Medicinal Flowers or Plants on Trees

With the recent resurgence of interest in holistic and natural medicines, it's no wonder more individuals are seeking out remedies for their aches and pains in their own backyard. Flowering trees have been a tried-and-true source of effective medicines since man first began to understand the abundant gifts of mother nature, and with the areas of unexplored wilderness still checkering our planet there's no telling what's waiting to be discovered. While many natural drugs derived from flowering trees have been replaced by more potent, synthetic concoctions, trees remain a main source for several remedies.

Balsam Poplar

• Teas from the inner bark and balms made from the gooey, fragrant substance found on the buds of flowering balsam poplar trees were used by Native Americans to sooth sore throats, coughs, lung pain and rheumatism long before European settlers began their voyages across the Atlantic. Grown widely across the cooler regions of North America, the leaves and bark of the balsam poplar tree yield several beneficial properties when consumed or used externally. The disinfectant ointment made from the waxy resin of budding balsam trees was dubbed the "balm of Gilead" by the drug industry, and acts as an effective expectorant in cold medicines to relieve congestion and coughs. The leaves of balsams have been shown to help sores and bruises heal when applied directly to the wound, and a thick syrup made from cooked tea bark tea has been used to support fractured bones by tribal communities for hundreds of years.

Birch

• Abundant throughout the northern and eastern regions of North America, birch trees possess high concentrations of salicylic acid, which aids in lowering fevers, relieving headaches, and soothing aches and pains. This pain-reducing acid, also found in willow trees, can be refined into aspirin and is used in several skin treatment and acne medications. Almost every part of a birch tree has been applied to one medicinal use or another, but the leaves in particular have an agreeable, aromatic odor and bitter taste that is easy to recognize. Teas made from the leaves of birch trees have been used as a reliable solvent of kidney stones and to help treat gout, rheumatism and dropsy. Tonics, teas, and ointments can also be made from the inner and outer barks for a variety of skin conditions, digestion problems, and stubborn fevers.

Camphor

• Native to Asia, evergreen camphor trees grow to great heights and have a long history of being used for its medicinal properties. Easily identified by its penetrating odor and pungent taste, camphor is slightly cold to the touch and its extracts are often used as flavor agents like eucalyptus and mint trees. The waxy sap of the camphor tree has been used for centuries for relief from coughing fits, colds, or chest pains as a refreshing balm solution rubbed over the chest and throats of those afflicted to open the airways. When ingested, camphor has been shown to stimulate intellectual centers and prevent narcotics from taking effect, but in cases of hysteria, nervousness, or neuralgia, it has a calming effect on those afflicted. It also helps relieve symptoms of serious diarrhea. Extracts of camphor bark are used in ointments to relieve muscle pain because it acts as a counter-irritant in rheumatism, sprains bronchitis, and most other inflammatory conditions, including heart failure.

Dogwood

• Native Americans chewed on dogwood twigs to keep their teeth and gums healthy.

  For hundreds of years Native Americans across the eastern United States used the fruit, twigs, and bark of flowering dogwood trees to make medicinal teas for a variety of illnesses and ailments. Effective as an astringent, a substitute for quinine and a remedy for colic, dogwood teas reduce fevers, induce vomiting, and relieve body chill pains while helping the sick relax. Confederate doctors even used dogwood to treat malaria during the Civil War, so try and identify this holistic remedy yourself the next time you're out enjoying the outdoors.

Sassafras

• Folklore says beds made of sassafras ward off evil spirits, and it's easy to understand how such a story was inspired. Aromatic and appealing, the flowering sassafras tree of the southeastern United States offers a plethora of healing and medicinal properties in addition to its delightful fragrance, flavor, and uses for timber. Used medicinally by Native Americans long before settlers began exporting it, where Europeans used it to cure syphilis, sassafras has long been served as a refreshing tonic and diuretic. Made from boiled roots, the tonic is effective in relieving intestinal gas, reducing fevers, treating cold symptoms and kidney or liver aliments. When applied externally, the essential oils provide relief for a variety of skin conditions and wounds, including eczema, psoriasis, and rheumatism. Also effective in treating gout, arthritic pain, killing head lice, and a variety of dental care procedures.

Tea Tree

• The tea tree of Australia and the South Pacific Islands is really more of a tall green shrub whose soft, white bark and flowers were used by settlers and travellers as a tea substitute. Tea tree oil, a light yellow liquid with a fragrant, nutmeg-like smell, is extracted by steaming and crushing the tree's pine needle-like leaves and has been praised for years by dermatologists and cosmetics experts for its effectiveness in treating acne, rosacea, and other skin problems. Tea tree oil offers several antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and pain reducing properties when applied externally to infected or irritated areas of the face or body. Great for treating insect bites, sunburn, and other skin conditions, tea tree oil has also been proven to treat nose, throat and vaginal infections. It is also effective in killing strains that are resistant to antibiotics, such as athlete's foot, oral candidiasis or other bacterial infections.