and rivers, bottoms of sandstone canyons, and areas along woodland paths. Normally it prefers moist, humusy, well drained and sandy soil. It has creeping roots, by which it multiplies very quickly. The root is rarely used in modern herbalism. It is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use. The dried roots have a slightly bitter and acrid taste and are used medicinally. Stems are 9 to 10 inches high and are much branched. The glabrous stems are heavily branched and bear alternate or opposite, pinnatifid leaves with 6 or 7 pairs of leaflets.

    Leaves

    The leaves are alternate, compound and are odd pinnate, consisting of about 5–15 leaflets, and they are up to 20 cm long. The leaves have white hairs at the base of the petioles of the compound leaves. Each leaflet is ranges from oval shape to ovate shaped.   

    Flower & Fruit

    Flowers are produced in panicles on weak stems from mid to late spring. The flowers are bell-shaped and are about 1.3 cm (1⁄2 in) long.  Each flower has 5 rounded petals with 5 stamens and white anthers. The flowers can be blue, lavender, pink, purple or white petals that are fused at the base, enclosed by a tubular calyx with five pointed lobes.  The pollen is white. The stigma extends beyond the anthers, making self-pollination difficult, so insects must cross-pollinate for the plants to produce seed. Pollinated flowers develop into an oval pod with three chambers, 6 mm (1⁄2 in) long, which is enclosed by the green calyx. The seeds are inside oval pods and the flower is spread by reseeding itself.

    The flowers are edible and taste good in salad. The root is rarely used in modern herbalism. It is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use. The slender rootstock, when dried and used as the drug, is 1 to 2 inches long and 1/8 inch in diameter, with the bases of numerous stems on the upper surface, and tufts of pale, slender, smooth, wiry, brittle roots on the underside. The rootstock has a slightly bitter and acrid taste.

    Abscess Root Image Gallery
    Abscess-Root-Plant Abscess-Root-Plant
    Abscess-Root-plant-growing-wild Abscess-Root-plant-growing-wild
    Closer-view-of-Flower Closer-view-of-Flower

    Flowering-buds-of-Abscess-root-plant Flowering-buds-of-Abscess-root-plant
    Flowers-of-Abscess-root-plant Flowers-of-Abscess-root-plant
    Leaf-of-Abscess-root-plant Leaf-of-Abscess-root-plant

    Plant-Illustration-of-Abscess-root Plant-Illustration-of-Abscess-root
    Roots-of-Abscess-Root-plant Roots-of-Abscess-Root-plant
    Seed-pods-of-Abscess-plant Seed-pods-of-Abscess-plant

    Sketch-of-the-Abscess-root-plant Sketch-of-the-Abscess-root-plant
    Small-Abscess-Root-plant Small-Abscess-Root-plant
    Stem-of-Abscess-plant Stem-of-Abscess-plant

    Suggested Varieties:

    • Polemonium ‘Album’: This variety bears White Flowering.
    • Polemonium – ‘Bambino Blue’: This variety has beautiful light blue flowers.
    • Polemonium ‘Snow and Sapphires’: The plant has variegated leaves and blue flowers. It is somewhat heartier than the similar ‘Brise d’Anjou’. It is 24 to 30 inches tall.
    • Polemonium ‘Stairway to Heaven’: The plant has blue flowers on variegated foliage that blushes pink, in cool weather. The plant is about 12 to 24 inches tall.

    Traditional uses and benefits of Abscess Root

    • Dried roots are alterative, astringent, diaphoretic, expectorant and pectoral.
    • They can be used in an infusion with water or as a tincture with alcohol.
    • They are used internally in the treatment of coughs, colds, bronchitis, laryngitis, tuberculosis, feverish and inflammatory diseases, including skin conditions and poisonous bites.
    • The drug has been suggested for use in febrile and inflammatory eases, all scrofulous diseases, in bowel complaints requiring an astringent, for the bites of venomous snakes and insects, for bronchitis and laryngitis and whenever an alternative is required.
    • An infusion of the root in wineglassful doses is useful in coughs, colds and all lung complaints, producing copious perspiration.
    • Root is usually recommended for usage in febrile and inflammatory reliefs.

    Medicinal uses

    The beneficial herb roots are used in treating various diseases, some of which are as follows:

    • Internally, the abscess root herbs are used for the treatment of colds, coughs, bronchitis, laryngitis, tuberculosis, and several fevers.
    • The herbal roots are very effective for treating many inflammatory diseases including different skin conditions and poisonous bites of snakes and insects.
    • This root is used to reduce swelling and to cause sweating. The roots are used as a drying agent and also to loosen the chest congestion. In addition, the roots are used in case of scrofulous diseases and in bowel complaints.
    • The roots of this effectual plant have proved to be an excellent astringent.

    Dosage

    The dose of any herbal remedy should be given according to the recommendation of the physician. However, the normal dosage of abscess root herb is 1-2 fluids ounce and is given two to three times a day. The dose also depends upon many factors like the age of the user, health and other conditions.

    Precautions

    • It might cause slight side effects such as sneezing, gastro intestinal problems, and possibly some others.
    • Abscess roots should not be used in pregnancy and breast feeding.

    References:

    https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=31003#null

    https://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1093/

    http://pfaf.org/User/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Polemonium+reptans

    http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=l810

    https://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/a/absce001.html

    http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/tro-25800475

    https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=pore2

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polemonium_reptans

    https://www.lakeforest.edu/academics/programs/environmental/courses/es203/polemonium_reptans.php

    https://plantpath.osu.edu/sites/plantpath/files/imce/images/NativePlants/JacobsLadder.pdf

    83%
    83%
    Awesome

    Comments

    comments

    A Herbs and Spices
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleHealth benefits of Babaco
    Next Article Health Benefits of Caraway

    Related Posts

    Uses of Monkey Pitcher plant

    April 16, 2024

    Traditional uses and benefits of Wild Marigold

    March 21, 2024

    Traditional uses and benefits of Drooping fig

    March 12, 2024

    Comments are closed.

    Abscess Root Facts

    Abscess Root Quick Facts
    Name: Abscess Root
    Scientific Name: Polemonium reptans
    Origin Eastern North AmericaE
    Shapes Oval pod with three chambers, 6 mm ( 1⁄2 in) long
    Taste Slightly bitter and acrid taste (Dried Root)
    Name Abscess Root
    Scientific Name Polemonium reptans
    Native Eastern North America
    Common Names Abscess Root, Creeping or Spreading Jacob’s Ladder, False Jacob’s Ladder, American Greek Valerian, Blue bells, Stairway to Heaven, Sweatroot, Skunk Weed, Onechte Jacobsladder, Polemonie Fausse
    Name in Other Languages Dutch: Kruipende Jakobsladder
    English: Abscess Root, Creeping Jacob’s Ladder, creeping polemonium, Greek valerian, Jacob’s ladderspreading Jacob’s-ladder
    Finnish: Niittysinilatva
    Plant Growth Habit Perennial herbaceous plant
    Growing Climate Deciduous woodlands, lower wooded slopes, bases of bluffs, shaded banks of streams and rivers, bottoms of sandstone canyons, and areas along woodland paths
    Soil Moist, humusy, well drained and sandy soil
    Plant Size 1 to 3 feet high with a spread of 1 1/2 to 2 feet wide
    Root Creeping roots, by which it multiplies very quickly
    Stem 9 to 10 inches high, much branched
    Leaf Alternate, compound and are odd pinnate, consisting of about 5–15 leaflets
    Flowering Periods April to June
    Flower Bell-shaped and are about 1.3 cm (1⁄2 in) long.  Each flower has 5 rounded petals with 5 stamens and white anthers
    Fruit Oval pod with three chambers, 6 mm ( 1⁄2 in) long, which is enclosed by the green calyx
    Taste Slightly bitter and acrid taste
    Varieties
    • Polemonium ‘Album’
    • Polemonium – ‘Bambino Blue’
    • Polemonium ‘Snow and Sapphires’
    • Polemonium ‘Stairway to Heaven’
    Plant Parts Used Dried roots
    Lifespan Two years
    Culinary Uses
    • The root is ground and used as a medicinal tea.
    • The flowers are edible, taste good in salad.
    Other Facts
    • A decoction of the whole plant is used as a hair rinse.

    Abscess Root Scientific Classification

    Scientific Name: Polemonium reptans

    Rank Scientific Name & (Common Name)
    Kingdom Plantae (Plants)
    Subkingdom Tracheobionta (Vascular plants)
    Infrakingdom Streptophyta  (land plants)
    Superdivision Spermatophyta (Seed plants)
    Division Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants)
    Class Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)
    Subclass Asteridae
    Order Solanales
    Family Polemoniaceae (Phlox family)
    Genus Polemonium L. (Jacob’s-ladder)
    Species Polemonium reptans L. (Greek valerian)
    Synonyms
    • Polemonium humile Salisb.
    • Polemonium reptans var. reptans
    Categories
    • Beverages (78)
    • Dairy (28)
    • Dental Health (15)
    • Equipment (5)
    • Essential OIls (196)
    • Facts (2,885)
    • Foods (253)
    • Fruits (479)
    • Giveaway (1)
    • Grains and Cereals (32)
    • Health & Beauty (729)
    • Herbs and Spices (1,247)
    • Medicines (9)
    • Mental Health (19)
    • Nutritional value (27)
    • Nuts and seeds (69)
    • Oils (81)
    • Pets (4)
    • Poultry & Seafoods (67)
    • Pulses and Beans (16)
    • Reviews (25)
    • supplement (2)
    • Vegetables (302)
    • Weight Loss (22)

    What is Dopamine Detox?

    What Is the “Sleep Divorce” Trend and Should You Try It?

    Why You Should Care About “Circadian Eating”

    Is it safe to use Charcoal Toothpaste?

    What is Psychobiotics?

    What is Mitochondrial Optimizers?

    ABOUT
    Home
    About us
    Contact us
    Privacy Policy
    Terms & conditions
    Disclaimer
    Direct Communication
    e-mail: [email protected]
    Gmail: [email protected]
    Useful
    Health Wiki
    Nutrition
    Houston Dentist
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest
    © 2025 www.healthbenefitstimes.com All rights reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    ×

    Log In

    Forgot Password?

    Not registered yet? Create an Account