Łódź, Botanical Garden

Native to the mountains of eastern North America and Mexico. Edible plant - fruits of very bitter taste, used as a hop substitute when making beer and it is added to yeast to make it rise more quickly when making bread. Herbal plant - the root-bark is anthelmintic, antibacterial, antiperiodic, stomachic and tonic, it has been mixed with other medicines in order to give added potency, it 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 leaves are said to be useful in the treatment of wounds and also in the destruction of intestinal worms. Useful plant - sometimes used as a hedge plant in North America; the wood is hard, heavy, close grained.