Stone Root, Cut & Sifted — Wildcrafted

(Collinsonia canadensis)

Collinsonia canadensis — Stone Root, Richweed, Horsebalm, or Ox Balm — is a robust, aromatic perennial herb of the family Lamiaceae native to the rich, moist deciduous forests of eastern North America, found from Quebec and Ontario south to Florida and west to Wisconsin and Arkansas, growing in deep, humus-rich woodland soils along stream banks and in shaded ravines. Collinsonia canadensis is one of the most distinctively North American of all botanical herbs — it is rarely cultivated and is primarily available as a wildcrafted product, harvested from its native woodland habitat. The genus Collinsonia was named by the great Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in honor of Peter Collinson (1694–1768) — the English Quaker merchant, botanist, and Fellow of the Royal Society who was one of the most important botanical correspondents of the 18th century, a close friend and correspondent of Benjamin Franklin, and the man who introduced many North American plants to European gardens. The common name “Stone Root” refers to the plant’s extraordinarily hard, dense, woody rhizome — one of the hardest and most difficult to process of any North American botanical root, requiring heavy-duty cutting equipment and giving the plant its evocative common name. The alternative name “Richweed” reflects the plant’s preference for rich, fertile woodland soils. Collinsonia canadensis was one of the most important botanicals in the Eclectic medical tradition of 19th-century America, where it was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia and was considered one of the primary North American tonic herbs. Wildcrafted.

Collinsonia canadensis root contains a distinctive and well-characterized phytochemical profile including rosmarinic acid (a potent phenylpropanoid antioxidant — present in exceptionally high concentrations, among the highest of any plant in the Lamiaceae family), caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid (phenolic acids), flavonoids (including quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, apigenin, and acacetin), diterpenoids (including collinsonin and related labdane diterpenes — unique to Collinsonia), saponins, tannins (catechins and proanthocyanidins), resins, mucilage, volatile oils (including carvacrol, thymol, limonene, alpha-pinene, and beta-pinene — responsible for the plant’s strong, distinctive lemon-mint aroma), calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. Wildcrafted. Available in Cut & Sifted form.

Product Highlights

• Cut & sifted root of Collinsonia canadensis — Stone Root / Richweed / Horsebalm
• Wildcrafted — harvested from its native eastern North American woodland habitat; rarely cultivated
• Named by Linnaeus in honor of Peter Collinson (1694–1768) — English Quaker botanist, Fellow of the Royal Society, and close friend of Benjamin Franklin
• The name “Stone Root” refers to the plant’s extraordinarily hard, dense, woody rhizome — one of the hardest roots in North American botany
• One of the most important botanicals in the 19th-century Eclectic American medical tradition — listed in the United States Pharmacopeia
• Exceptionally rich in rosmarinic acid — among the highest concentrations of any plant in the Lamiaceae family
• Strong, distinctive lemon-mint aroma from volatile oils including carvacrol, thymol, and limonene
• Wildcrafted. Available in Cut & Sifted form

How to Use

Tincture (Recommended): Stone root’s hard, resinous rhizome is best extracted in alcohol — pack cut & sifted root into a jar, cover with 80-proof vodka or grain alcohol, and macerate for 4–6 weeks, shaking daily; strain and press. The tincture has a strong, distinctive lemon-mint flavor. Herbal Tea (Decoction): Simmer 1–2 teaspoons of cut & sifted root in 8 oz of water for 20–25 minutes; strain. The flavor is strongly aromatic, bitter, and lemony. Herbal Blends: Combines with other North American woodland botanicals in traditional herbal formulas.

Wildcrafted. Available in Cut & Sifted (2 oz, 4 oz, 8 oz).

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before use if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children.