Page 233 - Lost Book Remedies

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies

highest concentration of the active ingredients is in the leaves, beeswax. Fill the jar half-full with dried chapar-
leaves. Collection is best undertaken at midday when ral. Cover the herbs with organic olive oil, filling the jar
the chemical activity of the plant is the highest. It can to near the top. Cover the jar with a tight-fitting lid and
be dried in a warm, shady place, or in the artificial heat label. Place the jar in a sunny location for 6 to 8 weeks,
at temperatures less than 130 degrees Fahrenheit. One shaking every few days. Strain out the herbs. Measure
of the simplest methods of drying the herb is to collect the oil and add 1/4 the amount of beeswax (if you have
the leaves, put them into a large paper sack and then 1 cup of oil, add ¼ cup of beeswax). Heat the two to-
put the sack in a warm, dry place for a few days. Store gether gently until the wax melts using a double boiler.
in an airtight glass jar in a cool, dark place. Mix the wax and oil, and pour into your containers to
harden. Use within two years.
Recipes. Chaparral Salve: Carrier oil such as or-
ganic olive oil or liquid coconut oil, dried chaparral

Chokecherry,

Prunus virginiana

Chokecherry is edible but rarely eaten these days be-
cause of its acidity and astringency. It is a North Amer-
ican native that grows across the northern US and Can-
ada and as far south as North Carolina. It is in the
Rosaceae (Rose) Family.

Identification: Prunus virginiana is a small tree or
a deciduous shrub that grows as tall as 30 feet (9.1 me- Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC3.0
ters). It has simple large elliptical leaves that are 4
inches (10 cm) long by 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) wide. They and thin in appearance when young. Bark becomes
are dark green, have a glossy upper side and paler un- more uneven and creased with age.
derside, and have toothed margins. They turn yellow in Edible Use: The edible parts of chokecherry are the
the autumn.
fruits and seeds. The raw berry is edible and has a good
Between the clusters of leaves are white showy flowers flavor, but is highly astringent. In cooking they are
that are approximately 3 to 6 inches (7.5 cm to 15 cm) used in pies and jellies where sugar counters their sour
long. The flowers bloom in May and June, and the fruit flavor.
appears in August.
The berries contain high amounts of pectin, so they are
often combined with lower pectin fruits when making
syrups, jams, and jellies. The fruit is also used to make
wine and syrups. Dried berries are used to make pem-
mican, and the twigs and bark make a good tea. Do not
eat the seeds if they are bitter-tasting.
Medicinal Use: In addition to the uses below the
inner bark is used as a flavoring agent for cough syrups
and other bitter medicines. It is not used often used in
other ways these days.

Stomach Illness: Dried chokecherry fruits and
bark are used for diarrhea, bloating, heartburn, and
Chokecherry bark ranges in color from brown or gray, stomach ulcers.
to purple and red, and the texture of the bark is smooth
Wet Coughs and Bronchitis: Chokecherry bark
is used as a base for cough medicine and also directly
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