Sida rhombifolia, note long flower stalk and leaves only half toothed
Sida is barely edible. A member of the Mallow mob it’s an object de interest because it is also a significant herbal medication, of which I am totally unqualified to write about: So here goes…
There are at least twelve Sida regionally, some say eight because four of them are rare. It’s called wireweed because if you’ve ever tried to pull one out of the ground it’s a strong as any left over fence and why it is also used for cordage. Two Sida should be mentioned: Sida acuta and Sida rhombifolia. Dr. Daniel Austin, author of Florida Ethnobotany, says on page 53 of S. acuta: “Branches are made into brooms; smoked as a stimulant and adulterant for marijuana, leaves contain ephedrine.” For S. rhombifolia (Indian Hemp, Indian Tea, Cuban Jute, Queensland Hemp) he writes: Same use as S. acuta.
Cornucopia II fortunately comes to the forager’s rescue. On page 148 in reference to S. rhombifolia it says: “The leaves are used as a tea substitute in some parts of the Canary Island and Mexico. As a leafy vegetable they contain about 7.4% protein.” There is no mention of S. acuta in Cornucopia II. I know someone who ate 10 Sida leaves raw and didn’t experience anything. Then again he’s a young man who drinks a lot of coffee so the effect of the ephedrine might get lost.
It is because of the ephedrine that the species come with many warnings. Ephedrine is used to dilate asthmatic lungs, and can drive up your heart rate and blood pressure. In Florida, for example, ephedrine is a prescription drug. However over the counter preparations for medicinal uses can be sold if they have no more than 5 milligrams per dose. In Florida it is illegal to give ephedrine in pill form to anyone under the age of 18. The statue also specifically mentions Sida cordifolia, as if it is the main culprit. Pill form seems to be the only illegal delivery method and then only to those under 18. The fine is small, $100 first offense, $1000 fourth offense.
Sida acuta’s blossom is on a short stalk and leaves are almost entirely toothed.
While ephedrine can be used by asthmatics it can have side effects. Preparations say don’t use if: You have high blood pressure, heart disease, an irregular heartbeat, thyroid disease, diabetes, or difficulty in urination due to enlargement of the prostate gland or other severe heart problems. It should also be avoided if you are taking a MAO inhibitor. Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are closely related drugs and similar to the hormone epinephrine. When I did a lot of diving and snorkeling I used to take a half a dose of Sudafed to keep my sinuses clear underwater. While such preparations in low-doses are not prescription they are controlled and have to be handed over from the pharmacist personally. The chemical is used to make illegal stimulants so tabs are kept on how much is purchased.
The Sida genus is fairly easy to identify, having yellow/salmon pinwheel blossoms that open around solar noon. Individual species is a bit more challenging. The two telling elements between the two here is this: S. rhombifolia has long stems on the flowers and the half of the leaf (closer to the main stem) do not have teeth. S. acuta blossoms have very short stems and the leaf margin is nearly all teeth.
Sida cordifolia
S. rhombifolia is erect to sprawling, branched, growing 20 inches to four feet (50 to 120 centimeters) tall, lower sections woody, dark green, diamond-shaped leaves arranged alternately along the stem, 2 to 4 inches long (4 to 8 centimeters) with petioles less than a third of the length of the leaves. Leaves pale underneath, with short, grayish hairs, outer half of leaf toothed, inner half not toothed. Petioles have small spiny stipules. Flowers on long stalks, five yellow/salmon petals, overlap to create a pinwheel effect. Blooms throughout the year, usually around noon. Found in waste ground, along roadsides and in pastures as livestock don’t like it but deer do. Found in the southern half of the United States and is pan-tropical.
Sida elliottii, note very thin leaves
Sida acuta erect to three feet, stems woody, branching several times, well-developed tap root. Leaves lance- to diamond-shaped with serrated margins. Small yellow flowers on short stems. Ranges from South Carolina throughout Florida and west into Mississippi, late spring until frost. Grows in dense stands along highways, agricultural land, edges of woods.
Sida (SEE-duh) was a Greek word used for a particular water lily. Now it is used for this genus. Rhombifolia (rom-bif-OH-lee-uh) means diamond shaped. Acuta (a-KEW-ta) means sharpened to a point, in reference to the tip of the leaves.
Method of preparation is as Cornucopia II said above: “The leaves are used as a tea substitute in some parts of the Canary Island and Mexico. As a leafy vegetable they contain about 7.4% protein.”
Medicinal or other uses are beyond my experience to comment on as ephedrine and I are no longer compatible.
Sida Key by Wunderlin
Wonderful! I came here first when someone tried to guess what this was from a picture I posted. Great info, thanks! I’m going to go make a donation. You’ve been helping me out for over a year, and I’m just now able. Priceless work you do, Mr. Deane!
Thank you so much for sharing your wealth of knowledge through this site! It’s become one of my favorite references. With regards to sida, I spent months trying to identify this plant (it used to dominate half our yard, and our pasture is full of it. Luckily the cattle like the new growth…but I digress), and finally narrowed it down to southern sida, which I think is the same as s. rhombifolia. My main objective is to rid our gardens and yard of any trace of the blasted plant, which has a totally unreasonable tap root and spreads ridiculous amounts of seed. But then I also found a little bit of info that sida might have been used for rheumatism in eastern medicine, which interests me since I have arthritis. Do you know anything about this?
Arthritis? No, but the Indians have been at it for a long time. It is used for asthma most definitely.
I recommend downloading “LENS” mobile app. It’s free and I use it all th time. You open it and it uses your camera to identify plants, etc.
Love it. Fyi
I’d been trying to find out for a LONG time if this plant was edible, as there is a lot of it growing on my property. It may not be very palatable, but here in the South, we boil the heck out of greens with some salt pork, and it comes out pretty good, whatever it is ;-).
From Duke’s database, it appears that it is the *root* that contains the ephedrine, not the leaf.
The first two references cite the leaves as having ephedrine:
Martinez, M, 1979,, Las Plantas Medicinales de Mexico, Ediciones Botas, Mexico City, and, Schultz, R.E., and Hofmann A, 1979, Plants of the Gods, McGaw-Hill, New York.
This February 2012 study used sida leaves:
ISBN-13:
978-3-8465-8863-5
ISBN-10:
3846588636
EAN:
9783846588635
Book language:
English
Blurb/Shorttext:
Plants are living factories which synthesize a large number of compounds as secondary metabolites, which are of immense economic value.The genus Sida belonging to the family Malvaceae is a group of angiosperm plants so far used for extraction of ephedrine, which is used in the treatments of rheumatism, heart diseases, troubles in urinary bladder and urethra and malaria. In vitro production of ephedrine from Sida calluses and methods to enhance the ephedrine content by inducing polyploidy was attempted in the present study. Callus was induced from Sida rhombifolia and Sida acuta using leaf explants in half MS medium supplemented with lmgl -1 NAA and 1mgl -1 2,4-D. For ephedrine production the calluses were grown in full MS medium supplemented with 2mgl -1 kinetin, 1mgl -1 NAA and 100mgl -1 L-phenylalanine.The ephedrine content in calluses of both diploid and colchiploid plants was analyzed using HPLC method. Ephedrine yields of colchiploids were 140 times higher than diploid control callus in Sida rhombifolia, while it was only 18 times higher in Sida acuta. This work is a way for furthering our understanding of the effects of ploidy on enhanced ephedrine production.
By (author) :
Marykutty Abraham
P.R.Unnikrishna Pillai
I’m looking for domestic sources of Sida Acuta. I make it into capsules and tinctures. I have been buying it from Africa, but would prefer to get it here.
When you use the leaves do you get the ephedra extract? I am wanting it for COPD and searching for the best way to get the ephedra.
Thanks.
When I was young back in Nigeria we used Sida to treat skin disease like eczema. You squeeze out the juice from the leaves and apply. I must caution that it is so stong that sometimes it can peel off the skin.
FYI. When “dry” Heartleaf Sida (Sida cordifolia) has the lowest ignition temperature of any wood I have come across including Yucca. I use it with the firebow and it works on itself or with a Pine Barren Goldenrod spindle (Solidago fistulosa). Its excellent friction fire properties are not surprising since it is one the Mallow family. Hibiscus is also excellent.
Its bark makes fairly good cordage also.
Great article, anyone know where i could get seed from? I’m in Massachusetts
I have a million plants in my yard. I can send seed to you.
Hey, Floria. I’d love some seed! Name your price!
Good article…
I have so many time use the leave for tea flavouring with food grade essential oil and shared to my friend. it’s amazing, the leaf contains a protein and fiber which was helped my friend for diet program. it works…
Titov do you grow Sida acuta/ulmifolia? If so do you sell spare seeds? Thanks, Annie
Is there any information on the flower and its edibility?
I doubt the blossom is any more dangerous than the rest of the plant. I’ll have to try one.
Check the new taxonomy- Sida acuta is now named Sida ulmifolia
Thanks. I usually wait a few years to make sure they don’t change the name again.
I’d really like to find a bulk herb source for Sida acuta / ulmifolia (preferably wildcrafted), any tips or suggestions would be much appreciated! I’m on the west coast and it doesn’t grow out here.
You can ask Andy Firk. He wild crafts. You can find him on you tube.
I found some at southernhabitats .com for deer forage,if you haven’t found it already.
This plant has taken over half yard. How can you get rid of it. If anyone wants any I would be happy to propagate it for you as I have a gracious plenty. It is very invasive and spreads like wildfire. I would like it out of my yard. Let me know if anyone is interested and I will pick it for you and send it out via usps.
Hello Amy,
I am looking for a source of Sida Acuta. I had been getting it from Africa but can’t reach the guy anymore. I’m in Maine, I’m not sure if it is practical to try and grow it up here. I’ve tried friends in Florida, but nobody has heard of it.
Chris Hunt
s/v White Mist 207-841-5203
Hi Amy – I am in Massachussetts and am an herbalist. We use Sida acuta in treating Babesia, a tickborne illness. right now I am purchasing it from a distributor in Canada. i would be happy to buy it from you but you. Are you shure it is acuta or could it be rhombilfiolia. I suppose you could dry it and then ship it. let me know if you would like to do this and how much per pound.
take Care,
Bonnie Bloom
Blue Crow Botanicals
Hey, Amy.
If you’re still battling the sida, I’d love to take some off you hands.
Adele, do you still have Sida Acura? I could use some. Only have rhombifloria where I am.
Hi can you ssnd me in australia please
Hi Tammy .can you send me rhembofolis in australia please
I would love as much as you can send, the whole plant or just leaves I want as much as you can pull up just please let it dry first so it doesn’t rot by the time it gets here as Im also allergic to mold. phenylephrine is the only decongestant sold where I live I suffer from bad allergys in spring and summer it would be very helpful to make tea from email me for my address as I don’t want to give it to the whole world I already get enough junk mail. lol
Thank you Green Deane! This article of yours is very helpful for differentiating between the species of Sida. Here in Israel, two invasive species have been reported and are included in the local Flora, S. acuta and S. spinosa. It now seems that we also have S. rhombifolia, a weed in the Tel Aviv University Botanical Garden no less!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152616018227626&set=pcb.826043680760728&type=1&theater
My horse is enthusiastically eating all of the Sida Rhombifolia she can find in our pasture. I put out some fresh hay, but this afternoon she’s back at it with gusto. She’s eating the whole plant, roots and all so I hope the problem is self correcting. So far, she seems OK otherwise. My donkeys are ignoring it.
Some weeds are particularly good at taking up minerals. Horses are good at picking out what they need. Any hay that has had roundup on it within the last 10 years, will be deficient in minerals, and your horse may need something else. Check out this article (I have no vested interest, just find them high quality) http://www.borealbalance.com/animals.html
My daughter and I observed our friend’s horse who preferred eating S. rhombifolia over other plants and grasses. We cautiously ate a leaf and have continued snacking on it over the past 2 years. I’m super sensitive to stimulants and never noticed any reaction. Although the mucilagenous leaves keep you from wanting to eat more than a few at a time. Younger leaves taste better.
This plant is very weedy, some species are a noxious weed in some states. It is also very poisonous to goats.
Interesting…. in that goats are the true garbage scows of the foraging world. They put pigs to shame.
I have a small herd of goats and this plant grows all over my pasture – heavily in some places. Both the goats and the donkeys snack on it – and keep it about shin level – without problems.
I have a herd of goats as well and they totally ignore it until it bids and starts flowering. Then they devour it. No problems that have occurred and they produce awesome milk while eating it. This has been for the past three years.
Sida Acuta tincture is now recommended for treatment of Lyme disease co-infectors.
I’ve got S. acuta in my backyard and have nibbled a bit every now and then for years. I found a scientific article that is WAY over my head but it says that it may prevent metal corrosion. It would be great if we could put some in a blender with water, spritz something, and have the rust disappear.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187853521100092X
How interesting, thanks for passing that on.
My dog is crazy about prickly SIDS, especially the younger leaves. He will diligently seek it out and then stand there eating as much of the leaves as he can. I’ve read that it is high in protein, but can find no other reason why he might do this. He eats no other weeds. Any thoughts? Should I worry about this?
he likes how it makes him feel from the ephedrine.
We are blessed to have a few Sida ulmifolia (I think) volunteer in our Zone 9A central Gulf Coast Florida yard each year.
I say blessed, because the fragrance of Sida ulmifolia drying (usually the day after one accidentally pulls it while weeding, mows it, or breaks a stem) is better than the aroma of ANY garden flower or plant I’ve ever intentionally introduced into our yard for “fragrance.”
Prior to being able to identify the Sida, I mistakenly thought it a “weed,” so pulled it and “chopped and dropped it” along a garden path in the drip line of some pear trees. The next few days the most amazing pleasant fragrance wafted throughout our garden, so I searched assiduously to no avail for the mystery “flower” responsible for the new delicious smell.
It wasn’t until I kneeled down into the dry chopped and dropped “weed” a few days later that I discovered the delicious fragrance was coming from the untimely uprooted and now drying Sida. Aggrieved at my ignorance, I searched for and planted any seed capsules that looked mature enough to be potentially viable. It was through that chop and drop “accident” that I discovered Sida’s true nature as a wonderful deep-rooted, nutrient mining, native fragrant “wildflower,” that would henceforth ALWAYS be welcome in our garden. I now intentionally drop Sida seeds along my mow edges so that I can choose to mow or trim a few every now and then just to enjoy the fragrance.
I’m not sure if all the native Sida emit fragrance when dry or drying, but for all of you not currently “loving” your garden’s volunteer populations of Sida…it would certainly be worth a cut and dry “sniff test” to see if dried Sida’s lovely fragrance might change your mind about this enchanting native herb. (If you’re like me, you’ll be wanting to brown bag a few brooms of Sida to bring inside for future home-grown organic Sida potpourii 🙂 Be patient, depending upon the weather, your cut Sida trimmings may take at least overnight, but possibly a few days before your nose picks up the “lovely smell” wafting throughout your garden, barn, garage, shed (or home) – wherever you have chosen to hang or bag your Sida to dry.
I’m up in the northeast and looking to grow (as annual) sida acuta or sida cordifolia. Trying to source seeds if at all possible. Can barter or pay $. Just need a small plot. Thanks for any tips.
Hi everyone! Wonderful information here, thank you all. I am in Australia and looking for Sida acuta/ulmifolia seeds, and also Cryptolepis sanguinolenta seeds. Anyone willing to sell & ship, or know where I can purchase some? (Only reputable sources please). Thank you, Annie
I had a good laugh the other day when I went out and discovered the deer had nibbled mine, along with a few other plants.
I am a retired pediatrician, second occupation beef cattle farmer in middle GA. Sida rhombifolia is a PEST when one is focused on establishing and maintaining forages for cattle. It doesn’t like competition with well established grasses; it will indeed spread vigorously in less attended to locations (yards, gardens, roadsides – anywhere); it doesn’t care about soil fertility or type. I only wish the abundant deer would graze it down in the pastures – guess they prefer grasses. The Sida is slow to respond to herbicides – grazonnext HL is effective – but takes several weeks to start to see effect. Need a pesticide license to purchase and the product is not available in some states – and as with all licensed herbicides, one must read and follow the label instructions carefully. Cattle do not browse on brush or weeds unless starved, so it doesn’t disappear when cattle are in a field with it. I don’t see dogs snacking on the yard Sida.
I have just found this site and all of your greats post about this terrible weed sida. It has taken over my yard and pastures for the past four years. I couldnt find any information on it until I find your website. GREAT JOB….Now to find a way to rid my homestead of it..
Sida rhombifolia is a common weed and a well known medicinal here in South Louisiana. We grow it in our medicinal demonstration garden, The Healer’s Garden at Vermilionville in Lafayette. It was traditionally used for fever, insect and snake bites. An itchy insect bite is rapidly tamed by macerating a leaf or two and rubbing on the bite. A tea or tincture will reduce a fever. It has been shown to cross into the bloodstream.
When giving tours of the garden I used to joke that I know it works for insect bites, but for snake bites I will opt for antivenon. Then I did more in depth research and found that the plant is uniquely hemoprotective and hemoregenerative, thus it actually does protect against snake bite from hematotoxic snake venom – rattlesnake, copperhead, cotton mouth – the common snakes in the area. So if I am bitten, I will use Sida tea or tincture while waiting for antivenon.
I pulled the weed out of the ground, and the spikes on the plant stalk numbed my fingers, is this plant capable of this, or do I keep looking for what it is? It is early winter here, so it is dried up, and harder to identify.
Stephen Harrod Buhner (he has written several books on herbs, specifically most for Lyme disease) has sida acuta listed as one of the main herbal antibiotics for treating drug-resistant bacteria. It has antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, adaptogenic, analgesic, anthelmintic (fresh leaf juice), antiamoebic, anti-cancer, anti-fertility, antimalarial, anti-oxidant, antiprotozoa, anti-parasitic, antiulcerative, antivenin activity, hemaprotectant, hematoregenerator, hematotonic, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, and insecticidal properties. The other species seem to be similarly potent, but there is little research on them. The amount of ephedra that everybody freaks out about is very very minute. Sida is used to treat systemic staph infections, tuberculosis, anemia, dysentery, malaria, fevers, skin rashes, cancer of the blood, infected wounds, and eye infections. Also is useful as an adaptogenic in long-term debilitating infections such as Lyme disease, malaria, and dysentery. It will also detoxify polluted soils. It removes cadmium, lead, nickel, iron, zinc, Cobalt, Mercury, molybdenum, copper, manganese, Arsenic, and chromium from polluted or dump sites.
So you people that have been overtaken by this invasive are blessed, or cursed, depending on how you look at it. Stephen says that digging up the root is as difficult as conveying to a politician the meaning of the word integrity, lol! For those of you looking for the powder it is available on Amazon and on the company’s website samsara herbs. If anyone has seeds, I would love some. I’m in the US. I’m just not sure how to connect without publishing my phone number or address to the world.
Debbie- If you have Facebook, you can find me on there and friend request me and private message me on there and I will send you some seeds. Look for Jodi Nolen on Facebook from Midland TX.
Please have some in my house and many more please give me your WhatsApp number so that I can take a picture or video call for you to see I you need then I will gather for you to come buy I so how do we start so that we preparation towords it . If you interested say hi
I’m currently growing Sida Cordifolia . I SMOKE IT . It is enjoyable and honestly worth some hype . Wild harvested Sida Rhombifolia helped me stop doing street drugs .
The stuff grows EVERYWHERE down here . Florida .
Sida Rhombifolia is incredibly common in florida . But so are many false mallow varieties that have binomial nomenclatures 30 letters long or so .
Sida Ulmifolia(Acuta) I have seen much of as well . I avoid it .
I seek out the healthier plants with higher alkaloid densities .
People in India SWEAR by this stuff .
I don’t use it daily like I was a year ago , but I am everyday checking my wild and potted sidas and looking further into what I can find about the active compounds in these species .
MANY OTHER COMPOUNDS BESIDES EPHEDRINE AND PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE EXIST IN SIDAS.
The contain hormones and terpenoids and many other substances . On is called something something- DIMETHYLCAINE . It’s a hard compound to find reference for. But these minor substituents are what is responsible for this plants purported effects .
I use it on thorn/sticker wounds and bug bites . Often mixed with chewing tobacco .
I look at it as similar to cannabis, THCs are backed by the hundred something other terpenes and alkaloid substances cannabis species contain .
Sida is just like this in regards to using it for smoking . As mentioned in “plants of the gods”. How I find this plant myself .
Teas made of the root are fantastic for stimulation, it’s a sure fire additive for coffee(raw ground root),and mixing with sassafras albidinum root bark is a bit extreme but defined .
I BELEIVE Sida Rhombifolia has anti addictive properties if used for that purpose . From my own experiences with it .
I’m more more interested in learning how to cook with it now I’ve learned all the rest of the plants potential and I think ulmifolia and perhaps the schz- named one is the best candidates for culinary usage . In my opinion . Anything with low alkaloid levels and high protein .
The false mallow plants are tougher and meaner looking than sidas. Typically larger too . Often red and dark green with aggressive looking foliage . That’s how I distinguish them .
The seed heads and flowers and leaves can be misguiding and I’ve grabbed a few of them by accident before .
They have DEFINITELY MEDICINAL benefits and you can Google that too a degree . Mostly unknown of though . It’s used as a substitute and adulterant for the country mallow, Sida Cordifolia .