Medicinal Plants - Part 2
PLANTS FOR BURNS
Bunchberry - To 8' (20cm)
DESCRIPTION: Leaves grow in whorls of 4-6. Small bunches of red berries appear in autumn.
HABITAT: Woodlands, bogs
REMEDY: Apply poultice of crushed berries over affected area for 1/2 hour to relieve pain.
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Fireweed - To 7' (2.1m)
DESCRIPTION: Tall stem supports terminal clusters of bright, pink, 4-petaled flowers.
HABITAT: Waste areas, open woodlands
REMEDY: Root poultice soothes burns, rashes and boils.
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PLANTS FOR INSECT REPELLENTS
Black Walnut - To 100' (30m)
DESCRIPTION: Leaves have 15-23 leaflets. Greenish fruits have black nut inside.
HABITAT: Moist woodlands
REMEDY: Strong tea made from leaves repels insects and kills bedbugs.
Pineapple Weed - To 16" (40cm)
DESCRIPTION: Yellow button-like flower heads are pineapple-scented. Leaves are fern-like.
HABITAT: Waste areas, dry soil
REMEDY: Rub leaves on skin to repel insects or relieve itching.
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PLANTS FOR COLDS, COUGHS, FLUS
Sunflower - To 10' (3m)
DESCRIPTION: Leaves are spade-shaped. Large flower heads have yellow rays and a dark central disk.
HABITAT: Waste areas, roadsides
REMEDY: Tea is taken for for fever, coughs and bronchitis.
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Black Mustard - To 3' (90cm)
DESCRIPTION: Bright yellow, 4-petaled flowers, bloom clustered atop erect, leafy stems.
HABITAT: Fields, waste areas
REMEDY: Use poultice to treat colds, fevers and bronchial conditions.
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Yarrow - To 40" (1m)
DESCRIPTION: Leaves are fern-like. Each tiny flower has 4-6 rays.
HABITAT: Waste areas
REMEDY: Tea is a cold and flu remedy, and promotes profuse sweating.
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Speedwell - To 12" (30cm)
DESCRIPTION: Erect or creeping plants have blue to white, 4-petaled flowers. The bottom petal is smaller than the others.
HABITAT: Waste areas, roadsides
REMEDY: Tea is rich in Vitamin C, and is a cold and cough remedy.
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Coltsfoot - To 18" (45cm)
DESCRIPTION: Low-growing herb with asparagus-like stems. Basal leaves are heart-shaped. Flowers are dandelion-like.
HABITAT: Waste areas in the east.
REMEDY: Used in commercial cough medicines. Add sugar to strong tea to make cough syrup.
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Oxeye Daisy - To 28" (70cm)
DESCRIPTION: Yellow central disk is surrounded by white rays.
HABITAT: Waste areas, roadsides
REMEDY: American Indians used weak tea to quell fevers. Strong doses induce vomiting.
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Asiatic Dayflower - To 3' (90cm)
DESCRIPTION: Flowers have a small white petal beneath 2 blue petals.
HABITAT: Waste areas
REMEDY: Tea relieves sore throat and cold symptoms.
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White Clover - To 12" (30cm)
DESCRIPTION: Told by 3-part leaves and rounded white flowers. (The common lawn clover).
HABITAT: Waste areas, lawns
REMEDY: Leaf tea soothes coughs, fever and colds. (Tea of the similar red clover has similar effects.)
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Watercress - To 20" (50cm)
DESCRIPTION: Floating aquatic plant has small clusters of 4-petaled, white-to-pinkish flowers.
HABITAT: Ponds, along waterways
REMEDY: Leaf tea has a high vitamin content and is used to treat colds and bronchitis. Ensure that you DO NOT harvest plants from polluted waters.
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Pine - To 130' (39m)
DESCRIPTION: Evergreen conifers have needles growing in clusters of 2-5. Fruit is a woody cone.
HABITAT: Variable
REMEDY: Tea relieves coughs and sore throats. Poultice of inner bark and pitch also makes a good bandage.
CAUTION!: The needles of the long leaf pine (to 18"/45cm in length) are toxic.
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American Holly - To 50' (15m)
DESCRIPTION: Evergreen tree is distinguished by its stiff, spiny leaves and bright red berries.
HABITAT: Mixed woodlands
REMEDY: Tea is used to treat coughs and colds, and reduce fever.
CAUTION! Berries are considered poisonous!
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Horseradish - To 4' (1.2m)
DESCRIPTION: Rosette of large, long-stemmed leaves grow at plant base. White, 4-petaled flowers bloom May-July. Large taproot.
HABITAT: Moist soils
REMEDY: Poultice of roots applied to chest relieves congestion. Tea relieves cough
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PLANTS FOR DIARRHEA
American Elm - To 60' (18m)
DESCRIPTION: Leaves are toothed and ribbed. Fruits have a papery collar and are notched at the tip. Tree has vase-shaped profile.
HABITAT: Variable
REMEDY: Tea from bark relieves diarrhea.
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Cattail - To 8' (2.4m)
DESCRIPTION: Tall plant has hotdog-shaped brown seed heads. Leaves are sword-like.
HABITAT: Marshes, ponds
REMEDY: Tea of crushed roots eases diarrhea. Leftover root paste can be used to soothe skin irritations, diaper rash and sting.
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Bracken Fern - To 5' (1.5m)
DESCRIPTION: Fronds are divided into triangular leaflets. Grows in large colonies.
HABITAT: Waste areas, fields
REMEDY: Root tea treats diarrhea and relieves stomach cramps.
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Stinging Nettle - To 8' (2.4m)
DESCRIPTION: Erect leafy plant is covered with stinging hairs that cause a burning sensation. White flowers bloom in drooping clusters.
HABITAT: Waste areas, wetlands
REMEDY: Boiling leaves in water removes the sting. Drink small doses of liquid to alleviate diarrhea. The boiled leaves are edible and vitamin-rich.
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Wild Strawberry - To 8" (20cm)
DESCRIPTION: Leaves have 3 hairy leaflets. 5-petaled flowers are succeeded by the familiar fruit.
HABITAT: Meadows and woodlands
REMEDY: Tea remedies diarrhea. Poultice can be used to treat wounds.
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American Mountain-ash - To 30' (9m)
DESCRIPTION: Shrub or tree has leaves with 11-17 leaflets. Red fruits occur in dense clusters.
HABITAT: Variable
REMEDY: Tea from inner bark alleviates diarrhea.
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Stay tuned for part 3. . .
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