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EWILD
SARSAPARILLA
aralia nudicalis
Common Names:
Sarsaparilla. Rabbit Root. Shotbush. Bamboo Brier.
Oscar.
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Range:
From Newfoundland south to the Carolinas and west through the Great
Plains.
Habitat: Widespread throughout cool upland woods.
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Description:
A native perennial plant with long yellow-brown roots that have a sweet
spicy taste. The fragrant roots are used for different reasons. The
flowers, which come out from May through July, are small and green-white
in color. The plant produces purple-black berries about the size of
elderberry. |
| Wild sarsaparilla feeds many different
animals. The Black Bear and the Grizzly Bear eat the berries. Caribou and
deer eat the whole plant and moose love it. Birds like ruffled grouse and
thrushes eat the seeds. |
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Use: Psoriasis, Rheumatism, Eczema.
Sarsaparilla is a also useful in diseases
of the breast and lungs. It is a "sweating out" medicine.
Sarsaparilla is recommended for skin
disorders, such as eczema and psoriasis. It also is effective in treating
liver disorders and has a long history of treating syphilis, chronic
rheumatism, and skin diseases. It makes an excellent digestive aid and
appetite stimulant.
Historic Reference:
"I inquired of them respecting
the chief plants and roots which use for curing their illnesses and among
others they highly esteem the one called oscar, which does wonders in
healing all kinds of wounds, ulcers and sores." 1624
Sagard HURON 192.
"The root of sarsaparilla, for
sores and cuts." 1724 Anon ILLINOIS-MIAMI
mss 224.
"After the flow of blood...from a
fresh wound [is stopped]...other roots must be applied, such as the great
sarsaparilla." 1779 Zeisberger DELAWARE
149.
"Root dried and crushed to powder
and sweet flag root steeped together for coughs. 1815
Speck PENOBSCOT 310.
"Roots steeped in case of
weakness. The dark berries are made into a kind of wine by the
Montagnais and used as a tonic...Women cut up pieces of the root, tie them
on a string and keep them in their tents until needed. The same is
done by the Penobscot. The berries are put into cold water and
allowed to ferment in making the wine referred to." 1915
Speck MONTAGNAIS 315.
A spring tonic is made by steeping
together the following: wild cherry bark, sassafras root,
sarsaparilla root, false sarsaparilla root (smilacina racemosa), sweet
flag root, burdock, and dandelion leaves, blossoms of the white daisy,
boneset and motherwort and black birch bark. 1915
Speck-Tantaquidgeon MOHEGAN 320.
A decoction of the root drunk for
'Humor in the blood'...The fresh root was mashed and applied as a poultice
to sores...For nosebleed the dried and powdered root, or the fresh chewed
was inserted in the nostril...For stoppage of periods the root of
sarsaparilla and spikenard and the stalk of the red currant were made into
a decoction and drunk. Sarsaparilla was sometimes omitted from this
combination. It could also be used alone. This remedy was used
if the difficulty threatened to lead to consumption. 1926-27
Densmore CHIPPEWA 340, 350, 356, 358.
"Another remedy for fainting and
fits, also used as a blood medicine is sarsaparilla tea made for the
leaves of this plant. The owner of the receipts advised the writer
that this remedy is 'Eastern Medicine', as it is the medicine of the
Wabena (Eastern) Society of his people." 1928
Reagan CHIPPEWA 231.
A remedy for interior troubles, for
lungs and for fevers, a mixture of six other herbs and the root of
sarsaparilla...The root is pounded to make a poultice to cure burns and
sores. Boiled with two other herbs given to give strength to one who
is weak. 1928 H. Smith MESKWAKI 195, 203.
"The Flambeau Ojibwe recognize
the root of this plant as strong medicine, but do not steep it to make a
tea. The fresh root is pounded and applied as a poultice to bring a
boil to a head or to cure a carbuncle...This root is mixed with sweet flag
root to make a tea to soak a gill net before setting it to catch fish
during the night. Big George Skye, at Lac de Flambeau, was quite
successful in catching them." 1932 H.
Smith OJIBWE 356, 428.
"This is a valued root among the
Forest Potawatomi, and they pound it into a mass to be used as a poultice
to reduce swelling and cure infections." 1933
H. Smith POTAWATOMI 40.
"The roots used for their
stimulating properties." 1940 Stowe
CHIPPEWA 8.
"The mashed root is put into sore
ears. All Indians tribes use it for one illness or
another." 1945 Raymond TETE DE BOULE
transl. 119.
"Seeds used as a
beverage." 1970 Bye IROQUOIS mss.
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