Anemopsis californica
Yerba Mansa
Family: Saururaceae
Incredibly fast spreading perennial growing about 1.5’ tall and spreading almost indefinitely. Gorgeous white flowers can appear anytime between April and October. One of the fastest growing plants we know. Leaves may turn reddish in fall and plants may freeze to ground (go dormant), but emerge quickly in the spring from the ground.
lant in full sun to shade (plants in more sun will need more water than those in shade, but they will bloom nicer), provide regular water (these can grow in swampy conditions or running water, but they don’t need that), hardy to 15° F.
This species is considered a paleoherb, believed to be one of the earliest flowering herbaceous plants evolving during the early Cretaceous period. Yerba mansa’s activity in the landscape contributes to important ecological functions that facilitate the growth of other species and invigorates the overall vitality of wetland ecosystems. Yerba mansa improves the quality of soil and water in historically wet, boggy, slow moving environments. Its rhizomes and roots spread laterally and horizontally through intractably dense soils, aerating, purifying, and altering soil chemistry while moving water, oxygen, and nutrients through the ecosystem. Like many wetlands plants, it absorbs environmental contaminants including arsenic and heavy metals. Wild stands of yerba mansa are also known to interact with and provide habitat for numerous endophytic organisms, creating nested ecologies within its structure.
This is an incredibly important medicinal plant with a long history of use. Yerba mansa is versatile. It can be taken orally as a tea, tincture, infusion or dried in capsule form, and is used externally as well as internally. Yerba mansa is used to treat inflammation of the mucous membranes, swollen gums and sore throat. An infusion of roots can be taken as a diuretic to treat rheumatic diseases like gout by ridding the body of excess uric acid, which causes painful inflammation of the joints. Yerba mansa prevents the buildup of uric acid crystals in the kidneys which could cause kidney stones if left untreated. A powder of dried root can be sprinkled on infected areas to alleviate athlete's foot or diaper rash.
Anemopsis alludes to Anenome, a genus of similar-appearing plants in the ranunculus family (Ranunculaceae); californica means of or from California.
Found in wet, usually alkaline soils, along streams and in wet meadows, often growing in large colonies, from 1,000-6,000 ft. in southern Oregon, south to California, east to Texas, and south into central Mexico.