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Contents:
Common Names
Parts Usually Used
Plant(s) & Culture
Where Found
Medicinal Properties
Biochemical Information Legends, Myths and Stories
Uses
Formulas or Dosages
Warning
Bibliography
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Common Names
Broom flowers
Broom tops
Butcher's broom
Common broom
Irish broom
Link
Scotch broom
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Parts Usually Used
Young flowering twigs, tops, and seeds
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Description of Plant(s) and Culture
An attractive, evergreen shrub, it has bright green, almost leafless stems;
erect green branches from which oval leaflets grow, with bright yellow pea-like
flowers, much favored by butterflies, blooms in April to June. The height ranges
from 3-10 feet and can be trimmed back after flowering for a more compact shape.
Unlike gorse, with which it is sometimes confused, broom rarely sports any prickles.
The fruit is a brownish-black, shaggy pod contains 12-18 seeds. Requires full
sun, prefers poor soil with perfect drainage.
Another herb, called Butcher's Broom (Ruscus
acluteatus) is extremely popular among European women. They use it to treat
discomfort and pain of restless leg syndrome, caused by poor circulation; that
heavy leg feeling.
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Where Found
A native of Europe, Asia, and Africa, broom has become naturalized in some parts
of North America. Found on dry, gravely banks, heaths and hillsides, particularly
in the rural areas of the western United States.
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Medicinal Properties
Tops: cathartic, diuretic
Seed: cathartic, emetic
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Biochemical Information
Alkaloids, hydroxylramine, 42% potash, and ruscogenins, tannin, bitter principle,
and traces of an essential oil.
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Legends, Myths and Stories
Broom is one of the nine fairy herbs, and a cologne prepared from its flowers
is said to inspire affection.
The branches of this shrub produced crude but useful brooms, hence the name.
Scotch broom is used in beer makings and
flavorings.
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Uses
For circulatory disorders, gout, leg cramps, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, phlebitis,
thrombosis, and jaundice . Good for kidney and bladder. Relieves inflammation.
Excellent for dropsy, toothache, ague, acute constipation, swelling of the spleen.
Used with uva-ursi, cleavers, and dandelion makes an excellent remedy for cleansing the kidneys and bladder, and to increase the flow of urine. Makes a good ointment for lice or vermin. A cardiac depressant to quiet an overactive heart. A lymph tonic.
One of the legumes, it also increases available
nitrogen in the soil, benefiting plants growing around it, and is a collector
of calcium.
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Formulas or Dosages
The tops of young branches should be picked, and an infusion made using 3 tsp.
to 3/4 pint of water. Dosage is a tbsp. night and morning.
Decoction: prepared from the root, boil
1 tsp flowering tops or seeds in 1 cup water. Dosage is a tbsp. night and morning.
Or take 1 to 2 cups per day, a mouthful at at time.
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Warning
Large doses can cause vomiting, purging, weakening heart, lowered nerve strength
and low blood pressure. Advanced stages of toxicity can cause complete respiratory
collapse. It also speeds up the heartbeat. Large doses have been reported to
cause fatal poisoning.
Broom contains alkaloids and hydroxytyramine, and should not be used except under proper medical supervision.
