Page 213 - Lost Book Remedies

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies

and the Carolina Jessamine, because of its prevalence Medicinal Use: Caution should always be used
throughout the Carolinas. It is in the Gelsemiaceae when working with Yellow Jessamine. The entire plant
Family. is poisonous, and even small amounts of the extract
can be deadly. I don’t personally use this plant since
Identification: Yellow Jessamine is often found safer preparations are almost always available.
climbing over fences, sign posts, trees, trellises, and up
the sides of buildings. Yellow Jessamine vines like to Skin Care: A salve made from yellow Jessamine is
climb, reaching up to the very tops of trees. used to treat boils and acne.

However, they are narrow enough that they do not Muscle Pain and Arthritis: Yellow Jessamine
starve the plants beneath them for sunlight. Without a can be helpful in treating muscle pain and arthritis us-
tall, supporting structure to climb, it will simply grow ing a diluted tincture or salve. If too strong a dose is
into a tangled mound. used these preparations sometimes relax the muscles
to the point of paralysis.
Sedative, Fevers, and Headaches: Yellow Jes-
samine depresses the nervous system and acts as a sed-
ative.
This is the source of its powers and also the source of
its poison. A tiny amount can relieve pain and reduce
fevers, while too much has deadly effects. A small
amount of dilute salve applied to the forehead works to
reduce headache pain.
Photo by I_am_Jim, own work, CC by SA 4.0 Warning: It is important to remember that all parts
of yellow Jessamine are considered highly toxic and in-
Its leaves are simple and blade shaped with a shiny, gestion can be fatal.
waxy texture. Each leaf is 2 to 4 inches (5 cm to 10 cm) Under no circumstances should any portion of the
long and less than half an inch (1.25 cm) wide. plant be eaten in any form. In the Southern States, it is
The leaves develop a yellow or purple shade in the win- not uncommon for young children to confuse yellow
ter months, but otherwise, the plants have deep green Jessamine for Honeysuckle and require immediate
foliage. It is a semi-evergreen vine, keeping its leaves medical attention. The plant is so toxic it can even kill
through most of the winter. Yellow Jessamine flowers the bees that pollinate it, resulting in colony collapse.
begin to bloom as early as December and last through Consumption of fewer than 4 milliliters of Yellow Jes-
the spring. samine extract can prove fatal.
Clusters of the fragrant yellow flowers bloom into tun- Symptoms include sweating, nausea, muscle paralysis,
nel-shaped, five-pointed stars. Toward the end of their convulsions and muscular spasms, and dilated pupils.
bloom, little capsule-shaped fruits develop. The fruit is If consumed, or if you experience any of these symp-
typically flattened and pod-like, growing about 1 inch toms, immediate medical treatment is required.
(2.5 cm) in length. The flowers give off a scent like
honey.

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