Natural Herbal Native American Hair Wash Recipe
The genus Yucca consists of about 40 different varieties of plants native to the New World. Some common names for yucca plants include soapweed, Spanish bayonet, datil and whipple. Many parts of the yucca plant served the Native American peoples in many ways, including providing fibers for weaving and food. The roots of the yucca plant were crushed and used as shampoo and soap for cleaning laundry. A substance in the root, saponin, is a natural detergent. Yucca grows naturally in the American Southwest, as well as in Mexico and the Caribbean.
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Instructions
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Dig up a yucca plant and gather several pounds of root. Plants should be small enough that you can dig it up easily. Brush off the dirt with a stiff brush and cut the roots into 6-inch pieces. Carry the pieces to your kitchen for preparation.
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Peel the root pieces and cut into cubes. Place a couple of handfuls of root cubes in a blender. Turn the blender on chop until the yucca root becomes a pulpy slush. Keep processing until the color becomes a light amber color.
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Mix a small amount of the pulp with water in a blender for a few seconds to make suds, strain out the pulp fibers and use as you would any other shampoo.
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Store unused, undiluted pulp in the freezer in tightly sealed containers. Thaw before using it.
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Tips & Warnings
You can also store the unused crushed yucca root by drying it. Spread the pulp in a thin layer on a clean tray and set in the sun until hard. You can also dry it in the oven on a metal tray at 225 degrees Fahrenheit for at least an hour. Store dried yucca root in a plastic bag in a cool, dry place.
Check with local ordinances before harvesting roots from wild yucca plants. There may be laws against disturbing wild plant life.
Try the yucca root shampoo on a small portion of your skin first to make sure you do not have an allergic reaction to it.
References
- Photo Credit yucca image by photlook from Fotolia.com
