A medium-sized deciduous shrub growing to 5 m tall. The leaves are alternate, simple, 6-15 cm long and 2-6 cm broad, oval or obovate and broadest beyond the middle of the leaf. The flowers grow in showy yellow clusters that appear in early spring, before the leaves begin to grow. The fruit is a berrylike red drupe about 1 cm long and is highly prized by birds. It has a peppery taste and scent, and contains a large seed.

Abortifacient, analgesic, carminative, depurative, diaphoretic, emetic, emmenagogue, stimulant, tonic and vermifuge (decotion of plant); aromatic, astringent, diaphoretic, febrifuge, stimulant, tonic and vermifuge (bark); carminative (fruit)

Plants For A Future

A decoction of plant is useful in ague, amenorrhea, anemia, arthrosis, bruise, candidiasis, cold, colic, cough, cramps, croup, dysentery, dermatosis, dysmenorrhea, fatigue, fever, gas, gonorrhea, hives, itch, malaria, measles, myalgia, nervousness, neuralgia, phthisis, pulmonosis, rheumatism, syphilis, swellings, tuberculosis and typhoid. The bark is used in the treatment of coughs and colds, typhoid fevers and other forms of fevers. The oil from the fruits has been used in the treatment of bruises and rheumatism. A tea made from the twigs was a household remedy for colds, fevers, worms and colic. A steam bath of the twigs is used to cause perspiration in order to ease aches and pains in the body.

James A Duke and Maryl Fulton. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs - 2nd Edition, P: 691, CRC Press July 2002.