EBP/Cooperative/Sorbus americana

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Sorbus americana

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

Bark

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

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

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

Roots

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

Unspecified

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

Fruit

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

As canoe material: Ribs for Anishinabe canoes made from the wood of this tree.^[2]
As snowshoe material: The Anishinabe tribe used the wood of this plant to make snowshoe frames.^[2]
For lacrosse clubs: The wood of this tree was used by the Anishinabe tribe to make lacrosse clubs.^[2]

Chemical actions and constituents

List of chemical constituents: from Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases
List of chemical actions: from Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases

References

↑ Nazareth College Tree Walk: Sorbus americana
↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 Native American Ethnobotany
↑ 3.0 3.1 Botanical.com: Mountain Ash

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