The American dogwood (or boxwood) is a medium-sized tree that can reach a maximum of 10 meters in height. The most common insect pest is the dogwood borer, whose larvae burrow under the bark of the trunk and limbs. Jamaican dogwood is a plant. Jamaican dogwood bears attractive flowers when they are grown in suitable climate and soils. READ 3 Muscle-Building Soups That You Should Try. Fruit oil from the blood twigged dogwood tree, is used in making soaps. Jamaican dogwood is most suited for treating conditions related to pain, tension, and nervousness. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The root bark is used to make medicine. It also effectively manages pain. It has dark gray to brown bark with thin, longitudinal and transverse ridges. Dogwood bark is best used as an ointment for ague, malaria (substitute for quinine), fever, pneumonia, colds, and similar complaints. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Please Support My Work With a PayPal Donation. Jamaican Dogwood health benefits for mental health. The bark of Cornus florida, the flowering dogwood, was often used to treat dogs with mange and this may be the reason for its name. Botanical Source Name and Family of […] He's an experienced Biologist with a history of working in the environmental services industry. It does contain some isoflavonoid compounds (jamaicine, ichtynone, milletone) that have sedative properties. Dogwood (Cornus Florida) Overview, Health Benefits, Side effects. Asked to write a series of articles on Southern Homes and Gardens for a New York Magazine, Strekfus Beltzenschmidt (the main character in The Bark of the Dogwood) chooses not only some of the plantations and historic residences the South is known for, but places of his youth, including the home he grew up in and those of his relatives that he visited as a child. An informant removed the outside bark of a twig with her thumbnail and noted that the remaining layer of bark when carefully shaven off served as tobacco, so-called kinnikinnick. is susceptible to several problems, including diseases that attack its bark, causing varying degrees of damage. Preparations of American dogwood have been used traditionally for relieving fever, minor aches and pains such as headaches, migraines, muscle aches and tension and other minor ailments. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. All Rights Reserved! Historically, American dogwood was sometimes used for treating malaria instead of the drug quinine. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Peeling bark on dogwoods may be the result of serious disease or it could be a natural condition in some species. Apart from this, the bark of the dogwood is used to treat mange, and the tea made from the flowers helps in reducing a fever. The bark decoction of Jamaica dogwood has been used as an herbal remedy to help relieve cough and whooping cough. Partner, Advertising & Commercial Relationships. The Jamaican dogwood is a tree that is seen in North America, however it’s indigenous to the West Indies. Contact Us – Disclaimer Cookies Policy – Privacy Policy. The most valuable part of the tree is its bark. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Foundational Support. Welcome to VEDA for your Mental Health with Dr Tom O Brien PHD HERBALIST bringing you his favourite 30 herbs for better mental health. It is believed that American dogwood bark also exercises powerful blood cleansing effects, hence its antimalarial activity, and possesses excellent tonic and restorative properties. The cascara liquid extract is taken in a dose of 2-5 mL three times daily. The blight is caused by the anthracnose fungus. The most valuable part of the tree is its bark. What is American dogwood good for? Jamaican dogwood bark contains a bitter, strong taste and mildly unpleasant flavor. These cookies do not store any personal information. The following two tabs change content below. Benefits and Side Effects of the Medicinal Herb Jamaican Dogwood (Piscidia erythrina, Piscidia piscipula) and Its Traditional and Modern Day Uses. To herbalists, however, it is distinguished for its bright and edible dogwood fruit, commonly referred … Because newly hatched larvae enter the tree through wounds or broken bark, avoid damage to the bark when doing lawn maintenance or pruning. The species produces clusters of red or yellow-tinged edible berries containing one seed each. But it’s always important to consume dogwood under the careful supervision of a doctor. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, animal testing has shown that bark extracts also have anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic properties. Because leaves fall during the cold season, the tree boasts a beautiful scarlet leaf color during fall. Yet, the dogwood bark has been used for its sweat-producing, narcotic, and analgesic properties since 1844. Uses, Benefits, Cures, Side Effects, Nutrients in Jamaican Dogwood. The bark possesses a number of potent phytochemicals which gives it its medicinal properties, including flavonoids, glycosides, resin alkaloid, and rotenone. It would appear that the bark of this dogwood species has soothing as well as powerful anti-inflammatory properties and, as a result, can be successfully used to reduce hoarseness and treat sore throat discomfort. People use American dogwood for headaches , wounds, fever, ongoing diarrhea , and … Thor Sturluson has a BS in Biology, majoring in Botany, from the University of Maine and a masters degree in Zoology from the Open University in London. Overall, the species displays several impressive health benefits, provided it is taken in adequate doses, under the careful supervision of a medical professional. The dark red-brown bark covered with coarse-looking plates boasts fairly impressive medicinal properties and, if used correctly, can provide relief for a wide range of medical conditions. Names of Jamaican Dogwood in various languages of the world are also given. Health Benefits and Therapeutic Uses of Cornus: The leaves, ripe fruit and bark of the cornus plant offer many health benefits and have been used for medicinal purposes for many years. Flowering dogwood, commonly known as American dogwood (Cornus florida), is a tree species in the dogwood family having potent antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic as well as antimalarial properties. Analgesic. Just as important, always get your American dogwood from certified sources to prevent contamination with heavy metals, molds, toxins or other foreign elements. These insects enter a dogwood through a wound made through the bark. Find out below what are the top 5 uses of Jamaican dogwood root bark: 1) Strong sedative properties. The bark of the dogwood contains tannoids while the fruits contain 9 % of organic acids, Vitamin C, many different minerals as well as tannoid substances. Traditional Health Benefits of Jamaican Dogwood. Dogwoods are native ornamental trees. American dogwood trees can be found underneath red maple trees, hickories or oak trees, in parks, backyards, at forest edges, on hillsides or mountain ridges and differentiate themselves through a somewhat flat-topped crown. The following are some of the health benefits that dogwood and its various parts are known to offer: It Increases Urine Production. Even though Dogwood sounds like it can be your furry friend’s new favorite chew toy, this tree has a variety of health benefits. The tree grows up to 15 m in height with compound leaves. The root bark is used to make medicine. Special chemicals and some toxins in Jamaican dogwood root bark boast strong sedative properties. It can be propagated by cuttings or seeds. American dogwood bark boasts an antipyretic action, helping reduce fever naturally. While this medici… List of various diseases cured by Jamaican Dogwood. A typical dose is 1 cup of tea, which is made by steeping 2 grams of finely chopped bark in 150 mL of boiling water for 5-10 minutes, and then straining. Cornus is a genus of about 30–60 species of woody plants in the family Cornaceae, commonly known as dogwoods, which can generally be distinguished by their blossoms, berries, and distinctive bark. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Twigs used as chewing sticks, forerunners of the toothpick. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Knowing the species of your tree is crucial to deciding if a dogwood with peeling bark is in danger or if it is a normal occurrence. Hence, you should know which part of the plant is used for a particular need. Infected trees can be treated by spraying with an insecticide. This helped me a lot for my written assignment thanks! There is a Christian legend that claims that the cross that was used for crucifixion of Jesus Christ was made of the flowering dogwood tree. Bark preparations possess excellent anti-inflammatory properties and are used to treat muscle inflammations and sore throat problems. Cornus kousa, Kousa Dogwood Fruit Kousa Dogwood Fruit Health Benefits. Overview Information Jamaican dogwood is a tree. How Jamaican Dogwood is effective for various diseases is listed in repertory format. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Here are the top 6 uses of American dogwood bark: American dogwood bark preparations have been shown to possess strong analgesic properties and are thus recommended for relieving back pain and headaches as well as painful muscle cramps caused by either strain or inflammatory conditions. Kousa dogwood is an excellent small specimen tree. Most are deciduous trees or shrubs, but a few species are nearly herbaceous perennial subshrubs, and a few of the woody species are evergreen. It’s a big tree, growing up to 40 feet tall. Part of Flowering Dogwood used are: Bark, Flowers, Fruits and Leaves. Back to Top For that reason, if you have dogwoods in your yard, be careful that you don’t injure the trees with a string trimmer or mower. Commonly referred to as American Dogwood, this tree has been traditionally used for relieving fever, minor aches and pains like headaches, muscle aches, tension and minor ailments. What is Jamaican Dogwood Used for? Health Benefits of American Dogwood 1. Most flower and fruit, and have dazzling fall displays as the leaves change color. Since it’s a potentially poisonous […] Due to its astringent properties which cause tissues to constrict thus limiting fluid loss, American dogwood bark constitutes an efficient natural remedy for diarrhea. In the past, fresh and dried flowers alike were made into herbal infusions and used for reducing fever in both children and adults. Jamaican dogwood acts mainly as a sedative and a natural pain reliever (anodyne). Since there are similarities between these four plants, be careful not to mistake one for another in order to successfully address your medical concerns and avoid interactions and side effects. This post was updated on Wednesday / November 25th, 2020 at 5:32 PM. Support My Work Copyright © 2014-2020 NatureWord. His work and botany passion has made The Herbal Resource what it is. American dogwood is still used today as medicine, but not very often. The tree may bear flowers from early April to early May, depending on the region it is in. A trained scuba diver and researcher, Thor's has a keen interest in nature conservation and animal/plant protection. With some of these conditions it can be both difficult and exhausting to manage pain, such as arthritis, migraines, and fibromyalgia. In addition to this, the species makes a splendid ornamental tree, garnishing parks and back yards alike with its springtime richness of white and rosy flowers. Florida Dogwood is often substituted for Peruvian Bark and has been used for disease of the stomach and bowels caused by weakness. People make medicine from the bark. If that is not enough, for years a dogwood blight has been killing dogwoods across the state. Traditionally, the Jamaican dogwood benefits include being useful for nerve pain, migraines, and sleeplessness, based on the University of Maryland Clinic. People use Jamaican dogwood for anxiety, sleep problems, nerve pain, … They boiled the bark of dogwood in water and utilized the extract to ease sore and painful muscles. It sedates and calms, allowing the body to relax and sleep peacefully. The versatile dogwood (Cornus spp.) Also, for best results, it is recommended to have your dosage of plant preparation established by a medical professional and remain under the supervision of your doctor while taking said preparation. Dogwood is a medium-sized tree that can reach a height of 10 meters. People use American dogwood for … Plant. American dogwood is a plant. Used for diarrhea. In addition, they also prepared an herbal tea with the bark to stimulate perspiration and, thereby, cure a fever. Tobacco used in the early day consisted of the inner bark of red dogwood — Indians on all reservations called it 'red willow.' The bark of this plant is generally used for medicine. Benefits and uses. Dogwood Fruit: Top 10 Health Benefits (Kousa Berries) A small tree native to Korea and other parts of Asia, the dogwood is popular as an ornamental tree to most. Beside beauty benefits and aesthetic uses, there are some additional uses of the plant, which can be beneficial to know and improve its usability. Externally, poulticed onto external ulcers and sores. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Bark preparations is shown to possess strong analgesic properties and are recommended to provide relief from back pain, headaches, painful muscle cramps and strain or inflammatory conditions. It is also known as the flowering dogwood due to the fact that it bears beautiful white, pink or red flowers with four large petals. American dogwood bark is still used today as medicine, but not very often. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The bark, which is the primary source of therapeutic benefits, has an acrid and bitter taste that causes a burning sensation in the mouth. Also, traditional medical practices recommend herbal infusions of American dogwood bark, flowers and leaves as treatment for malaria. Dogwood Tree Bark Disease. The dark red-brown bark covered with coarse-looking plates boasts fairly impressive medicinal properties and, if used correctly, can provide relief for a wide range of medical conditions. The bark, leaves, flowers and of course berries are the ones employed. The root bark and bark have been used traditionally to help with menstrual cramps. What is the Difference Between Hemp and Marijuana? The berries are very attractive to numerous animal and bird species such as the white-tailed deer or the northern cardinal for which they provide a valuable food source throughout winter.