Elecampane, << `ehl` ee kam PAYN, >> is a coarse perennial plant closely related to the asters. In many parts of the United States and Canada, it grows as a roadside weed. But people once widely cultivated the plant.
The heavy, fleshy root of the elecampane has a bitter taste similar to that of camphor. The root can be used as a remedy for coughs, colds, and bronchial ailments and as an aid to digestion. It can also be used to treat some skin diseases of horses. For this reason, elecampane is sometimes known as horseheal. Elecampane root is gathered in autumn of the second year of the plant’s life. It is cleaned, sliced, and then dried for later use.
