Grindelia

Grindelia spp.

Grindelia is a genus of plants that is native to the Americas and belongs to the family Asteraceae, (Compositae). It is a plant with bright yellow flowers and is indigenous to much of the United States. It is also commonly called gumweed. Native American people utilized remedies made from grindelia to address bronchial problems as well as skin afflictions of all kinds, including reactions to the poison ivy plant. Practitioners in the United States did not recognize the real effectiveness and value of this plant until the middle of the 19th century. After this time, it came into prominence as a major therapeutic and medicinal herb. Official recognition of grindelia came with the introduction of the herb in the Pharmacopoeia of the United States from 1882 to about 1926. Modern herbalists readily suggest this herb to support the lungs and surrounding tissue.