Hawkweed - Hieracium pilosella

[Guest reville]

Ive been wondering about this one for a whle and it is high on my list of "things to grow and experiment with"

Heres the infi have so far

From Jonathan Otts' Pharmacotheon.

p408

Hieracium pilosella

Under the name haret hogeurt, this plant in the family Compositae was reported in a Danish book on "hallucinogens" to expand consciousness after smoking one or two "joints" (Larris 1980). The psychoactive principle is unknown , and this interesting and legal planthas recentlt begun to be cultivated in the US. Under the name "hawkweed", H pilosella was used as an anti diarrhoeal by North american Iroquois Indians, and other secies of this genbus were likewise used by North american indian s as gastrointestinal remedies (Herrick 1977; Moerman 1986).

FRom Roberto Chiejs' "the Macdonald encyclopaedia of medicinal plants" (1988)

Parts used:

Whole plant above ground

Chemical constituents:

Piloselin, bitter, tannin, oxycumarin, umbelliferone.

Properies:

Antibiotic, astringent, diuretic

Forms of use:

Tincture, Fluid extract,Powder , infusion.

Notes:

The antibiotic property is only active if the plant is used when fresh. It is specific in brucellosis (also known as Malta fever and by other names). When dry , the plant is only astringent.An infusion of the fresh plant will more than double the daily amount of urune passed. In rural areas of southern europe the mouse-ear hawkweed is occassionally used by shepherds as an application to help heal small wounds.

From "encyclopaedia of medicinal plants"

Andrew Chevallier

Hieracium pilosella syn Pilosella officinarum

MOUSE EAR HAWKWEED

Parts used

Aerial parts

Constituents

..conatins a coumarin (umbelliferone), flavonoids and caffeic acid. It is thought to be mildly antifungal.

History and Folklore

In his "Irish herbal" 1735, K'eogh summarises mouse-ear hawkweed 's medicinal benefits: "good against the spitting of blood, all kinds of flow ,coughs, ulcers of the lungs, mouth and eyes, and shingles.

Medicinal actions and uses

Mouse ear hawkweed relaxes the muscles of the bronchial tubes, stimulate sthe cough reflex and reduces the production of catarrh. This combination of actions makes the herb effective in respiratory problems, including asthma and wheeziness, whooping cough , bronchitis , and other chronic and congested coughs. The herb is used to control heavy mentrual bleeding, and to ease the coughong up of blood. It may be applied as a poultice to heal wounds.

Well no hints there

It looks like a good candidate for Anti-mycobacterials though.The brucellosis comment plus the refernces to coughing blood, lung ulcers and other sores seem very indicative of Tuberculosis.

It flowers in summer anbd grows in dry pastures and on upland or sandy soils.

Seems to be found across the northern temperate zone and is also used in TCM

Where to find?

not at austral

richters have it

MOUSE-EAR HAWKWEED

Hieracium pilosella

Perennial Uses: medicinal Sow No:13

European native with neat rosettes of hairy leaves and lemon-yellow flowers. Flowers reach 30cm/12in. while leaves form ground-hugging mats. The whole plant has potent but underappreciated astringent, expectorant and diuretic properties. Used for all respiratory problems including asthma, bronchitis, excess mucus, and cough. Also against flu, inflamed kidneys, and diarrhea.

S3116 Seed Packet $4.76/pkt

S3116 Bulk Seeds $26.67/g, $158.75/10g

ICON says-

Condition C7172

The plant/seed has been assessed as a weed and entry is prohibited by legislation.

Treatment T9044

AgWA/AQIS says

Quarantine Weed Hieracium aurantiacum L.

Pilosella aurantiaca fox and cubs, orange hawkweed, Devil's paintbrush Asteraceae

Quarantine Weed Hieracium pilosella L.

mouseear hawkweed Asteraceae

Quarantine Weed Hieracium pratense Tausch yellow hawkweed, yellow king-devil, field hawkweed Asteraceae

bummer

[Torsten]

we grew some and daniel smoked some many years ago. his verdict was 'waste of time'.

[Ashoka]

Yeehaaa!

Sten Larris finally gets a mention! His book is called "Prohibit Hallucinogens? Prohibit the Growth of Nature!" (rough translation).

It grows everywhere here. Reville, I could collect some plant material if you're interested. You can send Sten Larris a mail here: [email protected] ,maybe he has some additional information on håret høgeurt (can't vouch for his english abilities though). It was his book that got me turned on to ethnobotany!

Cheers

Ashoka

BTW: Visit his homepage if you've got access to a good translator. He has got some pretty obscure plants listed as possible hallucinogens. http://home8.inet.tele.dk/larri/HALU/HALLISTE.HTM

[Torsten]

pity he doesn't list them by botanical name.....

I can guess many of them, but it is tedious.

T

[t st tantra]

i've got a tub growing and should have plenty of seed later in the year.also have very attractive purple blotched species.

have tried one smoke level,and found it pleasant.

t s t .

[theobromos]

A pure ethanol extract of the leaves was definitely active but not in the league of wild lettuce.

[Guest reville]

Thanks for the offer ashoka.

It might be expensive to send it though.

If it is reasonably priced to send some then i could return postage and/or some seeds you may want.

[email protected]