Iroquois ethnobotany


The Iroquois use a wide variety of medicinal plants, including quinine, chamomile, ipecac, and a form of penicillin.

[Amaryllidaceae]

[Asteraceae] (Aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family)

[Brassicaceae] (Mustards, Crucifers, or Cabbage family)

  • Cardamine diphylla, infusion of the whole plant taken to strengthen the breasts. The Iroquois also chew the raw root for stomach gas, apply a poultice of roots to swellings, take a cold infusion of the plant for fever and for "summer complaint, drink a cold infusion of the roots for "when love is too strong", and use an infusion of the roots when "heart jumps and the head goes wrong." They also use a compound for chest pains. They also take an infusion of the plant at the beginning of tuberculosis. They also eat the roots raw with salt or boiled.

[Cyperaceae] (Sedge family)

[Ericaceae] (Heath or Heather family)

  • Epigaea repens, a compound is used for labor pains in parturition, compound decoction used for rheumatism, decoction of the leaves taken for indigestion, and a decoction of the whole plant or roots, stalks and leaves taken for the kidneys.

[Fabaceae] (Legume, pea, or bean family)

[Grossulariaceae]

  • Ribes triste, fruit mashed, made them into small cakes, and stored them for future use. They later soak the fruit cakes in warm water and cook them a sauce or mix them with corn bread. They also sun dry or fire dry the raw or cooked fruit for future use and take the dried fruit with them as a hunting food.

[Lamiaceae] (Mint, deadnettle, or sage family)

[Onoclea] (Sensitive Fern)

  • Onoclea sensibilis, used in both oral and topical forms, a decoction extensively applied for women's issues, for early tuberculosis, treating baldness, as a gastrointestinal aid for swelling and cramps, for arthritis and infection. A poultice of the top leaves was used for deep cuts and infection. A cold compound infusion of the entire fern plant was washed on sores and taken for venereal disease, e.g. gonorrhea.

[Osmundaceae] (Royal fern family)

[Papaveraceae] (Poppy family)

[Pinaceae]

  • Abies balsamea, steam from a decoction of branches used as a bath for rheumatism and parturition, and ingest a decoction of the plant for rheumatism. They take a compound decoction for colds and coughs, sometimes mixing it with alcohol. They apply a compound decoction of the plant for cuts, sprains, bruises and sores, and use steam. They apply a poultice of the gum and dried beaver kidneys for cancer. They also take a compound decoction in the early stages of tuberculosis, and they use the plant for bedwetting and gonorrhea.
  • Pinus rigida, pitch used to treat rheumatism, burns, cuts, and boils. Pitch also used as a laxative. A pitch pine poultice used to open boils and to treat abscesses.

[Ranunculaceae] (Buttercup or crowfoot family)

  • Ranunculus acris, poultice of the smashed plant to the chest for pains and for colds, infusion taken of the roots for diarrhea, and apply a poultice of plant fragments with another plant to the skin for excess water in the blood.

[Rosaceae] (Rose family)