AMERICAN MEDICINAL PLANTS O 



AMERICAN CRANBERRYBUSH 



Viburnum trilobum Marsh. (Fig. 3.) 



Synonym. — Viburnum opulus americanum. 



Other common names. — Crairipbark tree, cranberry tree, highbush cranberry, 

 wild guelder-rose, gueldres-rose, cherry-wood, dog rowan tree, whitten tree, 

 red elder, rose elder, marsh elder, water elder, white elder, gadrise, gaiter tree, 

 gatten, love rose, May rose, pincushion tree, squaw bush, witch-hobble, witch- 

 hopple. 



Habitat and range. — This native shrub occurs in low rich woods and borders 

 of fields from New Jersey, Michigan, and Oregon northward. 



Description. — The American cranberrybush grows from 8 to 10 feet high with 

 branches generally erect and smooth. The 3-lobed, broadly oval, coarsely toothed 

 leaves are, usually smooth on the upper surface, but with the veins on the lower 

 surface somewhat hairy. The snowy white flower clusters, which appear in 

 June, are about 3 to 4 inches across. The flowers on the outside of the cluster are 

 sometimes an inch in diameter, but those on the inside are smaller. The red 

 fruits, which ripen rather late in the season and remain on the bush for some time, 

 are roundish, sour, and contain a round flat stone. They bear some resemblance 

 to the cranberry; hence some of the common names applied to the plant. 



Part used. — The bark, collected in the fall. In reasonably constant demand. 



Figure 3.— American cranberrybush (Vibur- 

 num trilobum) 



Figure 4. 



-American elder (Sambucus cana- 

 densis) 



AMERICAN ELDER 



Sambucus canadensis L. (Fig. 4.) 



Other common names. — Sweet elder, sambucus, elder flowers, elder blows. 



Habitat and range. — The elder bush is found in rich soil and low, somewhat 

 damp ground from Canada southward to Florida and Arizona. 



Description. — Elder is a shrub attaining a height of 6 to 10 feet, its light gray, 

 numerous stems being generally smooth and the younger ones containing a large 

 white pith. The leaves are large and consist of 5 to 11 leaflets about 2 to 5 inches 

 in length borne on short stalks. About June or July the flat-topped, fragrant 

 clusters appear, composed of numerous, 5-lobed, wheel-shaped, creamy-white 

 flowers. The clusters of edible fruits which follow are black or a very dark 

 purple, small, round, shining, and juicy. 



Part used. — The flowers, gathered when fully opened and then quickly dried. 

 The berries are also used to some extent. These must be very carefully dried, so 

 that they will not become moldy. In limited demand only. 



