astringent Archives - The Cargo Cult Café

Common Ragweed: Caution, Medicinal & Other Uses

September 27, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

Common Ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, is a plant scorned by allergy suffers everywhere. But did you know it was historically used by both western culture and American Indians as a healing plant? The Cherokee used it for insect stings, pneumonia, fever, hives, and infected toes. The Dakota used Ragweed to stop vomiting and for diarrhea. And, the Iroquois used it for cramps, stroke and diarrhea. Western herbalists used it as a stimulant, astringent, hemostatic, and antiseptic. There are historic accounts of the Lakota using Common Ragweed as toilet paper, a sentiment that many would agree with, but I would advise you to think twice before doing this if you are prone to allergic reactions.

Besides causing you to itch and giving you a bad case of the sneezes Ragweed can effect your food. If cows consume it, their milk will retain a bitter taste and if it is harvested with wheat it will cause the flour to become bitter and unsuitable for bread making.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry!

Common Ragweed Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software.Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D. King’s American Dispensatory, Vol. 1. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 168

Foster, Steven and James A. Duke. The Peterson Field Guide Series; A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America. 2nd. ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000. Print. pg. 246-247

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 52

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 227-228

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 66

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 438-439

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Wild Garlic: Edible & Medicinal

June 17, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

Wild Garlic, Allium canadense, is a great plant to add some seasoning to your foraged goods. This plant pops up in early spring but it is hard to distinguish from other Allium. The flowers have six regular parts; basal leaves that are entire, long, and narrow; and a bulb for a root.

The nutritional value of Wild Garlic is unknown but it can be speculated that it may be a good source of vitamin C. History Buffs might be interested to know that besides the American Indians utilizing this plant as a food source, Lewis and Clark chewed on the bulblets to fight off starvation and scurvy. Though this plant is called Wild Garlic the flavor is more reminiscent to onions rather than garlic.

The Cherokee had a variety of medicinal uses for this plant using it for things such as gout, colds, coughs, headaches and more. The Mahuna used Wild Garlic as a protection against venomous creatures, and western medicine used this plant for a variety of ailments.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry!

Wild Garlic Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software.Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Brill, Steve. Wild Edibles Plus. Computer Software. WinterRoot LLC. Version 1.5. 2012. Web. Feb. 15, 2014.

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D. King’s American Dispensatory, Vol. 1. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 145-146

Fernald, Merritt Lyndon & Alfred Charles Kinsey. Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. 1996. Print. pg. 126-130

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 35

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 243

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 57

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 334-335

Peterson, Lee Allen. The Peterson Field Guide Series; A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants; Eastern and Central North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1977. Print. pg. 114-115

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Field Thistle: Edible & Medicinal

April 8, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

Field Thistle, Cirsium discolor, is one of those common plants that almost everyone knows. The stem, root and leaves can be eaten cooked or raw, but make sure you take the time to remove the spines. The Cree, Iroquois and Meskwaki Indians all used this plant for medicinal purposes. Western herbal medicine used the root as a tonic and astringent.

Field Thistle Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software.Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Brill, Steve. Wild Edibles Plus. Computer Software. WinterRoot LLC. Version 1.5. 2012. Web. Feb. 15, 2014.

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D. King’s American Dispensatory, Vol. 1. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 560-561

Fernald, Merritt Lyndon & Alfred Charles Kinsey. Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. 1996. Print. pg. 367-368

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 188, 231

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 163

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 430-431

Peterson, Lee Allen. The Peterson Field Guide Series; A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants; Eastern and Central North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1977. Print. pg. 126-127

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Clustered Snakeroot: Medicinal

April 1, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

Clustered Snakeroot, Sanicula odorata, synonymous with Sanicula gregaria is an easily over looked wild flower of mid summer. The name snakeroot comes from its use as a folk medicine to treat venomous snakebites. This member of the Parsley Family was not widely use for its medicinal properties. When it was by American Indians, it was used to relieve pain, aid kidney functions, stops nosebleeds.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry.

Clustered Snakeroot Sources:

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D. King’s American Dispensatory, Vol. 2. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 1715

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 55

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 517

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 426-427

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Sulphur Cinquefoil: Edible & Medicinal

March 23, 2016 by Mike 3 Comments

Sulphur Cinquefoil, Potentilla recta, also known as Rough-fruited Cinquefoil or Five Fingers. The flowers will remind you of strawberries and this plant does produce fruit but it isn’t widely used by foragers. The fruit is said to be edible raw or cooked and “the unripe fruit is almost as pleasant as the fully ripe fruit.” Medicinally cinquefoils have been used as an astringent, tonic, and febrifuge (fever reducer). It was used for fevers, diarrhea, dysentery, passive hemorrhages and a decoction of the root was gargled for ulcerations of the throat and mouth.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry

Sulphur Cinquefoil Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software.Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D. King’s American Dispensatory, Vol. 2. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 1991-1992

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 29

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 435

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 240-241

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Common Winter Cress: Edible, Medicinal & Cautions

March 9, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

Common Winter Cress, Barbarea vulgaris, a plant that is in many wild edible field guides but your chances of finding it before it becomes too bitter is very slim, trust me it has a very strong taste. Medicinally, it was used as a blood medicine, cough medicine, stimulant, astringent and diuretic.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry

Common Winter Cress Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software.Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Brill, Steve. Wild Edibles Plus. Computer Software. WinterRoot LLC. Version 1.5. 2012. Web. Feb. 15, 2014.

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D. King’s American Dispensatory, Vol. 1. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 431-434

Fernald, Merritt Lyndon & Alfred Charles Kinsey. Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. 1996. Print. pg. 219

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 31

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 121

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 144-145

Peterson, Lee Allen. The Peterson Field Guide Series; A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants; Eastern and Central North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1977. Print. pg. 64-65

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Selfheal: Edible & Medicinal

February 17, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

Selfheal, Prunella vulgaris, or Heal-all is both an edible and medicinal wildflower. It can be eaten raw, added to salads or cooked as a potherb but when cooked it will lose some of its nutritional value. Medicinally, the plant was used by several different American Indians for fevers, colds, coughs, diarrhea and for skin affections. Western herbal medicine had used it for hemorrhages, diarrhea and for sore throats.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry.

Selfheal Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software. Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D. King’s American Dispensatory, Vol. 2. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 1739-1741

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 54

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 209-210

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany. Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 439

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 78-79

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia. Web

Smooth Solomon’s Seal: Edible, Medicinal, Cautions & Other Uses

December 24, 2015 by Mike 3 Comments

Smooth Solomon’s Seal, Polygonatum biflorum, is an edible and medicinal wildflower but please only harvest this plant where it’s abundant. The shoots can be harvested in early spring and eaten raw or cooked liked asparagus. The root can be harvested all year but don’t misidentify it for False Hellebore, Mayapple or False Solomon’s Seal. It can be boiled and served like potatoes. Medicinally, the root was used as a tonic, mild astringent, stimulant and sedative. The root was burned in a room as incense before bed to insure sound sleep.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry!

Smooth Solomon’s Seal Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software. Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Brill, Steve. Wild Edibles Plus. Computer Software. WinterRoot LLC. Version 1.5. 2012. Web. Feb. 15, 2014.

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D. King’s American Dispensatory, Vol. 1. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 598

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 56

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 422

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 342-343

Peterson, Lee Allen. The Peterson Field Guide Series; A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants; Eastern and Central North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1977. Print. pg. 76-77

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Wood Nettle: Edible, Medicinal, Cautions & Other Uses

September 11, 2015 by Mike Leave a Comment

Wood Nettle, Laportea canadensis, this plant will sting you but you can bite it back and it doesn’t taste all that bad. The leaves are rich in vitamins A and C, iron and protein. The young shoots can be simmered and a tea can be made out of the shoots and leaves. Medicinally it has been used to reduce fever, facilitate childbirth and induce urination. The fibers have been used to make cordage, clothing, baskets, netting and a lot more.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry!

Wood Nettle Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software.Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Brill, Steve. Wild Edibles Plus. Computer Software. WinterRoot LLC. Version 1.5. 2012. Web. Feb. 15, 2014.

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D. King’s American Dispensatory, Vol. 2. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 2032-2034

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 132-133

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 295

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 416-417

Peterson, Lee Allen. The Peterson Field Guide Series; A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants; Eastern and Central North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1977. Print. pg. 150-151

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Great Ragweed: Medicinal & Cautions

August 26, 2015 by Mike Leave a Comment

Great Ragweed, Ambrosia trifida, every allergy sufferer’s worst nightmare. This is the primary culprit of hay fever but yet it’s an interesting plant. It has been used medicinally for stings, hives, pneumonia, fever, toe infections, diarrhea and to stop nose bleeds.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry!

Great Ragweed Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software.Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 52

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 228

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 66-67

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 438-439

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.