The next day I came up in terrible blisters all over my skin that had been exposed to the Knotweed. Many people are aware of the dangers of handling giant hogweed – the severe skin reaction this can cause is identical to that I received from Knotweed. As she can push through any barrier, so too can her medicine push deep into our protected organs like our heart and brain, getting to the strongholds of Lyme carditis and Lyme neuroborreliosis. The Japanese drink knotweed tea and over there it is known as Itadori tea.  It is high in resveratol it can really help against bad cholesterol. Just one question,should I use young shoots or full-grown stems? To make it, all you need to do is simmer down knotweed for 20 mins straight and include sugar for taste and best served cold. It doesn’t form any viable seed in this country so it’s rather remarkable how much it has spread. And the skin on the old hairy main root was many times thicker than that. Drink, Food, Wild Our Knotweed powder is milled finely, ready to be mixed into smoothies or other drinks. For my years harvesting at the patch in the woods, I’d mostly harvested rhizomes and small roots to stop its spread into the forest and to keep the integrity of the original patch. Gosh, what an inexpensive substitute for rhubarb, Japanese knotweed would be; is that true about using knotweed instead? Fold in the resulting goo. Are you allergic to other members of the Polygonaceae family; like buckwheat or sorel ? I’ll try the knotweed crumble… The thing is, if our eyes are open we can see this pattern again and again. This is great as it means the leftover water from stewing knotweed can be drunk. So there still coming up for now. And indeed when I began to process the roots to make tincture later, I found the orange coloured skin on the older rhizomes was many times thicker then the younger rhizomes. Lyme has just really started to creep into the Upper Ottawa Valley. Swilling Japanese knotweed. The best and the most potent method of consuming Chinese Knotweed is to Tincture it. Well guys your receipe’s and soap sound lovely, but I think I might have to give them both a miss. They were originally planted in people’s gardens as a bamboo-like feature. Some other differences between my tincture making and commercial products are that I make tinctures as strong as I can. Knotweed when we were kids, the tops were juicy and refreshing but slightly lower you had to peel it. Hi there, I have just come down with the exact same skin condition. Once the knotweed colour has turned from deep green to “tea green”, the boiling should be enough. Knotweed’s broad green leaves grow to be roughly 6 inches long and 4 inches wide. These gifts from our Mother Earth, while outside of our rational comprehension, continue to heal the land and offer us solace century after century. Even if your medical alliance is allopathic you may still need to turn to her because lyme and particularly chronic lyme, is not treated well through conventional medicine. Whereas, commercial tinctures are usually 1:4 or 5 parts menstrum. Firstly, make sure you know the area and more to the point make sure it has not been sprayed. @ Mike Another good point, I’ve added a bit to the foraging section. It is high in … Being a plant with high resveratrol content, Japanese knotweed is often used for making resveratrol extract or pills. We have another pest though: rabbits. Promotes the health of brain. 70% of that should be grain alcohol (that is, 35 ounces) the rest (15 ounces) should be water. @ K well spotted, cheers (I’ve changed it) Grill up some tender tips and serve them with this umami … In terms of the herbal industry, clearly from what I’ve told you about harvesting her, any Japanese Knotweed that you buy will be made from the rhizome and probably young ones. I harvested her there for about five years. any ideas? I see this disease coming to the land as a healer, after generations of imbalance and abuse. But of course by harvesting Echinacea at the wrong time, in early summer of their second year, rather then waiting for the hard frosts in the fall of the plant’s fourth year, you are greatly diminishing its healing potential. Hmm…knotweed wine. But it is mostly found by railway lines, river banks, in unmanaged woodland and on wasteland. Health Benefits of Japanese Knotweed. The blisters don’t appear until at least 24-48 hours after, so I reckon most people wouldn’t think it could be from something they touched 2 days before. I’ve heard many times of people successfully taking Japanese Knotweed tea every day as a lyme preventative in endemic areas. Japanese Knotweed can thrive in various conditions, which is why it is can be found in unkempt gardens and roadsides. Way up north in Temiskaming, Zone 2, I saw a very healthy big patch used to retain the shorelines at the bottom of a great waterfall. Serendipity brought me to the land of some friends from the farmer’s market with a great old patch stretching almost from the river up to a hill twenty feet above. It’s not often seen in this light, but I have a radical view of Lyme. I use 1 part plant to 1 or 2 parts menstrum (alcohol/water mixture). Japanese Knotweed root systems are known to grow very fast, as much as three meters deep and seven metres wide. Any benefits from the roots, or only the stalk? I have more today than I did yesterday. It is the shoots rather than the stalk you want. Also, just as with sorrel and rhubarb, anyone who is sensitive to oxalic acid should leave well alone, so noone with kidney stones or gout should eat it. To correctly identify knotweed and other wild food plants please join me on one of my foraging tuition walks. @ red, ah don’t worry as long as you eat it! you have got a five year wait. what a great piece of news, anyone want to buy some Knot weed? Many more common plants, like dandelion, yellowdock and echinacea, all get more potent with each year, but for commercial reasons are harvested too young. If you want to make a tincture (it will extract a great deal more than only resveratrol by the way) use 70% alcohol and 30% water in a 1:5 ratio. Japanese Knotweed is not only used to treat Lyme and chronic lyme but works also as a preventative. Japanese Knotweed is an upright, herbaceous, perennial plant with hollow, red-speckled bamboo-like stems which can grow over 10 feet tall when mature. I had removed both older and new shoots, so i’m not sure if the new shoots played a part. Stephen Making boneset tea with reishi mushrooms If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Japanese Knotweed can be used in two forms, capsule and tincture. This all sounds great – To be honest, I’ve never heard of Knotweed. Instead, the surrounding hardwood forest grew in and over the Knotweed patch. Peter Becker. They were unable to tell the difference. And we may be banishing the very one that could save us. These continued to erupt and burst over a number of days. After much research I finally found the cause, the sap and hairs form these plants, once on your skin can cause a photo sensitive reaction – I had been out in full sunlight for hours after. Japanese Knotweed evolved in the temperate jungles of the Japan and Korea. I’ve heard many times of people successfully taking Japanese Knotweed tea every day as a lyme preventative in endemic areas. It is said that there is some growing in every 10km grid square in the UK, a sobering statistic. If she’d have known she would have eaten it too! This plant’s medicinal credentials are impressive and not just for lyme. Does that give me some sort of intellectual property rights? I am not allergic to any other plants in the Polygonaceae family. Like gnarled fists a foot down, made of hair, root, sand and stone. In the 1800’s this original rootstock first made it to Europe and then the colonies. So this brought the blisters on lovely! So don’t want to scare you all away from eating it, but suggest you do a little skin test on yourself first. The sap is used as dye rice noodles which provide a sour flavor. Consider making this medicine yourself. Thanks for sharing your experience. In those countries it is well known to have many amazing qualities. What kind of terrain does it typically grow in? I’ve also mentioned a little bit more in this months Home Farmer Magazine. That means that if you have 10 ounces of herb (the “1”) you will need 5x that of liquid (the “5”). It might seem odd but knotweed is a great food and tastes very much like rhubarb. If there is none around at this size then just the top 20cm can be harvested. Nov 3, 2012 | Herbs, japanese knotweed, The Basics, tinctures/decoctions | 0 comments. Her flexible long strong stem brings balance to the land by channeling moisture from stagnant, cool, wet areas. Extremely itchy. Put 1 teaspoon of processed dried Chinese Knotweed root in a cup of water. Through giving this “public hazard” some grace we may well find our own. To ensure a greater chance of eradication you do have to dig out all the root and burn it on site too. Those with gout or kidney stones should be slightly wary as it does contain oxalic acid which is known to aggravate both conditions. Yet most of us foragers are shouting at the top of voices, “WHY DON’T YOU EAT IT”! They lasted for a few weeks at least and left horrible scars, which are now fading, at last! Especially because I`m producing knotweed soap I would like to learn all about your skin reaction. I have since writing my last post developed the same reaction although not so severe. half a rabbit, diced, Everyone wins. Way up north in Temiskaming, Zone 2, I saw a very healthy big patch used to retain the shorelines at the bottom of a great waterfall. I’m guessing this must only be in certain people as some people can handle it and not be affected at all. N, Another one of our favourite podcast conversations, Where we live, at night. fantastic……. Like almost every other plant I’ve come to know in the Earth’s parade of healers, Japanese knotweed has her time and place, but when the land is whole and balanced she moves off. Only harvest when it is young, which in the UK is around March-May depending on the weather and where you are in the country. This is great as it means the leftover water from stewing knotweed can be drunk. This forces lyme patients to take pills or extracts (products once removed from the plant). There are recipes for Knotweed wine and knotweed ale in my book, Booze for free which is out this Autumn. But before you introduce this lovely tall one onto your land, realize that this is one genie you’ll not get back in the bottle. Boil the knotweed. Please send cheques to…. Consult your healthcare provider before adding to your regiment of drug treatment. I think many of us crave heavier foods this time o, A close up of one of the holes we left as part of, Harriet Tubman, an Unsung Naturalist, Used Owl Cal, The floor in our timber frame guest house is in! A few sticks of diced celery, As the plant is weakened every time you cut it, it is possible at the least keep it in check by continual harvesting; and at best eradicate it. It can also be seen alongside river banks. Japanese Knotweed Tea If backyard booze isn’t your cup of tea, maybe this next entry will be…primarily as it’s just that – tea! This happened because she had no reason for being there. I will be harvesting some of the problem around my rrelatively new allotment soon. The reason this plant is called knotweed may be because of the regular knot like joints along the stem, but more likely because of its rock-like roots. Seeding earth wisdom since 1989. It could be steamed. @ Chris It would do, but I’m afraid as you support Charlton I can’t bring myself to send any. We used to also cut the stems just below the joint above and there was normally a small drink in the stem sections. Japanese Knotweed: My Part in its Downfall, Part 2 | D'oh!-I-Y, March blog 2015 SNOW snow and more snow | Ellen Evert Hopman. Interestingly, the Japanese Knotweed we see here in America all came from one female plant. The skin of the roots is where most of the medicine resides. I would recommend for anybody harvesting or working around Japanese Knotweed either to cover their arms and hands and/or not go into the sun for two days afterwards. Cook the knotweed for a few minutes in sugared water (or apple juice) until tender.  Strain and blend until proper mash up.  Throw in the bananas and blend them too. Ever made rhubarb wine? Leaves should be burnt. Huzhang (Japanese Knotweed) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine as well as in Japan and Korea for many years. Does an body have knowledge of any possible side effects? Japanese knotweed is an attractive plant that looks something like bamboo, but with broad leaves. Cumin seed for flavour also. It is a highly medicinal and edible plant that is mostly used for the treatment of Lyme disease. i am also on a quest to find out if raising the pH of the soil will deter the future growth of the plants.. i know that lots of plants are indicator species for certain soil types and conditions. Andy Hamilton Through giving this “public hazard” some grace we may well find our own. And she’s not just beautiful, I also saw her used in a genius way that perfectly suited her. Consider making this medicine yourself. 😀 ). Dreams of the Med in frozen north, Return of the Good Life: the new craze for front garden allotments, Ron Finley at MAD4: “Save Your Food Save Your Life” – YouTube, How to Harvest Your Own Seeds from Fruit and Vegetables for Propagation into Nursery – The Permaculture Research Institute, Valentines Day Free Card and Present Ideas – By Andy Hamilton. Peel the knotweed from the root (easier this way). So it was a win-win, I’d dig out the roots in the garden and near to it in exchange for the roots themselves. What is Japanese Knotweed Used for? Once planted, the rhizome (root) expands rapidly, pushing out any other plants in the vicinity. As I treat more and more people for Lyme, I’m using more Japanese Knotweed. The Japanese used an alcohol extract of this plant as a natural laxative. I hope it works out better than Cathryns/ I dealt with knotweed prior to this and didn’t have a reaction but now both arms are covered in the blotches. Lyme disease is caused by spirochetal bacteria from the genus Borrelia. Ironically, levelling free enterprise as well. Ironically, levelling free enterprise as well. As it got shaded out this “unstoppable” plant started to naturally die out! Japanese Knotweed is the primary botanical used in the treatment of Lyme Disease, based on the herbal treatment protocols of Stephen Buhner. Mix the other ingredients with your fingers and sprinkle over the top. The shoots, leaves and flowers of this beauty are edible and traditionally eating in season. Mar 9, 2013 - Is Japanese Knotweed a Recipe for Disaster for Making Itadoi Tea or A Source of Resveratrol? When taken by mouth: Knotweed is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth short-term. Simmer for 15 minutes and then remove from heat. During this last winter, after the old Japanese Knotweed root tincture had finished brewing, I tried it (which I take as a maintenance dose for chronic lyme). Japanese Knotweed was first introduced to our shores as a garden plant in about 1825. I use 1 part plant to 1 or 2 parts menstrum (alcohol/water mixture). But because of corporate rigged regulations, I could probably be sued or fined for selling such strong medicine. Our Japanese Knotweed is pure unadulterated powder. 36. There are so many ways to cook Japanese knotweed, and I’ve included a selection of recipes below. While the Japanese Knotweed here in North America may be all female, I think this plant is also very male, in its verticality. I read that this can happen each time your skin is exposed to Uv light, which it has been. I often see it growning where earth from an infected site has been dumped. With this gift she helps us with arthritis and inflammation, as well as protection from the effects of oxidization. AND then, EAT? Thanks again,now let’s eradicate some knotweed next weekend. March 14, 2011 The ish Local - (Chat) • Re: Has this forum died? Even so, you can even make some sweet knotweed tea. There is a majority of cooking recipes for Japanese Knotweeds such as making knotweed ale or knotweed wine. 🙂 Home of The Sacred Gardener School. I have also use her in an arthritis combo for patients. They tear up the concrete through their eruptive underground growth. Your email address will not be published. Emodin has the ability to regulate bowel motility among other things. I am not actually allergic to anything for that matter, and have never suffered with any skin sensitivity or rashes. Other Facts: It was introduced in the 1800s to the Britain by Victorians as an ornamental plant. I recently learned that rhubarb infused gin is a popular drink and the tart notes in the rhubarb make a lovely cocktail. Royalties? The root is used to make cold drinks as a substitute of tea. Hello Cathtryn, You can face a fine or imprisonment under the Countryside act of 1981 if you knowingly spread Knotweed so PLEASE be careful with it. I have tried the casserole and it is very nice. Japanese knotweed contains several phytonutrients, but its medicinal properties can be primarily attributed to the substantial amount of resveratrol present in this plant. Ive started to juice the leaves along with my wheatgrass and dandelion leaves which makes the tasta of the wheatgrass a lot milder as well as the strong taste of dandelion. Every where I had blisters last year, I now have red sore blotches but only a couple of blisters have so far appeared. Many of us begin our studies making these simple and effective preparations, yet basic concepts sometimes become complicated when trying to decipher Latin binomial nomenclature, formulations, physiological actions, and historical research. Just to warn you guys, Japanesse Knotweed can cause serious skin reactions in some people. But of course by harvesting Echinacea at the wrong time, in early summer of their second year, rather then waiting for the hard frosts in the fall of the plant’s fourth year, you are greatly diminishing its healing potential. I’m hoping these blotches don’t blister as they did last year when I actually handled the Knotweed. So, rather than dilute my Japanese Knotweed tincture I prefer to just tell people it’s stronger. And we may be banishing the very one that could save us. This natural antibiotic can cross the blood/brain barrier where many other antibiotics can’t. I think I’ll still grow the traditional plant though. With pointed focus their gathering force finds and pushes through the cracks in the facade of power. The most common of plants that surround us in North America, like Dandelion, Burdock, Clover and Nettle, are the very ones that have come to balance and heal the Earth and our bodies and soul. To some these differences might be a red flag to regulate. Greetings from the Knottyfood Manufactory It can grow up to 20cm a day, it grows through concrete and tarmac, the roots can spread down 3 meters (9 feet) and over a 7 meters (21 feet) radius and it can withstand temperatures of below minus 35°c. To learn how to make your own Tinctures Click here Decoction: Make a tea. A staple of Asian culture, it should come as little surprise to hear that Japanese knotweed can indeed be used to make a hearty herbal brew that’s beneficial in numerous ways. Thank you for your replies. Roots linked arm in arm, they face the unstoppable aggressor. Making a decoction: I place the dried chips in a coffee grinder making a powder, then I place roughly 30 grams of that powder into a quart of water in a pot and simmer for half an hour. @Hello John, I’d been interested in reading a source about that, if you still have one? @gail – just make sure you cook it first or it will and it will start to grow from your nose! I have spoken to someone who has knotweed growing in their garden and over 5 years they managed to eradicate it buy continual cutting. 2 tablespoon of sugar or half a litre of apple juice. But the opposite happened. Older plants and longer stems can be harvested too but they may have to be peeled if a little tough. Reminds me of a horror story I read once. rhizome and probably young ones. I have seen it growing out of graves, through concreated front gardens and on shore line of the Firth of Forth on the outskirts of Edinburgh; it can also grow inside peoples homes up through the floor boards. But even as I was wrestling out these giants from the black earth, I sensed the effort was going to be worth it. Then continually harvest the new shoots all year. Thanks,and Yes,I will buy the book. Step 3: Throw the knotweed and chopped apples into a pot and pour apple juice on top, bring to a boil and begin to simmer. When I harvested at the patch by the river, because I was trying to rid the garden area of the plants completely I dug up the whole tuber. The reason older roots have stronger medicine is because as they get older they grow new layers of skin each year, or in the case of some plants like Japanese Knotweed, the skin, like the bark of an older tree, gets thicker as the root get bigger. Inside the bear-like black mat, the skin opened bright as the setting sun and thicker than rawhide. Let’s find out why! It spreads by its roots, or rhizomes, and pieces of this plant can root themselves if cut and discarded. It is made by simmering the knotweed for 20 mins and adding sugar to taste and serving chilled. As a ground retainer, she also stops the erosion of our cells and organs from toxins and over stimulation. The other non-propriety problem with this information and conclusion is it forces Lymies (people with lyme) who mostly already have digestive problems and are already taking a dozen other pills a day to take yet more pills. I am a gardener, recently I cut and disposed of a small amount of knotweed. Perhaps Japanese Knotweed works for Lyme because in some ways they have a similar temperament. The much easier, cheaper and more human response to the situation is to just buy medicine from people you know and trust. Mound Planting the Three Sisters with a Heavy Hoe. During that time I was always harvesting at the periphery of the patch, with some fear that she was going to move into the surrounding forest.  My personal favourite recipe is also one of the simplest –. So, basically, to cook, all I do regarding knotweed is to obtain a few newish one foot long stems, avoiding leaves and the harder parts, peel if necessary and cook with, say a few bananas and sugar, that is all? And, this miracle of compassion and intelligence has continued to this day. Don’t like the idea of having it inside me. I’m wondering how common this is to have this reaction, as its difficult to pin point what has caused it. Spirochetes have been on the Earth far longer then humans but have only morphed into disease for us after millennia of not heeding and listen to Her more gentle messages. Eating Japanese Knotweed sounds like a great idea. There are no males here, so every patch came from an original female root stock. the genus Borrelia. Place  in pre heated oven at 180°c and cook for 20 mins or until the crumble has turned golden. Ah,sim-ple 🙂 I will repeat, burn any leftovers! Small pieces of the root structure often fall in the water and are swept downstream and washed up in their new surroundings ready to wreak havoc. In my eyes they’re both beautiful and terrible, embodying the unstoppable power of the Goddess Herself as Nature pushing back. Some studies have suggested that resveratrol may have anticancer properties, and may protect heart and brain health. The bigger hollow stalks of the older plants can be dried and used as containers. It has its own name when this reaction is caused by plants phytophotodermatitis. Works great and you do not ruin any of the plants goodies for your body! 10 lengths or more if desired knotweed, Japanese Knotweed is still not as common as some of these others but offers her benevolent gift to a growing number who need her for Lyme. Because of her unstoppable nature (able to tear up concrete) many municipalities and urban people, in their ignorance wish to outlaw this plant. The plant has an incredibly strong root system whose rhizomes can extend over 20 feet horizontally and 10 feet deep. I know that it is sold commercially in some countries and without warnings and I’ve not found any other references of the toxicology of Knotweed in my posion books. people’s gardens as a bamboo-like feature. Peel all the skin! through conventional medicine. Home-brewing is what got me here in the first place.;). yellowdock and echinacea, all get more potent with each year, but for commercial reasons are harvested too young. Replace Rhubarb with knotweed. We could all learn a lot about solidarity and activism from these tall wise ones. Whereas, commercial tinctures are usually 1:4 or 5 parts menstrum. But isn’t this just a knee jerk colonization approach to controlling something meant to be fluid, leveling culture in the name of safety. It must be a rare allergy, because to most people the knotweed juice feels more like an ointment to treat skin rashes, insect bites and it also helps against nettle burns. Indeed, fellow forager and friend Fergus Drennan, the man who first introduced me to the culinary delights of knotweed, has conducted an experiment.  He gave a group of people in a pub some knotweed crumble and another group some rhubarb crumble. Japanese Knotweed Recipes. Steep for 35 minutes. Step 1: Gather your harvested knotweed and remove any leaves and stems. Just like stinging nettles it spreads by the root (rhizomes) and a piece the size of a postage stamp is all that is needed to grow a new plant.  This means it can often be spread by vehicles with tracks (diggers etc) or by unscrupulous contractors dumping knotweed contaminated soil. It was at least ten times as thick a what I had been harvesting (and effectively using) for years. I’ve worked with every medicine and food plant in my part of the world and I can tell you I’ve never had such a challenging root mass to deal with. I have experienced a very bad burn after using bergamot oil on my skin and being in the sun too long also. We never had it cooked, always raw and when I look back, quite a bit of it!. The much easier, cheaper and more human response to the situation is to just buy medicine from people you know and trust. Wow! From there to Canada, the United States and New Zealand, where it is now considered a rapidly expanding and invasive species. Because of her unstoppable nature (able to tear up concrete) many municipalities and urban people, in their ignorance wish to outlaw this plant. louis b. Japanese knotweed loves all ph soil types, and, therefore, there is no easier or quicker way of eradication….