Houseleek

What is Houseleek?

Houseleek is a small succulent plant that grows in tight rosettes of thick leaves. In German it is called Hauswurz or Dachwurz, meaning house root or roof root. For centuries people grew it on roofs and stone walls across Europe.

The fat leaves hold a cool, slimy juice. Folk healers split a leaf and pressed the juice onto minor burns, insect bites, warts, corns and itchy skin. That is still the main way it is used.

The honest verdict: human evidence is very thin. No good trials show that houseleek heals skin or treats any illness. Long use in tradition is not proof that it works, and it is not proof that it is safe.

Most of what is sold today is a cream, gel or cosmetic with houseleek extract in it. Taking houseleek by mouth is far less common now, and large amounts can upset the stomach.

How does Houseleek work?

Nobody has shown how houseleek works in people. The ideas below come from the lab and from tradition, not from trials.

The juice is thick, wet and cool. That alone may soothe a sting or a small burn for a short while. This is a physical effect, not a cure.

The leaves hold tannins. In test tubes, tannins bind proteins and make tissue feel tighter and drier. Folk healers may have been seeing that effect on skin.

Lab tests on houseleek extracts show some action against certain bacteria and fungi in a dish. Other lab work shows antioxidant activity, meaning the extract mops up unstable molecules. Whether either of these happens on human skin is unknown.

Some older books call it a diuretic (something that makes you pass more urine). Human proof for that claim is missing.

What forms does Houseleek come in?

Houseleek is used far more on skin than by mouth.

- Fresh leaf, split open and pressed against the skin. - Fresh juice, squeezed from the leaves. - Creams, gels and ointments with houseleek extract.

- Cosmetic serums and after-sun products. - Tinctures, which are alcohol extracts. - Dried leaf for tea or a mouth rinse, which is uncommon today.

- Folk ear drops, which are not a safe home practice.

Strength is not standardised. Two creams with the same plant on the label can differ widely. Check the ingredient list, since many cosmetics hold only a trace.

Where it comes from:

Houseleek has one of the longest paper trails in European folk medicine. Roman and medieval writers knew it well.

Charlemagne's farm rules of the early 800s told estates to plant it on their roofs. People believed a roof with houseleek was safe from lightning and fire. That belief gave it names linked to Jupiter and Thor.

Folk healers across Germany, France and Britain used the pressed leaf on burns, warts, corns, bites and sore eyes. Some poured the juice into aching ears. Others gave it by mouth for diarrhoea or fever.

Herbals from the 1500s and 1600s repeated these uses with confidence. None of them tested the plant the way we would today.

What does Houseleek help with?

• Minor burns and sunburn: This is the best known folk use. A cool, wet leaf feels good on hot skin for a short time. No trial shows that houseleek speeds burn healing in people. Cool running water is the step with real backing for a small burn.
• Insect bites and nettle stings: Tradition says the juice calms the sting and the itch. Any relief is likely short and mild. There are no human trials here. A cold pack does the same job with less risk.
• Warts and corns: Folk healers taped a split leaf over a wart or corn for days at a time. The idea was that the plant acids soften hard skin. No trial has tested houseleek on warts. Do not treat a growth at home if it bleeds, grows fast or changes colour.
• Itchy or irritated skin: The gel coats skin and holds water against it. That may ease dryness and itch for a while. This is a soothing effect, not a treatment for eczema or any skin disease. Houseleek itself can cause a rash in some people.
• Sore mouth, used as a rinse: Tannins make a rinse feel tight and dry, and tradition used it for sore gums and mouth ulcers. Any effect is likely a feel, not a repair. No human studies support this. A sore that lasts more than two weeks needs a dentist or doctor.
• Earache (old folk use): Old sources describe dropping the warmed juice into a painful ear. This page lists the use because it exists, not because it is wise. The juice is not sterile. Putting it in an ear can mask an infection or harm a damaged eardrum. Ear pain is a reason to be checked, not treated at home.
• Diarrhoea (old folk use, by mouth): Tannin-rich plants were common folk remedies for loose stools. Houseleek was one of them. There is no human evidence that it helps. In larger amounts the plant can cause vomiting and loose stools itself, which makes it a poor choice.

What are the side effects of Houseleek?

• Skin rash or redness where it is applied
• Itching or stinging on broken skin
• Allergic contact dermatitis (an itchy rash from an allergy)
• Nausea and vomiting if swallowed in quantity
• Loose stools or cramping if swallowed
• Ear pain or irritation if poured into the ear
• Infection of a wound treated with unsterile fresh juice

Good to know:

Most people who use it on intact skin have no trouble. The usual problem is a local rash.

Serious harm is rare and tends to follow misuse. Swallowing a lot, or putting raw juice into an ear or a deep wound, is where the real risk sits.

Stop using it if a rash spreads, blisters or weeps.

How much Houseleek should you take?

• Recommended daily: There is no agreed dose for houseleek, and this page does not give you one. Skin products carry their own label directions. These differ by brand, since extract strength is not standardised. Follow the label on the product you hold. For use by mouth, no safe or tested amount has been set in people. Large amounts can make you vomit and can loosen your stools.
• Best time of day: Time of day does not matter. Use on skin is driven by when the itch, bite or sore spot bothers you.
• With or without food: Food is not relevant for skin use. If a product is meant to be swallowed, food may blunt stomach upset, but swallowing houseleek is not a use this page supports.
• Time to effect: Any soothing feel comes within minutes, because it is the cool wet gel you are feeling. That feel fades as the skin dries. Nothing here acts on a disease. For many people houseleek will do nothing at all beyond feeling pleasant.
• How long to take it: Short use is the norm for skin products. Folk use was measured in days, not months. No study has looked at long use, on skin or by mouth. So no safe long-term period can be named. If a skin problem has not improved in about a week, stop and get it looked at.