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Photo of Daylily Root

Daylily Root

萱草根 · Xuān Cǎo Gēn

Practitioner herb for jaundice and heavy bleeding

Properties

CoolingCooling botanicalSweet

What it does

Daylily root drains stuck dampness and cools heat in the blood. In TCM, it's used for jaundice, swollen lymph glands, heavy menstrual flow, and mastitis with stuck milk. The cooling, draining nature suits hot, full conditions. Toxic in raw form, with documented cases of liver damage. Modern TCM uses it carefully and short-term.

How to take it

Drink

Used only in practitioner formulas at 6–9g of processed root, decocted with other herbs. Short-term use only. Modern alternatives are safer for most cases.

Avoid self-use. Practitioner supervision is essential

Safety

  • Toxic. Documented cases of liver and kidney damage with improper use
  • Use only practitioner-prescribed processed material
  • Skip during pregnancy
  • Stop if you develop dark urine, jaundice, or vision changes
  • Talk to your doctor before starting, especially if you take medication

Where it comes from

Daylily (Hemerocallis fulva) is a familiar ornamental flower across Asia and Europe, but the root is the medicinal part. The Chinese name Xuān Cǎo means 'forget-worry grass,' a poetic reference to the flower's reputation for easing the mind. Modern toxicology has identified hemerocallin, an alkaloid that can damage the liver and kidneys at high doses. Documented poisoning cases have made the herb less common in modern Chinese pharmacopoeia.