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Black Cohosh -
A
Woman's Herb From
The Woodlands
Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) is a beautiful, white-blooming perennial from the buttercup family. The striking flower stalks embellish the deciduous woodlands throughout Eastern North America with their conspicuous plumes. This herb has a long history of use in North America, and its many names reflect its many uses. The genus Cimicifuga, also called Actaea, has the general common name of "bugbane" referring the leaves' powerful odor, which was used as an herbal insect repellent. The Iroquis name for the plant, loosely translated, meant "smells like a horse". Common names also include "snake root", "rattle weed" (referring the to sound of the dried seed pods) and the much-used but derogatory phrase "squaw root". The northeastern Algonquians called the root cuski, referring to the rough appearance of the root after it is dug and dried. From that word, Europeans began calling the plant cohosh, and added the descriptive word black, referring to the roots' dark color. Black Cohosh root was used medicinally by many tribes, and was traded to native people located further north of the plants' natural range. The Winnebagos, Dakotas, and the Oklahoma Delaware all have used Black Cohosh root. The Cherokee made an alcoholic extract of the root, however most other tribes used the root to make teas. An infusion of Black Cohosh combined with other woodland plants was sometimes blown over a patient during rituals. The root was also used externally as a foot bath or a sweat bath, and as a wash for cattle and horses. The thick fleshy rootstocks with its smaller, delicate rootlets are dug in the fall. There is concern throughout the herbal community that the current popularity of Black Cohosh may lead to over-harvesting of natural stands of the plants, and threaten the long-term viability of the population. Native American Botanics supports efforts to conserve our natural resources and encourages horticultural production of herbs for the dietary supplement market. |
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