Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium grandiflorum) – Dried Herb, Organic

Horny Goat Weed also known as Epimedium, Barrenwort, Bishop’s Hat, Fairy Wings or Yin Yang Huo, is an ivy-like ground shrub of the higher and drier areas of China and Tibet. Although mostly found in China, you can also find it growing in some other parts of Asia and around the Mediterranean.

Horny Goat Weed is a member of the plant family Berberidaceae, which also includes Barberry and Oregon Grape. The shapes of its green flowers give it the alternative name of “Bishop’s Hat”, but its fame comes from claims about its powerful properties rather than its beauty. Epimedium is a deciduous perennial growing to 30cm (12″), with bright red stems, green heart-shaped leaves (copper-tinged when young) that are slightly hairy on the bottom. In spring, it produces pink, white, yellow or purple long-spurred flowers.

Its first recorded use was in China circa 200 BCE. The name in Mandarin is Yin Yang Huo, which roughly translates to “weed for licentious goat”. Yin Yang Huo comes from a legend about a goat herder who discovered the properties of epimedium by observing his billy goats’ uncontrollable sexual appetites after they grazed on the herb. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, epimedium leaf has been used for centuries for its beneficial properties to support normal circulation to the extremities, and tonify kidney yang energy, which is a driving force for libido. As a form of alternative medicine this herb is used to treat conditions from hay fever, to atherosclerosis, nerve pain fatigue, osteoporosis, erectile dysfunction and fatigue.

Properties:

The taste and energetics of Epimedium are pungent, bitter, aromatic, sweet, acrid, warming and drying. Horny Goat Weed has an affinity to circulatory system, kidneys, liver, reproductive organs of men and women, digestive system and immune system. For an aphrodisiac blend combine Horny Goat Weed with Damiana, Rose and Hawthorn Leaf and Flower, Muira Puma and Ashwagandha.

How to use:

1 teaspoon of of Horny Goat Weed to one cup of boiling water. Infuse for 15 minutes, strain and drink up to three cups a day.

Cautions & contraindications:

Some people need to exercise more caution with Horny Goat Weed, for example, pregnant women and people who suffer from illnesses with a connection to low blood pressure.

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease or illness. Please consult your health care provider prior to the use of this product if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications or have a medical condition. Individual results may vary.