Dutchroot

Dutchroot is a traditional name used in some Dutch-language herbals and older English pharmacopoeias to designate the root of certain plants used for medicinal or culinary purposes. It is not a formal botanical term and does not correspond to a single species. The identity of the plant termed "Dutchroot" varies by region, author, and period; practitioners sometimes used it to refer to a root with a strong bitter or aromatic taste, employed in tonics, digestive aids, or diuretics.

Historically, references to Dutchroot appear in early modern herbals and trade catalogs, where dried roots were traded from northern Europe and used in simple remedies or as flavoring. Because the designation depended on local practice, several species may have been included under the same name. In contemporary botany, the term is considered obsolete or ambiguous, and modern pharmacognosy identifies specific species by their Latin names rather than the common label Dutchroot.

In practice, dried roots labeled Dutchroot were typically used after grinding or steeping, sometimes as tinctures or infusions. The safety and efficacy depend on the source species, preparation, and dosage; modern use is limited and regulated. The term is mainly of historical interest and appears today primarily in archival texts and discussions of traditional Dutch medicine.

See also: burdock root, dandelion root, angelica root, gentian root.