Golden seal (Hydrastis canadensis)

Features and Characteristics

Hydrastis canadensis, commonly called golden seal, is a native Missouri wildflower which occurs in rich woods, wooded slopes and valleys, and typically grows 10-15″ tall. Features a single, large, palmately lobed, wrinkled, basal leaf (to 8″ wide) and a two-leafed flower stalk topped with a solitary, yellowish green to greenish white, apetalous flower with prominent whitish stamens. Flowers bloom in spring, and give way to attractive but inedible scarlet red berries. Hydrastine is a bitter alkaloid which is extracted from the rootstock for certain pharmacological purposes (aids digestion or inhibits bleeding). Rootstock was used by early Americans for a variety of purposes including tonic, diuretic, insect repellent and yellow dye. All parts of the plant are poisonous in large doses, however.

Genus name comes from the Greek word hydor meaning water.

Specific epithet means of Canada.

Common name is in reference to the plant’s thick, yellow rhizome.