Acer negundo
- Origin
- North America
- Part used
- Bark
- Tradition
- Traditional ethnobotany
Box elder, or Acer negundo, grows along rivers and damp woodland edges in North America. The Indigenous peoples of the plains and eastern forests knew its bark well, drawing a modest sugar from its sap and household uses from its wood, but it is above all in traditional herbalist notebooks that one finds traces of preparations made from its bark.
Traditional uses
Traditional digestive support
The bark was sometimes prepared as a mild decoction, traditionally used to help with difficult digestion.
Use as a skin wash
Some traditions report the use of bark decoctions as washes or compresses to soothe superficial skin irritation.
Traditional use for fevers
Like other maple and hardwood barks, that of Acer negundo was reportedly used as a decoction in certain Native American traditions to help with feverish states.
Traditional bark tonic
The dried bark went into preparations regarded as tonic and restorative within certain North American folk pharmacopoeias.
Before you use it
A traditional use poorly documented scientifically: caution is called for, and the advice of a health professional is recommended before any use. Do not use in pregnant or breastfeeding women, or young children, in the absence of sufficient data. Avoid self-harvesting without certain identification, as the species can be confused with other maples or shrubs. Do not exceed occasional, one-off use without the advice of an experienced herbalist.
The detailed notebook
- Prepared as a paste or decoction
- Traditional duration of use
- Known contraindications
- Related species and their uses
Where to find it
Partner herbalists — available with the detailed notebook.
Sources
Wikipedia