What is Butcher's Broom?

Also known as knee holly, sweet broom, or Jew’s Myrtle, butcher’s broom is an small evergreen shrub that is considered to have medicinal properties as well as being ornamental. Used in a number of herbal remedies, the stiff leaves, small flowers, and tiny red berries of the shrub are often dried and ground into a powder, making it easy to administer the home remedy as a soothing tea, a poultice, or even by adding the powder to different types of food. A number of claims are made for the efficacy of butcher’s broom, although none of those claims are currently supported by modern medicine.

One of the more common claims made for butcher’s broom is that the herb can help correct system imbalances that inhibit the proper function of the bowels. When brewed as a tea, the herb is said to help correct constipation in a relatively short period of time. At the same time, the herb helps to relieve the discomfort that is common when an individual is retaining water, by allowing the system to quickly and naturally flush out the excess fluid.

Another claim made for butcher’s broom is that the herb can help with circulation problems. For this reason, alternative practitioners will sometimes recommend it as a way to help people who experience tingling in the feet and hands, or who constantly experience coldness in the extremities. For example, an individual suffering with diabetes may find that the feeling in the toes has decreased, but seems to recover somewhat after using butcher’s broom for a period of time.

More recently, butcher’s broom has been heralded as a natural means of dealing with varicose veins. Proponents state that regular use can be so effective that there is no need for surgery to correct the problem. There are also claims that the herb can help with the discomfort that some people experience with varicose veins, minimizing the pain to the point that it is no longer necessary to take any kind of pain medication in order to gain relief.

Other claims are also made for the effectiveness of butcher’s broom. Since the shrub contains rutins and other flavonoids that have demonstrated the ability to increase blood flow to the brain, there are those that say the herb can help with cases of mild depression, anxiety, and even the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Others claim that butcher’s broom is an effect treatment for hemorrhoids, bruises, and even insect bites. While there is a large body of anecdotal evidence supporting the use of the herb with a number of ailments, no research currently exists to support the idea of sweet broom as an effective treatment for any ailment.