Recipe for Bloodroot Paste

Bloodroot is a perennial herb that is only found in certain parts of the world. It has a rich history in Native American culture as a medicinal plant and a source of red dye, as its juice is blood red. Bloodroot's medicinal properties when used as a salve or paste are great because it is antibacterial. Making a paste from bloodroot at home can be done with basic ingredients.

Recipe 1

• Take 1/2 cup powdered bloodroot, 1/2 cup zinc chloride liquid, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and about 1/4-oz. tea tree essential oil. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl except for the zinc chloride liquid. Add the zinc chloride liquid to a bowl containing 1/3 cup warm water. Add the dry ingredients to the water and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Add another 1/4 cup warm water to the mix and beat the thick mixture until it is a creamy paste.

Recipe 2

• Mix 1/2 cup bloodroot powder with 1/2 cup of Vitamin E oil in a medium glass bowl. Add 3 drops of essential tea tree oil, 2 drops lavender oil and 2 drops of rose hip oil. Beat the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon until the ingredients form a gooey substance. Add 2 cups of white beeswax pellets to the gooey salve and microwave for 1 minute or until the beeswax is melted. Mix with the wooden spoon for a continuous 3 minutes, until the concoction becomes creamy.

Storage

• Bloodroot salves and pastes can be easily preserved with Vitamin E oil. Gather small or medium jars and pots to keep your salves. It keeps well in dark-colored glass or metal containers. It should be kept in a cool and dry place much like other ointments, cosmetics and medications. Keep plenty of bloodroot powder handy in case you want to add some to an old jar of salve. This can boost its power after it has been on the shelf for a while.