If you have a goat's beard in your garden, you can look forward to an easy-care plant. In nature it is mostly found in European mountain forests.
The forest goat's beard (bot. Aruncus dioicus) is native to Europe, but very few people know this plant. Because the attractive perennial with its long panicles of flowers has become rare. The plants are mainly found in mountain forests. The perennials, which are up to two meters high, can also be found in some gardens and are cultivated there as an easy-care ornamental plant. In the folk medicine of past centuries, the forest goat's beard had a variety of meanings. The root was mainly used. The healing effect of the plant, also known as forest asparagus, has almost been forgotten. You can read about the healing properties of the forest goat's beard below.
Appearance Forest Goosebeard
The perennial herbaceous plants are mainly found in partially shaded mountain forests. The stems grow erect from the underground rhizome. The leaves on it can grow up to a meter long. The white to cream-colored flowers appear in May. The flower spikes, which are up to half a meter long, are an attractive eye-catcher.
» Tip: The forest goat's beard is visually reminiscent of meadowsweet. This plant is much more common and can be distinguished from goat's beard by the smaller panicles of flowers.
Different Types
The perennial rose plant comes in several different species, which are widespread in Asia. There are about five species, which, however, can hardly be distinguished visually. A distinction is clearly possible based on the different distribution areas of the plants. Over time, some interesting breeding forms emerged.
Species at a glance
| Goatsbeard Art | Blooming time | Growth | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kneiffii | June to July | up to one meter | This variety has small cream colored flowers. The panicles appear thin and feathery. |
| Dwarf Goatsbeard | June to July | up to 30 cm | This low-growing species haswhite flowers and is ideal for planting in the rock garden. The plant grows particularly compact and has pretty, dark green foliage. |
| Dick Goatsbeard Horatio | June to July | 50 to 80 cm | This goat's beard has white flowers and looks particularly good in flower beds and shady gardens. A planting distance of about half a meter must be maintained. |
| Slashed Forest Gosbeard | June to July | up to 120 cm | The white flowering plant catches the eye with its decorative leaves and is a popular cut flower. |
| China Goosebeard | June to July | up to 150 cm | The China goat's beard has creamy white flowers and is ideal as a cut flower. |
| Kamchatka Goat's Beard | June to July | 80 to 90 cm | The white-flowering shrub is suitable for planting on woody edges and for perennial gardens. |
Occurrences
The distribution area of the forest goat's beard extends almost over the entire northern hemisphere. In some areas, the perennial does not occur naturally and has been released into the wild as a "garden refugee", for example in northern Germany. In the mountain forests of the Allgäu Alps, the plants can be found up to an altitude of 1,500 meters.
Usage
Folk medicine mainly uses the root against various diseases. Often the leaves were eaten as a spinach-like vegetable. However, this is not recommended because the leaves contain toxic hydrocyanic acid.
In many gardens, the goat's beard is cultivated purely as an ornamental plant. The plants require little care, reach an impressive size with good care and the flower spikes can also be used in bouquets.
Goatsbeard as a medicinal plant
In times of acute food shortages, the root of the goat's beard was preferred. It turned out to be a kind of vegetable. The slightly poisonous leaves were also eaten.
The use of the plant for healing purposes was increasingly based on meadowsweet. It is assumed that the use of forest asparagus for medicinal purposes is based on confusion with meadowsweet. However, the use of the forest goat's beard for medicinal purposes has declined significantly in recent years.
What are the ingredients of forest goat's beard?
- Hydrocyanic Acid Compounds
- Saponins
Which plant parts are used?
- Root
- Seeds
- Herb
Healing effect Forest goat's beard
The plant is used in folk medicine for stomach problems and fever. Forest asparagus can also be used to calm the nerves and provide general physical strength.
Healing effects in keywords:
- calming
- stomach friendly
- astringent
- antipyretic
- toning
Areas of application:
- Fever
- Joint Pain
- Vein problems
- Insect Bites
- Stomach problems
- Obstetrics
- STDs
Possible applications
➤ Tea
A tea can be prepared from the roots of the forest goat's beard. First, fill a quarter liter of water in a saucepan and add a teaspoon of dried goat's beard roots. The whole thing should be boiled up and then steeped for about a quarter of an hour.
» Tip: The tea can relieve stomach problems and also help with postnatal bleeding.
➤ Root Mash
The porridge made from the root of the forest goat's beard is an effective first-aid measure for insect stings and insect bites. Anyone who has been bitten by an insect in the forest can dig up the roots, if possible clean them with drinking water or in a body of water, try to crush them with your fingers and apply the root pulp to the bite.
» Tip: You should use fresh roots for the root puree.
The porridge should act on the puncture site for some time. It is therefore advisable to dress the wound with a bandage so that the root pulp does not slip and has a direct effect on the puncture site.
➤ Envelopes
For a poultice, prepare the forest goat's beard root tea as described above. Then soak a cotton cloth with the brew and put the envelope on.
A poultice with this root decoction can help with rheumatism and is placed directly on the joints affected by the pain. Let the envelope work for a while and renew it if necessary.
➤ Foot Bath
The tea is also prepared for a foot bath as already described. Prepare at least double the amount so that you can comfortably bathe your feet in the liquid and the foot is completely covered with the root tea. A footbath with the root broth can help against swollen feet and brings relief, especially in summer, when feet are swollen after a hot day.
Summary of Applications
| Application | Area of application | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Tea | Stomach problems | The tea is made from the dried roots. The roots should boil briefly and then steep for 15 minutes. |
| Push | Insect Bites | The porridge is made from the fresh roots. The cleaned root pieces are crushed and placed on the puncture site. |
| Envelope | Rheumatism | Root tea is used for poultices. The poultices can be renewed several times and relieve general joint pain. |
| Footbath | swollen feet | The feet are bathed in root tea. In summer, the tea can also cool down, which also serves to refresh your feet. |
Worth knowing about collection and storage
The herb is collected when it is in bloom, i.e. between the end of April and mid-July. The roots are dug up during the dormant period of the plants, between fall and spring.
The plant parts are dried in a shady and well-ventilated room. The root parts are to be cleaned in advance and cut into small pieces. The dried plant parts can be stored in cans or paper bags.
Warning: The leaves of the goat's beard should not be used in large quantities or over a long period of time. Contains toxic hydrogen cyanide compounds.
The plant is generally not suitable for long-term use. Pregnant and nursing mothers should not use the goat's beard as a medicinal plant.
Bringing Forest Goosebeard
Let's take a look at the contemporary preparation of the goat's beard. For this purpose, the still young shoots are cut in the spring. The preparation is the same as the asparagus. This also explains the name forest asparagus.
» Tip: Most of the common asparagus recipes can also be prepared with the sprouts of the goat's beard.
The young sprouts can also be steamed, eaten in soups or eaten raw in salads. The rungs do not have to be peeled.
The use of forest goat's beard as wild asparagus has a long tradition in Switzerland and South Tyrol. If you don't want to go looking for it yourself, you can buy wild goat's beard in the form of a delicious wild asparagus at the Viktualienmarkt in Munich.