Herb of the Month: Osha Root (Ligusticum porteri)
This article is adapted from a research monograph I wrote during my Ayurvedic studies at Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula. If you’d like to read the full paper, feel free to reach out to me by email, charron.ayurveda@gmail.com.
The Story of the Bear
Long ago, a sick man wandered from home to home in a small village seeking help. His body was weak, covered in sores, and his spirit heavy with illness. Despite his pleas for help, fear prevented the villagers from aiding him.
Wandering to the forest’s edge, he found a humble lodge. In front of the weather-worn dwelling a woman stood proudly, with a kind face she welcomed him inside, offering warmth, food, and care.
That night, Great Spirit appeared in his dreams, speaking in a deep, wise voice:
"You will find your healing in the earth. Come, I will show you the plants that hold your medicine."
In his dreams, Spirit led him through the forest, revealing many herbs—leaves to cool fever, roots to strengthen blood, and flowers to soothe pain. Each morning, he shared his visions with the woman, who gathered and prepared the plants as he described. With time, his body healed, and her wisdom grew.
After a year, his purpose fulfilled, he told her:
"I have taught you all that I know. You are a healer now."
Stepping into the forest, his form began to shift—his body grew massive, his limbs powerful, his skin thick with fur. Before disappearing into the wild, he turned back once more—no longer a man, but a mighty bear.
Osha Root — Ligusticum porteri
Bear root • Chuchupate • Porter’s lovage
Osha (Ligusticum porteri)—known as bear root or chuchupate—is a high-elevation medicine of the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Madre of Mexico. You’ll meet it in moist subalpine meadows and along aspen, fir, conifer, and oak—often between 9,500–11,500 feet. For generations, Indigenous communities across the Southwest and Northern Mexico have turned to Osha for respiratory, immune, and digestive support. In Ayurveda, its warming, pungent nature makes it a powerful ally in the colder months and during seasonal transitions.
A Field Relationship
Over five years of observing Osha through all seasons, I learned it by color, scent, and feel: parsley-like leaves that unfurl in lime to sage greens in the Spring; flat white compound umbels flowering skyward; autumn’s yellowing leaves and drying seed heads; and winter’s energy sinking deep into the roots. In the soil you’ll often find white mycelium around the root crown. The root’s taste is bitter-pungent—mouth-tingling, even numbing—its scent an unforgettable blend of celery, parsley, butterscotch, and anise.
Bear Medicine
There’s a long lineage of stories placing Osha among the “bear medicines.” Bears are revered as healers and are known to seek out specific plants—Osha among them—when they need support. Drawn to its scent much like a cat to catnip, they’ll roll in the plant, coat themselves with its aromatics, and even offer the root in courtship rituals. After hibernation, bears dig up Osha to reawaken digestion (agni dīpana/āma pachana) and rub the chewed root into their fur—behaviors suggestive of antiparasitic (krumigna) action. Echoing this animal wisdom, many Indigenous communities carry Osha for protection, purification, and ceremony; singers use it to sustain the voice; and it is burned as a cleansing smudge, used in sweat lodges and Temezcales or worn as a talisman.
Ayurvedic Herbal Energetics
Rasa (Taste): Katu, Tikta (pungent, bitter)
Virya (Potency): Uṣṇa (heating)
Vipāka (Post-digestive): Katu (pungent)
Guṇa (Qualities): Laghu, Rūkṣa, Tīkṣṇa (light, drying, penetrating)
Doshas: Reduces Vata/Kapha; may aggravate Pitta or very dry constitutions if overused
Dhātus: Rasa, Rakta, Majjā, Artava
Srotāṁsi: Prāṇa, Anna, Rasa, Rakta, Majjā, Artava, Mutra
General actions (selected): alterative (raktashodhana), antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, expectorant (kaphanisaraka), bronchodilator, carminative (vātānulomana), digestive stimulant (dīpan), diaphoretic, antispasmodic, immune-stimulating, mucolytic, nervine, vasodilator, febrifuge, antiparasitic (krimighna).
Caution: Avoid during pregnancy. Warming/drying; pair with demulcents for very dry Vata types.
What It’s Traditionally Used For
Respiratory tract: colds, flu, sore throat, bronchial tightness; loosens phlegm and supports expectoration
Immune & Febrile states: short-term support at onset of infections
Digestive: carminative; used after vomiting to settle the stomach
Topical: tincture or salve to dry herpes lesions; poultices for joints; steam inhalation for sinus congestion
Ritual/Protective: purification smoke; talismans; boundary medicine
Identification & Safety (Read First)
Osha lives in the Parsley family (Apiaceae), which includes deadly look-alikes. Never ingest a plant unless you’re 100% certain of ID. Use multiple field guides, learn from experienced teachers, and rely on scent, habitat, roots, and seeds, not a single trait.
If there’s any doubt—do not harvest. Consider focusing on cultivated sources or formulations from trusted practitioners.
Sustainability & Ethical Harvest
Osha is widely described as vulnerable to overharvest in parts of its range. While it is not listed as federally threatened/endangered in the U.S., wild stands are sensitive to pressure. Practice restraint:
Prefer cultivated or ethically sourced products when possible.
If harvesting (with permits and training): dig only from abundant stands, take a small portion of a large, mature plant, replant crowns, and back-fill the hole.
Consider using leaves and seeds for culinary/ritual use to reduce root pressure.
Support Indigenous stewardship and local conservation efforts.
Preparations and How to Work with Osha
Dosages vary by constitution and condition. Short-term, situational use is typical. Always personalize with a qualified practitioner.
Chewed Root (fresh or dried).
Take a small piece, chew to release aromatics; you can “pack” it in the gum for a time.
Osha Honey (soothing throat support).
Cut dried root into small pieces (≈½ an M&M). Layer half the root with honey in a jar, mix; add remaining root and honey, mix again. Use ¼ tsp straight, or stir into tea or warm milk as needed.
Tincture (options):
Dry root: 1:5 in ~60–65% alcohol (some use up to 87% due to resins).
Fresh root: 1:2 in ~85% alcohol with ~10% glycerin.
Typical use: 1–3 ml (≈0.2–0.6 tsp) up to 1–4×/day in hot water. For some spasmic upper-gastric presentations, micro-doses (1–2 drops) are used; for respiratory congestion, gradually increase until aromatics are perceptible.
*** Tinctures and decoctions are some of the most sustainable methods of medicine making with Osha root because you can tincture the osha root up to 8 times. The same thing goes with making decoctions. When you strain the osha root, do not throw it away. Let it dry and use it again. You can do the same with honey. When you are halfway thorough your jar simply add more honey to the mix.
Decoction/Tea:
Strong decoction, 2–4 fl oz up to 4×/day; simple tea, ½ cup up to 4×/day.
Steam Inhalation:
Add a small amount of tincture or strong tea to hot water; inhale vapors to ease sinus congestion.
Topical:
Diluted tincture or infused salve for lesions (e.g., drying effect on herpes); poultices for joints combined traditionally with regional allies.
Synergistic Formulas (examples):
Cough/Respiratory: Osha with yerba santa, mullein, usnea, elecampane, wild cherry bark, licorice.
Immune onset: Osha with echinacea, usnea, elderberry, thyme; short-term use at first signs.
Antiviral blends: Osha appears in multi-herb formulas for acute phases; adjust to constitution and pattern.
Kitchen Notes
The seeds and leaves retain flavor when dried—think wild celery/parsley—lovely in soups and broths. (Note: seeds can be strongly purgative in larger amounts.)
Harvest & Storage Snapshot
Season: After the plant has set seed in fall (energy in roots).
Process: Carefully dig (roots tangle under rocks), gently clean without soaking, then dry 3–7 days before use.
Storage: Split larger aromatic roots lengthwise and dry loosely in shallow boxes/newspaper to preserve volatile oils. Store in glass in a cool, dry place.
Final Notes
Osha is powerful, warming, and deeply rooted in the cultures of the lands it comes from. Work with it respectfully—seasonally, intentionally, and with an eye toward reciprocity and conservation.
Author, Zaidy Charrón
Disclaimer — for education only, not medical advice. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your healthcare provider before using herbs, especially if you have a medical condition, are pregnant, or take prescription medications. The author is not responsible for adverse effects from use of the ideas or recipes presented here.