EBP/Cooperative/Sorbus americana

Sorbus americana

edit
  • Common names: American mountain ash, American ash, Mountain ash, Rowan, Witch-wood, Dogberry, Small-fruited mountain ash, Roundwood, Missey-mossey,
  • Names used by indigenous peoples:
  • Wikipedia: Sorbus americana

Medicinal uses

edit

Bark

edit
  • As anti-malarial agent: The bark was used by early American pioneers as an anti-malarial agent due to its resemblance to the cinchona tree, the source of quinine.[1]
  • For boils: The bark was burned and used in a poultice for boils by the Maliseet people. It was also used in this way (though it is unclear whether the bark was burned) by the Mi'kmaq.[2]
  • For colds: Inner bark used by the Algonquian peoples of Quebec in an infusion for colds. Sometimes the terminal buds were also brewed for this purpose.[2]
  • For depression: Inner bark fibers were boiled and used as a treatment for depression by the Algonquian peoples of Quebec. This mixture was usually made with the buds of the tree.[2]
  • For pain after childbirth: An infusion was used by the Maliseet people to treat pain after childbirth. It was also used in this way by the Mi'kmaq tribe.[2]
  • As tonic: Inner bark was brewed in a general tonic by the Algonquian peoples of Quebec.[2]
    • As blood tonic: Inner bark was brewed into a decoction and taken to clean and purify the blood and also to stimulate the appetite. It was used in this way by the Innu people.[2]

Buds

edit
  • For colds: Buds brewed with the inner bark as a treatment for colds by the Algonquian peoples of Quebec.[2]
  • For depression: Used by the Algonquian peoples of Quebec, boiled with the inner bark fibers for depression.[2]

Fruit

edit
  • As a digestive aid: Fruit used in an unspecified way as a digestive aid by the Iroquois.[2]

Roots

edit
  • For gonorrhea: Root bark used by the Anishinabe in an infusion to treat gonorrhea.[2]

Unspecified

edit
  • For pleurisy: Unspecified parts of the plant used by the Tlingit in a treatment for pleurisy.[2]
  • To induce vomiting (as emetic): Unspecified parts of the plant were used as an emetic by the Mi'kmaq people. It was also used in this way by the Penobscot tribe.[2]

Food uses

edit

Fruit

edit
  • As fresh fruit: Fruit boiled and used as a food source by the Algonquian peoples, the Innu and the Anishinabe tribes.[2]
  • As alcoholic beverage: The Celts of Wales reportedly brewed an ale from the berries, though the secret of this has now been lost.[3]
  • For flour: Various northern European cultures apparently dried the fruits for a sort of flour.[3]

Other

edit

Chemical actions and constituents

edit

References

edit
  1. Nazareth College Tree Walk: Sorbus americana
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 Native American Ethnobotany
  3. 3.0 3.1 Botanical.com: Mountain Ash