Club moss is sometimes confused with Chinese club moss (Lycopodium serratum).Supplements are also available in capsule and tincture form.These days, the leaves and the stems of the plant are used to make an herbal tea.During the middle ages, the herb was used for various conditions including digestive complaints and kidney issues.During the 18th century, the spores were used as a baby powder.Other common names for the plant include clubmoss, wolf’s claw, witch meal, running pine and stag horn. These early uses gave the plant one of its names – ‘vegetable sulfur’.It was also used by stage designers to create theatrical effects.The plant’s yellow spores are highly flammable and a powder made from the spores was used in the early days of flash photography.It is actually a spore producing plant belonging to the fern family. Despite its common name, club moss is not a true moss.Other names for club moss include stag horn, wolf’s claw, vegetable sulfur and witch meal. Chinese club moss has been widely studied because of the presence of a compound called huperzine A, which may help boost memory and cognition.

Lycopodium clavatum is often confused with Lycopodium serratum or Chinese club moss but the two species have different medicinal properties.

Most of the studies into the effects of club moss have focused on the Lycopdium clavatum species. Unfortunately, there is very little in the way of modern research to confirm the traditional uses of the plant. Over the years, club moss has been widely used as a homeopathic remedy for urinary tract issues, kidney complaints and digestive disorders. This plant is a perennial evergreen which grows in woodlands, pastures and moors around Northern Europe, Great Britain and North America.

What is Club Moss?Ĭlub moss is just one of the many common names used to refer to Lycopodium. If you would like to find out more about this little-known herbal remedy, I hope this article will help. Today we are looking at one of the latter – a lesser known plant called club moss which may have some surprising health benefits. Some are very well known and have been extensively studied while others are far less popular. We have written a number of articles on a wide variety of herbs and their benefits to health.

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