California Spikenard Berry

A Northwestern Ginseng relative, California Spikenard is more allied to the Panax (Chinese) Ginseng group. It is a much larger plant than Ginseng, up to 8 feet tall or more, but it shares with its Oriental relatives a sweet, balsamic smell and thick, twisted roots with deep step-like scars from each year’s growth. Different parts of California Spikenard are subtly different medicinally, and we have created separate Spiritualized Essences from the root and berries.

We have found a combination of California Spikenard (especially the berry Spagyric) and Devil’s Club to be very useful for winter depression/S.A.D; they act together to increase feelings of well-being, vitality, and energy, cutting through the lethargy and general malaise common in winter. This emotional uplift is less pronounced in the root Spagyric.

The berry Spagyric is more soothing to the lungs, a good but not too drying expectorant, not as antibiotic as the root, but also less stimulating & gentler overall.

Also available as a Spagyric Spiritualized Essence of just the root, more stimulating, heating & Ginseng-like.