Devil’s Walking Stick
Parts Usually Used
Root and berries
Description of Plant(s) and Culture
The largest North American member of the ginseng family. It may grow to 30 feet tall, with a trunk 6 inches in diameter. Sharp curved spines surround joints on the trunk, especially of younger specimens. The large compound leaves (to 6 feet long) are twice divided and topped in summer by an enormous panicle of tiny white blossoms in umbels. The purple-red berries form by September or October.
Woody; 30 ft. tall with trunk 6 inches in diameter. Main stem and leaf stalks with any sharp, often stout, spines. Leaves large (to 6 ft. long), twice-divided; leaflets numerous, oval, toothed. Tiny white flowers in umbels, in a very large panicle (flowers July-September); purple-red berries form by September or October.
Where Found
Rich woods, alluvial soils. Southern New England (cultivated) to Florida; Texas north to Michigan.
Uses
In folk tradition, the fresh bark was utilized as an emetic and purgative, and was believed to induce salivation. A tincture made from the berries was traditionally applied or taken for toothaches and rheumatic pain. Additionally, herbalists historically prepared poultices from the root to address boils, skin eruptions, and swelling.
How Sold
Tincture
Warning
Handling roots may cause dermatitis. Large amounts of berries poisonous. Use with professional medical supervision.
Bibliography
Resources of the Southern Fields and Forests, Medical, Economical, and Agricultural; Being Also a Medical Botany of the Confederate States , by Francis Peyre Porcher Wild Plants and Survival Lore: Secrets of the Forest , by Mark Warren Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants , by Steven Foster and James A. , 15 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023