Botanical atlas
Rough Bindweed (Mediterranean Sarsaparilla)
Smilax aspera
Long before the Americas gave the world the sarsaparilla of root beer fame, Mediterranean villagers were digging up the gnarled roots of this thorny hedgerow vine for much the same purpose. In Italy it was called salsapariglia nostrana, 'our own sarsaparilla,' and simmered into a bitter spring decoction meant to clear the blood and stir a sluggish body back to life after winter. Folk healers from Spain to Greece turned to it for stubborn skin complaints and the aches of rheumatism, wrapping the root's reputation as a great purifier into the rhythm of the changing seasons. Foragers still recognize it today by the way it snags a sleeve with its recurved thorns, a small toll for a root with such a long memory.
In tradition.
Long before the Americas gave the world the sarsaparilla of root beer fame, Mediterranean villagers were digging up the gnarled roots of this thorny hedgerow vine for much the same purpose. In Italy it was called salsapariglia nostrana, 'our own sarsaparilla,' and simmered into a bitter spring decoction meant to clear the blood and stir a sluggish body back to life after winter. Folk healers from Spain to Greece turned to it for stubborn skin complaints and the aches of rheumatism, wrapping the root's reputation as a great purifier into the rhythm of the changing seasons. Foragers still recognize it today by the way it snags a sleeve with its recurved thorns, a small toll for a root with such a long memory.
Traditional preparations.
The classic Mediterranean spring tonic, simmered low and slow to draw out the root's bitter, earthy character.
Traditionally, 1 teaspoon of dried, sliced root is simmered gently in 250 ml of water for 15 to 20 minutes, then strained and sipped warm.
A mild, cooled decoction once dabbed onto the skin in Mediterranean folk practice.
The strained decoction above is traditionally left to cool fully, then applied to the skin with a clean cloth.
Safety.
Stems carry sharp, recurved thorns, so handle fresh material carefully. As a mild diuretic, use caution with kidney concerns or during pregnancy.
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