Native of Significance to the in the HBS Cherokee Garden Common name Milkweed Asclepias Bark for bowstring drill; used with Virgin’s Bower for Latin name (Cherokee name) Description =food use =material use =medicinal use (Us ti ga li�) syriaca backache American Beech Fagus Tea made with twigs and bark used to flush the system; beech New Jersey Tea Ceanothus Used for coughs, colds; root tea for bowel complaints; in (Ku sŭ� u� ta na) grandifolia nuts chewed to rid the body of worms (Elishgŭlŭ�) americanus Cherokee lore, snakes are more apt to strike when in Basswood Tilia Strips of bark used for rope; wood for carving; in Partridgeberry Mitchella Roots used in a mixture for intestinal trouble; root tea for (I t� ha�) americana mixture for diarrhea and snakebite; good for honey (Tŭdis ti� u ni gis ti�) repens menstrual pain; used to strengthen uterus for childbirth for food; coffee made from roasted seeds, used to Black Snakeroot Cimicifuga Persimmon Diospyros Used in a formula “for chills;” roots used to relieve arthritis pain treat kidney stones, sore throat; used to treat indigestion, (U li dŭsti� utŏnoŏ) racemosa (Sa li�) virginiana Bloodroot Used as basket dye; paint; root used for coughs and toothache, thrush in children (Gi� lĭ wă� ta) canadensis catarrh (eye ailments), externally for poison ivy Pokeweed Phytolacca Early eaten in salad; root tea used externally for Butterfly Weed Asclepias Root tea made for diarrhea, pleurisy (lung ailment), heart (dzay it ag�ŭ) americana eczema; berries or wine used to treat arthritis (Gu gu�) tuberosa conditions Rattlesnake Master Eryngium Root tea held in the mouth for toothaches; decoction given to (S�li kwŏy�a) yuccifolium children to prevent whooping cough Club Moss Huperzia spp. Powder from spores used for diaper rash (repels liquid) River Cane Used in making baskets, blowguns, arrow shafts; large Devil’s Walking Stick Berries used for dye (pewter color); roots in a decoction (I hya�) gigantea canebrakes create habitats that attract wildlife spinosa (Udza ki da�) as an emetic, for toothaches, in a bath for paralysis Spicebush Lindera Ground dried fruit as cooking spice; twigs for breakfast Dogbane, Indian Hemp Apocynum Fibers used for cordage, bow strings, in weaving grave (N� t� tlĭ) benzoin tea; used to treat fevers, hives (An do la kŭ�) cannabinum blanket (shroud); poultice for arthritis Spotted Wintergreen Chimaphila Crushed roots in a poultice for headaches, other pain; Dog Hobble Leucothoe Used in a formula for muscle soreness; decoction in a (U stas ti�) maculata tops and roots in a tea for colds and fever Summer Grape Liquid in the stems for “safe water” and for hair tonic (E wa su hi�) fontanesiana mixture for arthritis pain; used to weave grave blanket Vitis aestivalis Tea made from boiled inner bark boiled and drunk (T�lŭa di�) (conditioner); fruit for food ­Dogwood Cornus for high fever, malaria; bark chewed for headaches; Sweet Birch Bark infusion for the stomach, headaches and fever; in a mixture (Ka na si ta�) Betula lenta decoction for chicken pox; wood for carving (Ats�� kĭ) for kidney stones; in “SSS Tonic” (commercially available) Doll’s Eyes Tall Coneflower Rudbeckia Actea alba Root tea gargle for sore throat; hot tea bath for insect bites Eaten as spring greens (U li das ti� us ti� ga) (Sŏcha ni�) lacinata Dutchman’s Pipe Aristolochia Tulip tree Liriodendron Leaf buds used in a salve for burns, or in an infusion for Used in a formula for urinary problems (U dŭi u� ta na) macrophylla (Tsi yu�) tulipifera arthritis; wood used for carving and building material Foamflower Virgin’s Bower Clematis Tiarella A tea held in the mouth to remove the white coat from the Included in a mixture for urinary problems (An dán ka la gí skĭ u� (I ga gû� tĭ) virginiana cordifolia tongue ta na) Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia Root tea to treat headaches, stomachaches, fever; root externally Used in a formula for “irregular urination;” root steeped and (Una stet sti yă) serpentaria used for snakebites and toothaches Hearts-a-bustin Euonymus taken a bedtime to treat venereal disease; seed crushed to treat White Bark used in basket making; acorns used for flour; (djU wŭdun�ŭ) americanus Quercus alba lice. (Ta la�) bark tea for diarrhea and skin irritations Hepatica Hepatica Root tea to treat intestinal trouble; dried leaves smoked for heart Wild Cherry Prunus Bark decoction used for fever, colds, cough, measles; (Uni skwŭli� djun sti�) acutiloba trouble; leaf tea held in the mouth for toothaches (Tá ya) serotina wood for carving; edible Holly Wild Ginger, Heartleaf Asarum Root tea for heart problems (increases circulation), colds, Used to scratch Cherokee stickball players to administer (K� l� g�t li ski us d� Ilex verticillata (Skwá lĭ u�ta na) canadense and menstrual pains; dried leaves used for snuff medicine before play, and to treat broken bones ga) Wintergreen Gaultheria In a mixture for indigestion; dried leaves as a substitute Hydrangea, 7 Bark Hydrangea Inner bark tea sooths vomiting in children, bark poultice for sore (Ats�� kĭ ga nu l�� hĭ) procumbens for chewing tobacco (Di dŭn�lŭwŏski) arborescens or swollen muscles Witch Hazel Hamamelis Used to treat coughs, colds, sore throats; in a mixture for fever. Jack in the Pulpit Arisaema (Ka na su da sŭwa�) virginiana Bark collected on eastern side of makes stronger medicine Root poultice for headaches; caustic, never used internally triphyllum Native to lower elevations, received by trade; used to make the (T� yas tĭ�) Yaupon Holly Ilex vomitoria Joe Pye Weed, also Black Drink for ceremonial cleansing Eupatorium Root tea for kidneys as a diuretic; stem used to administer Blow Gun Weed Yellow Buckeye Bark tea is taken to speed child delivery; salve from nuts fistulosum throat medicine, and to draw water from shallow water Aesculus flava (Am di t� tĭ) (U� ni skw� t��) for sores; wood for carving Mayapple Podophyllum Seed corn soaked in mayapple mash to repel insects; used Yellowroot Xanthorhiza Root tea for mouth or stomach ulcers; has antibiotic and (U n�skw�tu g�ŭ) peltatum for bowel trouble; fruit edible, other parts highly toxic (Da l� ni una stet si) simplicissima anti-inflammatory properties; fabric dye Note: many medicinal and food plants can be toxic unless prepared and administered correctly; please do not apply or ingest these plants. Sources: Banks, W.H. 2004. Plants of the Cherokee. Great Smoky Mountains Association; Schmitt, D. 2005. Medicine Trail. Our State. European Introductions Cherokee Medicine Basketry The Cherokee adopted many plants Plants of the The Cherokee pharmacopoeia includes is an art that has endured into use that were introduced to this more than 600 species of native plants. among the Cherokee people to the country by European settlers. Many of Cherokee Much of this traditional knowledge is present day. A variety of these are considered nuisance plants or not widely shared; locally grown materials weeds. Some of these are: recipes for medicines are used for constructing baskets. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) were gifted to certain *Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) people, and by sharing Traditionally, three species Plantain (Plantago major) medicinal knowledge, were used in basket Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) it was thought that the construction: white oak, Catnip (Nepeta cataria) medicine could lose river cane, and hickory. Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) its power. Cherokee River Cane In the modern era, other Spearmint (Mentha spicata) medicines are more Arundinaria gigantea species have been added, than just herbal including honeysuckle The following are a few simple recipes Witch hazel Hamamelis virginiana remedies; healing stems, willow twigs, and using several of these plants (always be involves a person’s spruce and hemlock bark. sure to wash plants thoroughly and do physical, spiritual, and emotional self as not use if pesticides were sprayed): well as his or her environment. When all of Dandelion Flower Tea these things are in balance, an individual 1 cup dandelion petals is healthy. Juice of ½ lemon This garden honors the Cherokee There are four common ways of processing White Oak 1 tbsp. honey people and how they use native and plants for medicinal use: Quercus alba Pour boiling water over petals, cover, and introduced plants in their daily lives. Decoction – plant material is placed in steep until cool. Add lemon and honey It contains a small representation of large amounts of water and boiled for a and serve over ice. Natural materials period of time. Plant material is strained significant plants and a few examples traditionally used to Yarrow Mayonnaise and discarded; liquid is retained for use. of the ways in which they are used. The dye Cherokee baskets Bloodroot Chop yarrow leaves very finely and mix Infusion – the plant material is placed in plants in this garden are used not only in include: bloodroot Sanguinaria canadense with mayonnaise and bits of mint. boiled water for a short healing, but in all aspects of Cherokee (red) and black walnut Use over fruit salad. time, similar to making life: clothing, tools, food, ornament, and butternut (black). These colors are now tea. Candied Mint Leaves crafts and more. supplemented by numerous natural and Macerate – plant Use fresh leaves of spearmint or catnip. Be commercial dyes. Dyeing takes from one material is pounded sure there are no insect holes or blemishes. to eight hours depending on the hardness Sponsored by the Mountain Garden Club or shredded and then Wash well and pat dry. Dip each leaf of material being used, dye strength, and in lightly beaten egg white and then of Highlands, North Carolina soaked in cold water. color intensity desired. in granulated sugar. Repeat until well Poultice – plant material coated and let dry on a flat surface. is prepared by boiling or Six types of baskets are commonly made: Recipes reprinted with permission from: Hatter, Ila. 2001. macerating and then Dogwood Pack baskets, fish baskets, rib baskets, Roadside Rambles: A Collection of Wild Food Recipes. wrapping them in a Cornus florida covered baskets, low-sided rectangular Ironweed Productions, Robbinsville, NC. *some botanists consider this to be a native species cloth, which is then applied to the ailing baskets, and double weave baskets. spot.