Botanical Name: Rhamnus purshiana | Family: Rhamnaceae
Common name(s): Cascara Sagrada, Sacred Bark, California Buckthorn
GROWING
- Evergreen Tree | Zones 4a-9b | 32 feet tall | Flowers May – June, black fruit in October, 3-lobed seeds. Young bark is purple brown changing to brown with age.
- Sun to semi-shade (woodlands) | All types of soil, likes it moist
HARVESTING
Harvest bark in the springtime from the branches and trunk of at least a one year old, but still young, tree. Leave it to age for a few years before using.
PREPARATION / DOSAGE
Decoction: Put 1 – 2 tsp dried bark in 1 cup of water. Bring to boil and let infuse for 10 minutes. Drink at bedtime.
Tincture: 1-2 ml at bedtime.
MEDICAL
Constituents: Anthroquinone glycosides, bitter principle, essential oil, resin, tannins
Actions: Bitter tonic, laxative
Uses: chronic constipation, dyspepsia, indigestion, hemorrhoids, liver congestion
CHARACTERISTICS
- Cold, bitter
SOURCES
- The Way of Herbs, Michael Tierra
- Indian Herbalogy of North America, Alma R. Hutchens
- Holistic Herbal, David Hoffman
- Plants for a Future
- Herbazest
- photo credit: CAJC: in the Rockies Cascara sagrada via photopin (license)
I have never even heard of this tree. Don’t know if there are any growing around us, but it does grow in our zone 5!