CHARLES W. KANE | author, herbalist & teacher                                 home |          clinic |          studies |          works |          contact |          bio |


Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd. | Western cohosh | Santa Catalina Mountains

Current

Studies in Western Herbal Medicine, 2010. Start date: 4/18/10. Enrollment on-going; 6 openings remaining.

On-going

Photos from 2009's class.

Patient intake (generally one-week wait)

2nd ed. of Herbal Medicine of the American Southwest
New plant profiles; updated and expanded.


Television appearance
Arizona Illustrated with Bill Buckmaster (PBS/KUAT)

Points of Interest

Collecting Gila Man Root/Marah gilensis


Gila man root | Marah gilensis


The top of the root is uncovered. Here you can see how the plant's name came to be: looking down it is the size of a person's head - with the remaining (imagined) body still beneath the ground.


Removing part of the root. Photo by Allen Spencer


Digging the remaining section. Photo by Allen Spencer


Gila man head. Photo by Allen Spencer


Full length is nearly 18", weighing about 15lbs.


Sliced root.


Ready to dehydrate.

What is it used for?
The root is intensely bitter, acrid, and soapy. Containing prodigious amounts of saponins, Gila man root makes an excellent natural soap/detergent; not recommended internally.