Latin name: Aralia nudicaulis L.
Botanical family: Araliaceae
Growth habit: Herb
Vernacular name(s): wild sarsaparilla (Eng.)
aralie à tige nue, salsepareille (Fr.)
ba-gwa-nan, wabos'odji'bik, bebamabi'k (Ojibwa)
waposocepihk, waposocipihk, waposogibi (Cree)
gajíé (Chipewyan)
wapacak (Atikamekw)
saçat'sek, sasôgsek (Abenaki)
Uses:
Tea used as a blood medicine, for fainting and fits [Ojibwa: 86]. , or as a tonic [Abenaki: 67]. Decoction (excluding fruit) used to treat pneumonia in children [Cree: 95].
Leaves :Boiled with stems of Sorbus scopulina and Sarracenia purpurea to make a tea taken to relieve chest pain [Chipewyan 92].
Roots :Used as a diuretic and alterative [Cree 74]. Dried and crushed to a powder and steeped with sweet flag for cough, steeped and taken in weakness. Boiled in a box with hot stones, and decoction taken internally for stomachache, or merely as a beverage [Algonquians 63]. Chewed and inserted in an aching ear [Atikamekw 73]. Pounded in a mortar, boiled in hot water and used for blood purification during pregnancy [Ojibwa 87]. Used as stimulant [Ojibwa 88]. Fresh root pounded and applied as a poultice to bring a boil to a head or to cure a carbuncle [Ojibwa 87]. Decoction used as a remedy for blood problems, or applied to a sore. Dried and powdered, or fresh root chewed and inserted in nostril to stop nose bleeding. Decoction of stalk of Ribes triste, root of Aralia racemosa and root of Aralia nudicaulis taken for amenorrhoea [Ojibwa 47]. Powdered, steeped in water and used to treat cold and influenza [Mi'kmaq 62]. Powdered and used in many-herb remedy to treat various ailments. Decoction taken internally for teething [Cree 95]. Poultice used to treat infected wounds [Cree 13, 93]. Tea for kidney disorders [Algonquin 69].
Fruiting stalk :Decoction used to stimulate lactation. [Cree 95].
Rhizomes :Chewed or made into a tea to treat heart pain, chronic chest pain, upset stomach, liver problems [Dene 13; Chipewyan 92]. and sore throat [Cree 13]. Poultice used to treat skin disorders, bee stings, cuts and burns [Cree 96].