Tulip trees / 1994

Date: Tue, 6 Sep 1994 23:02:10 BST
Sender: Medicinal and Aromatic Plants discussion list
From: Christopher Hedley
Subject: tulip trees

Paul,

taken from Charlotte Erickson Brown, medicinal and other uses of North American plants, pub Dover NY 1979......

Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipfera fam. magnoliaceae)
not a poplar.

Bark preferably the root bark.

A bitter tonic and febrifuge, likened to Quinine and Gentian, used for chills, fevers, intermitant fevers, worms, rheumatism, weak digestion and to restore general health.

Also a nerve tonic used for hysteria and one reference as a heart stimulant.

I don't suppose you will wish to cut your tree down, ...unless you want to make a canoe, the wood is very tough and flexible and hence ideal for that purpose.

Failing that you could try the leaves as a poultice for headaches or in an ointment for inflammatory skin conditions. The flower buds are used for constipation.

My source is a book worth buying. It is endlessly fascinating being a complete historical survey of herbal writings. It only covers the eastern part of North America.

Christopher@gn.apc.org London England.