Chaparral (Larrea tridentata)
By Dana Aronson || @_wildkin
Common Names: Creosote Bush, Stinkweed, Greasewood
Latin Name: Larrea tridentata
Plant Family: Zygophyllaceae
Parts Used: Aerial parts: leaves and flowers. Leave out the woody stems towards the bottom of the plant. The small stems that break off while stripping the leaves off are fine to keep with the medicine.
Energetics: Bitter and cooling
Herbal Actions: Alterative, antibiotic, antiseptic, expectorant, anti-tumor, antioxidant, diuretic and parasiticide
Botany:
This plant’s appearance is leafy, many-branch bush, and can grow up to twelve feet tall. Since Chaparral is a plant that flourishes in the desert, this bush tends towards being dry and waxy, and has a dull brown in the hotter months, and in the more moist months, the foliage is greasy with range in a yellow green color. The leaves are small, curved and grow opposite of each other in pairs of two. The flowers are yellow with five petals. The fruiting body shows itself as a capsule that is covered with white fine hairs. Flourishing in the Southwest of the United States, Chaparral grows from eastern San Diego to the middle of Texas, creeping its way south of the U.S. border into Mexico. At elevations of 3,000 feet and lower is where this plant likes to grow, but in some cases, can flourish in elevations as high as 5,000 feet (3).
Collecting:
With harvesting, the first thing to remember is ‘only take what you need.’ We as herbalists are also land protectors and want to see the plants flourish in the best ways possible. A wonderful resource for endangered and ‘at-risk’ and ‘to watch’ plants, visit unitedplantsavers.org . When collecting Chaparral, it is best to pull from well established plants that are robust and have a lot of foliage on them. Look for the young growth which has a bright green color to the leaves. Try and harvest away from the roadside or near any runoffs. This plant is easy to gather using pruners or snapping the stems with your fingers. I prefer to strip the leaves and flowers from the woody stems, while keeping the smaller stems that break off with the medicine. The dried plant can be stored and is stable for up to two years (3)(4).
Historical Uses:
Indigenous people of the North American Southwest used this plant before white settlers came to the Americas. Once here, white settlers adopted the plant, using it for external wounds, rashes, and bruises. Internally, settlers used Chaparral for diarrhea, upset stomach, and cancers of the kidney, liver and stomach. This herb was listed as a bronchial antiseptic and expectorant in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia for 100 years from 1842 to 1942, and was approved by the USDA as a preservative in lard and other animal shortenings. (1)
Modern Uses:
Today, Chaparral is arguably one of the best plants to choose for its antibacterial properties. Useful for fighting against viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites, this plant can be used both internally and externally. When applied, Chaparral can slow down the rate of bacterial growth and even smother it with its antimicrobial action. It can fight against staph, athlete’s foot, and other types of toenail fungus. This is one reason why most herbalist have some form of Chaparral in their first aid kit! You will want to take my word for it, Chaparral is a terrible tasting tea, it is nearly undrinkable. If you are curious, go ahead, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. Because of client compliancy, using this plant in a tincture or capsule form is usually best. Internally, Chaparral is indicated when someone is having dry skin, cracks on the feet, brittle hair, and frail nails because of the positive effects it has on suppressed liver metabolism. With the affinity to the liver, some clinical trials have even shown this plant can aid people who are experiencing poor-quality blood lipids like elevated LDLs. These types of fats can wreak havoc on the blood vessels. Chaparral can be taken internally for colds and flus, inflammation in the respiratory tract due to infection, for UTI’s, and diarrhea.
On the topic of cancers, this plant has a long history of usage. In some instances of certain skin cancers and pre-cancerous oral cancers, it may be beneficial. With that, it has also been shown to aggravate other types of neoplasia. Some herbalists will recommend small doses of Chaparral for cancer therapies and others would recommend against it. Do what you wish with this information. I do not have enough personal experience to speak on this matter. Topically, Chaparral can be applied as a poultice, soak, sits baths, liniment or warm compress on wounds, abscess or injuries. Chaparral’s strong antioxidant properties make it a great herb to add to oils and salves because it can help prevent rancidity and make a product more shelf stable. Lastly, Chaparral has been known to be useful as a mouthwash because of the antibacterial action. It can be used for toothaches, to help reduce cavity formation, and prevent gum disease. (3)(4)(5)
Personal and Clinical Experience:
Chaparral has been a solid ally with my work in first aid. When I first started working with MASHH (Medicine for All Seeking Health and Healing), I was opened up to the world of a wound wash blend. This is a blend of herbs that are antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, astringent, and soothing. I have used Chaparral in these blends with other herbs like Lavender and Calendula. Through my work with mobile clinics, I have found having a wound wash blend to be especially helpful with abscesses, specifically with folks who are using substances intravenously. I tend to keep this infusion warm and use it with a compress, a soak, or to irrigate an open wound. It has also been helpful in certain instances as a salve. Clinically, I have used it for strep throat both internally, and as a spray to use directly on the back of the throat. These are usually used in the form of a tincture. Lastly, I have used Chaparral with folks who have had candida, or other fungal infections. It has been successful as a foot soak for athlete’s foot and using a small amount of powder sprinkled in the socks or shoes daily.
Combinations:
Mouth Health: Myrrh, Spilanthes, and Oregon Grape Root
Wound Wash: Usnea, Yarrow, Echinacea, and Rose
Strep Throat (streptococcal pharyngitis): Myrrh, Oregon Grape Root, Yerba Mansa and Usnea
Flower Essence:
Call on Chaparral when the psyche is feeling barraged and overstimulated by the modern world. This can be from living in a busy city or from media outlets. It can commonly be triggered in the dream state. Known to help protect, clear and detox the mind, body and spirit (2)
Dosage and Preparation:
-Tincture: 1-2 ml / 3x a day (1:2 in 95% ethanol alcohol)
-Infusion / Compress: 1 tablespoon per cup. Fully immerse compress in warm liquid, ring out excess and place on impacted area.
-Capsules #00: Each 00 capsule is about 0.5 - 0.7 grams of powdered herb. Take 2-4 caps daily.
-Infused Oil: Powder dry herb (just leaves and flowers) in coffee grinder. Using folk method, fill 3/4 of a jar full with powdered herb. Add preferred oil (olive oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, almond oil, etc) and cover 1-2 inches above the herb. With Chaparral specifically, because it is so resinous, it responds well to heat. Put jar in a thin paper bag and place in a sunny windowsill for 2-4 weeks (avoid long spans of direct sunlight), or put oil + herb on stove and heat to 100 degrees for 30 minutes. Use as needed.
-Liniments: Using the folk method, fill a jar 3/4 of the way full with chopped or powdered herb. Pour 99% isopropyl alcohol or witch hazel to completely cover herb mixture. Shake, and let sit of 3-4 weeks. Shake regularly. Apply as needed.
Contraindications:
Avoid using large doses in cases of a compromised liver, liver disease, pregnancy or nursing. Recommended to take internally for short periods of time (3).
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About Dana
Trained as a clinical herbalist, Dana takes joy in community based, hands on learning. She focuses her studies on bio-regional plants from the Pacific North West and intertwines them into her small practice based in Southern Oregon. After finishing a 3-year clinical herbalism program at Ohlone Herbal Center in Berkeley, California, she found her curiosity leading her to traveling herbal pop up clinics. These pop up clinics provide herbal first aid and wellness to a wide range of areas from gatherings to places that have been hit with natural devastation. She teaches in the classroom, through hands on learning, and cultivates her product line, Wild Kin Botanicals. For more information on Dana, visit: www.wildkinbotanicals.com
Resources:
(1) Castleman, M. (2009). The New Healing Herbs: the Essential Guide to More Than 125 of Natures Most Potent Herbal Remedies. Gordonsville: Rodale Inc.
(2) McIntyre, A. (1996). Flower power: flower remedies for healing body and soul through herbalism, homeopathy, aromatherapy, and flower essences. New York: Henry Holt and Co.
(3) Moore, M. (1989). Medicinal plants of the desert and canyon West: a guide to identifying, preparing, and using traditional medicinal plants found in the deserts and canyons of the West and Southwest. Santa Fe, NM: Museum of New Mexico Press.
(4) Plant Medicine Notes-Chaparral (Larrea Tridentata). (2013, December 28). Retrieved February 8, 2020, from http://7song.com/plant-medicine-notes-chaparral-larrea-tridentata/
(5) Tierra, M. (1998). The way of Herbs. New York: Pocket Books.