Indigenous Food Lab

Solidago canadensis is a species of goldenrod native to many parts of Turtle Island. Late this summer, as you’re driving down the road, keep your eyes open for its bright, yellow plumes of flowers. Along with eating the young shoots and flowers, the entire plant makes an incredible tea that’s traditionally used to treat upper respiratory infections. 

Goldenrod is also an amazing pollinator plant that brings butterflies and bees to your garden! Many people mistakenly blame goldenrod for their seasonal allergies, but goldenrod pollen is too heavy to be carried by the wind, so it’s not to blame for your sinus issues!

Sochan isn’t just an amazing food and medicine, it is a culturally important plant that connects people to land, food, community, language, and culture. The term sochan comes from the Cherokee word ᏐᏨᎾ, or so-cha-ni. Until 2019, it was actually illegal for the Cherokee people to harvest sochan within their traditional territories that now lay within National Park boundaries. We believe Native people should not need permission to gather plants on their own homelands. Yet the Cherokee fought to have access to this amazing plant and now gather within Great Smoky Mountains National Park under the “Gathering of Certain Plants or Plant Parts by Federally Recognized Indian Tribes for Traditional Purposes" (36 CFR 2.6). We are grateful for the legacy of Cherokee activism and for the stewardship of Sochan for future generations.