Black Cohosh Benefits, Uses, & Surprising Secrets

From easing hot flashes to calming muscle tension, black cohosh has long been a trusted ally for cycles of change.

In this episode, I’m joined by herbalist, author, and Appalachian plant steward Patricia Kyritsi Howell for a fascinating deep dive into one of the forest’s most mysterious and misunderstood herbs: black cohosh (Actaea racemosa). Patricia shares how this powerful woodland plant first “brought her back to herself” during a time of personal healing—and how that experience shaped decades of herbal practice and advocacy. Together, we explore the magic, medicine, and conservation of a plant that’s as beautiful as it is complex, weaving in folklore, insights from Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Patricia’s hard-earned wisdom from years in the Appalachian mountains.

Patricia recently finished updating her beautiful book on native Appalachian herbs, and as part of this interview she has generously included an excerpt from the book. You can download your copy of the black cohosh herbal monograph from Patricia’s book here.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► Five ways that black cohosh can ease symptoms of PMS and menopause

► Benefits of black cohosh beyond its use as a “women’s herb”

► How this North American plant shares ancient lineage with herbs from China—and how it’s used differently in Western and Chinese traditions

► How to harvest black cohosh in a way that preserves (and even increases!) the plant population for future generations

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know her, Patricia Kyritsi Howell is a renowned clinical herbalist, teacher, and author based in the mountains of northeast Georgia. She’s the author of the newly expanded and updated Medicinal Plants of the Southern Appalachians: Second Edition, a richly illustrated guide to the use of 44 herbs native to eastern North America. A respected voice in the herbal community, Patricia supports emerging practitioners in clinical herbalism through her virtual course, Crafting Your Herbal Practice. She also leads tours to the Greek island of Crete to explore regional herbs and experience traditional Cretan cuisine.

I’m delighted to share our conversation with you today!

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Get full show notes, transcript, and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

Would you prefer watching this episode? If so, click here for the video.

You can find Patricia at PatriciaKyritsiHowell.com.

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On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.