medicinal plant Archives - The Cargo Cult Café

Dutchman’s Breeches: Medicinal & Cautions

November 26, 2015 by Mike Leave a Comment

Dutchman’s Breeches, Dicentra cucullaria, a native plant that is potentially poisonous. It was used as a strengthener for long distance runners by the Iroquois and considered powerful love medicine by the Menominee. Western medicine claims that a root tea is diuretic, and it will induce sweating. You can find this plant in early spring in rich woods and it has a close look-a-like known as Squirrel Corn, Dicentra canadensis. Sorry it is not known for its edibility but it’s still a cool plant to admire.

Keep your eyes and ear open and your powder dry!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dutchman’s Breeches 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. 610-611

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. 16-17

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 129

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 199

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 34-35

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

Yellow Wood Sorrel: Edible, Medicinal, Cautions & Other Uses

September 8, 2015 by Mike 1 Comment

Yellow Wood Sorrel, Oxalis stricta, is one of my favorite wild edible snacks. The plant is both edible and medicinal. The Kiowa Indians called it “salt weed” and used it for long walks, much in the same way we drink/eat electrolytes when we are out on a hike.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry!

Yellow Wood Sorrel 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. 1423-1424

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 190

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 374

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 246-247

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. 72-73, 104-105

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

Prairie Dock: Medicinal & Cautions

August 18, 2015 by Mike Leave a Comment

Prairie Dock, Silphium terebinthinaceum, is an extremely tall, sunflower-like, plant of the prairies that is beneficial for intermittent fever, coughs, asthma or other lung ailments.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry!

Prairie Dock 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. 1755

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 362-363

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

Pineapple Weed: Edible, Medicinal, Cautions & Other Uses

August 13, 2015 by Mike Leave a Comment

Pineapple Weed, Matricaria matricarioides, an easily overlooked plant with an unforgettable tropical aroma. It makes a nice pineapple flavored tea and has many medicinal purposes.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry!

Pineapple Weed 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.

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 49

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 337

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

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. 90-91

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

Horse Nettle: Poison, Medicinal & Other Uses

July 20, 2015 by Mike 1 Comment

Horse Nettle, Solanum carolinense, here is a common plant that can be found in your garden but beware the tomato-like berries are poisonous.

Horse Nettle 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. 1799-1801

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 46

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 534

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 216-217

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

White Trout Lily: Edible, Medicinal & Cautions

May 18, 2015 by Mike Leave a Comment

White Trout Lily, Erythronium albidum, is a beautiful spring flower that is both edible and medicinal. You can eat the leaves and the bulb. It can be used medicinally for wounds that will not heal, fever, as a contraceptive, dermatological aid and to make fish bite.

White Trout Lily 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. 730-731

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 43

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 244

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 227

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 338-339

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. 74-75

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

Common Fleabane: Medicinal, Cautions & Other Uses

April 13, 2015 by Mike 6 Comments

Common Fleabane, Erigeron philadelphicus, is a common medicinal wildflower. It has been used medicinally for diarrhea, childbirth, coughs, hemorrhages, eye sight and even as a poison ivy remedy. It was also used in a kinnikinnick mixture for pipe smoking.

Common Fleabane 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. 35

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

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 219

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 382-383

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

Black-eyed Susan: Medicinal, Cautions & Other Uses

March 23, 2015 by Mike 2 Comments

Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta, a medicinal plant of summer. American Indians used this plant for swelling, sores, snakebites, worms, colds and sore eyes. A brown or yellow dye can be obtained from the flowers.

Black-eyed Susan 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. 30

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 236

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 494-495

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 374-375

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

Virginia Bluebells: Medicinal

February 26, 2015 by Mike Leave a Comment

Virginia Bluebells, Mertensia virginica, is nature’s nodding trumpet of spring. It is found in rich woods and meadows and has been used as a pulmonary aid, poison antidote and venereal disease remedy.

Virginia Bluebells 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. 26

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 204

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 343

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 3196-197

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

Tall Bellflower: Medicinal

February 20, 2015 by Mike Leave a Comment

Tall Bellflower, Campanula americana, is a tall plant of moist thickets and stream banks with a starlike blue flower. The lance shaped, toothed, leaves are in an alternate pattern along the stem. Medicinally, this plant has been used by the Iroquois and Meskwaki Indians as cough medicine, for whooping cough and tuberculosis. For whooping cough smash three roots and steep them for thirty minutes in a teacup filled with hot water. Then take three tablespoons before meals. A similar remedy may have been used to treat consumption also known as tuberculosis.

Tall Bellflower Sources:

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

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 217

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 135

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 216-217

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