A small tree or a deciduous shrub 6-8 m tall with a broad crown. Twigs slender to moderately stout, brown with deep U-shaped leaf scars, and with short, light brown, fuzzy buds. Leaves alternate, 5-18 cm long, palmately compound with three (rarely five) leaflets, each leaflet 1-10 cm long, sparsely serrated or entire, shiny dark green above, paler below. Flowers small, 1-2 cm across, with 4-5 narrow, greenish white petals, produced in terminal, branched clusters in spring: some find the odor unpleasant but to others trifoliata has a delicious scent. Fruit, round wafer-like papery samara, 2-2.5 cm across, light brown, maturing in summer. Seed vessel has a thin wing and is held on tree until high winds during early winter.

Anthelmintic, antibacterial, antiperiodic, stomachic and tonic (root bark)

Plants For A Future

The root-bark has a soothing influence on the mucous membranes and promotes the appetite, being tolerated when other tonics cannot be retained. It is also taken in the treatment of intermittent fevers such as malaria, heartburn, roundworms, pinworms and poor digestion. Externally it is applied to wounds. The roots are a tonic, used in the treatment of asthmatic breathing, fevers, poor appetite etc. The leaves are said to be useful in the treatment of wounds and also in the destruction of intestinal worms.

James A Duke and Maryl Fulton. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs - 2nd Edition, P: 757, CRC Press July 2002.