Herb library · Herb · Solidago virgaurea
Goldenrod
The flowering tops of European goldenrod, taken as a tea to increase urine in minor urinary complaints. Large uncontrolled studies reported improvement, but none had a comparison group, so the evidence is weak.
Traditional use
European goldenrod, also called woundwort, has long been used in Europe for urinary tract complaints and as an anti-inflammatory. The European Medicines Agency accepts its tea and extracts to increase urine as a help in minor urinary complaints, on the basis of long-standing use. In America, the leaves of a related species, sweet goldenrod, were dried and drunk as a substitute for tea.
Traditional energetics
Galenic (hot or cold, dry or moist)
Hot and dry in the second degree. Culpeper's Complete Herbal (1814), p. 235 (opens in a new tab)
What studies show
- Insufficient
Minor urinary complaints: five open studies, from 22 to 1,487 people, reported more urine or fewer bladder symptoms, but none had a proper control group and their quality could not be judged. The EMA's acceptance rests on long-standing use.
- Insufficient
Bladder infections: a 2019 analysis of a placebo-controlled trial in 200 women found a mixture of restharrow root, Java tea and goldenrod eased symptoms; the share due to goldenrod is unknown. Most other research is in the laboratory.
Be careful of
Cautions
- AllergyDo not use it if you are allergic to goldenrod or to the daisy family (Asteraceae). Goldenrod allergy can cross-react with natural rubber latex.
- ConditionDo not use it to increase urine if you have been told to limit fluids, for example with severe heart or kidney disease. See a doctor if you have fever, painful urination, cramps or blood in the urine.
- NoteAllergic reactions and stomach upset may occur; in two large studies most people tolerated it well over 2 to 4 weeks.
- PregnancyWith no data on pregnancy and breastfeeding, the EMA does not recommend it then. Not recommended for children under 12.
- Ask a clinicianTalk with a clinician or pharmacist before using this if you take prescription medicines, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are giving it to a child.
From the old books
What herbals and dispensaries of the past printed. History, in their words.
“When properly dried, the leaves form an excellent substitute for tea, and are collected and used for this purpose, under the name of "Blue mountain tea," among the German population in central Pennsylvania.”
Sources
- Community herbal monograph on Solidago virgaurea L., herba (opens in a new tab) · EMA · read September 25, 2026
- Assessment report on Solidago virgaurea L., herba (opens in a new tab) · EMA · read September 25, 2026
- Solidago virgaurea L.: A Review of Its Ethnomedicinal Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacological Activities (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026
- Effect of a Herbal Therapy on Clinical Symptoms of Acute Lower Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections in Women: Secondary Analysis from a Randomized Controlled Trial (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026
- Identification of clinically relevant cross-sensitization between Solidago virgaurea (goldenrod) and Hevea brasiliensis (natural rubber latex) (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026
Reviewed September 25, 2026.