Yellow Dock Root (Dried)

 Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus)
 
Yellow Dock is a robust, widely available perennial plant with a rich tradition in folk medicine. There are many different kinds of Yellow Dock, we always harvest the Curly Leaf Dock, not the Broad Leaf Dock.  Valued as a nourishing tonic, especially in spring, this herb is characterized by its deep taproot and high mineral content. Although native to Europe and Western Asia, it has naturalized throughout North America, thriving in fields, disturbed soils, and along roadsides.
 
Identification and Description
Plant Type: Tall perennial.
Leaves: Long and lance-shaped, with wavy or curled margins.
Flowers/Seeds: Greenish flowers develop into distinctive clusters of russet-brown seeds, which are prominent markers later in the season.
Root: A thick, bitter, yellow-brown taproot. The internal color turns bright yellow when cut, giving the plant its common name.
 
Energetics and Key Constituents
Chewing a piece of the root reveals its key properties: bitter and slightly sour, followed by an astringent (drying) and cooling sensation.
 
The root is exceptionally rich in nutrients, including aluminum, calcium, chromium, cobalt, iron, magnesium, manganese, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, protein, riboflavin (B), selenium, silicon, sodium, thiamine (B), tin, vitamin A, Vitamin C, and zinc.  We find that it helps the body to utilize the Iron it already has stored in the body.