What is OSHA?
~OSHA (ligusticum porteri) or “BEAR ROOT” is a mountian perrenial herb relative of the parsley family. With a pleasant spicy celery aroma, it is found in the mountianeous regions Of Alberta & B.C. Osha is commonly used as a medicine by the Apaches & other native american tribes. According to the white mountain apache elders, they would use it as a snake and insect repellant. This herb root is an effective medicine used in the curing of common colds, flus, sore throats, cough, sinitis & other side effects of the winter season. Osha means “Bear root” in native american language. It is best harvested in the afternoon, as the plants are relished by bears who tend to graze in the mornings. Osha is also known by the following names: Love root, Indian root, mountain ginseng, empress of the dark forest, & washia. It is a wonderful antiviral antibiotic plant and simply…a wonderful name. Osha is strictly a mountain plant, and it is most commonly found in deep, moist soils rich in organic material. The plant requires partial shade & is widely distributed from British Columbia south into Oregon and Washington, and throughout the Rocky Mountains and the high mountains of New Mexico. It is most common in the upper limits of the subalpine zone, so in the southern part of its range, it grows at elevations from 7,000 feet to 10,000 feet (2100 m to 3000 m), while from Utah, Wyoming, and Montana northwards, it grows as low as 5,000 feet (1500 m).Osha root is a herbal medicine that has been used by various mountain-dwelling North American cultures throughout history. It is now prescribed by herbalists, but it’s not dangerous to self-prescribe it as well. Osha has many uses, and you can find it in tincture or dried form in herb stores across the U.S. The White Mountain Apache call it ha ‘il chii’ gah.
Drink osha root tea when you are feeling ill with a sore throat.
