Canada Moonseed
Parts Usually Used
Leaves and roots
Description of Plant(s) and Culture
A perennial vine; the round, woody, twining vine of the moonseed family, with small clusters of purple berries and crescent-shaped seeds. Climbing woody vine; 8-12 feet tall. Root is bright yellow within. The leaves are smooth, with 3-7 angles or lobes; stalk attached above the base. Flowers small, whitish; in loose clusters; June to August. The fruit is globular, bluish-black drupe upto 1/2 inch across; resemble grapes.
Where Found
Rich, moist thickets, moist woods, hedges near streams. Quebec, western New England south to Georgia; Arkansas; Oklahoma
Medicinal Properties
Bitter tonic, diuretic, laxative
Uses
Native American traditions historically prepared a tea from the root for indigestion, arthritis, bowel disorders, and as a blood cleanser and female tonic. Historical physicians utilized a root tincture as a laxative, a diuretic, and for general debility. The plant was also sometimes employed as a substitute for sarsaparilla.
Warning
Poisonous. Fatalities have been reported from children eating seeds and fruits. Some people reportedly confuse this plant with edible wild grapes. Care should be taken to correctly identify this herb. The black/purple berries are poisonous. The toxicity of the rootstock is due to its bitter alkaloids. Never use this herb without medical supervision.
Bibliography
Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants , by Steven Foster and James A. , Houghton Mifflin Company, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10000 The Herb Book , by John Lust, Bantam Books, 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY. copyright 1974. The Rodale Herb Book: How to Use, Grow, and Buy Nature’s Miracle Plants (An Organic gardening and farming book) , edited by William H. Hylton, Rodale Press, Inc.
, West Nyack, NY, 1987. Indian Herbalogy of North America , by Alma R. , 15 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023