Animal and Plant Medicines of the North

First Nations and natives of North America classified medicinal plant according to energetics of animals.

Bear medicine, for example, is related to Bear Root (Hedysarum alpinum), Osha, Angelica root, and Lomatium (Lomatium dissectum). These are brown, furry, oily plants that bears seek out in spring after hiberation. Burdock, an introduced herb, could be included in this group, as the genus name Arcticum is from the Greek, meaning Bear. Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) literally means grape of the bear.

Bear medicine is useful for building up reserve energy via the adrenal system.

Snake medicines, such as Tarragon, Polygala seneca, and Sanicula marylandica have twisted roots that look like serpents. They are often added to herbal combinations to add wisdom or direction to the medicines.

Rabbit root (Aralia nudicaulis) gives flexibility, agility and muscular strength.

Elk medicines are associated with luck, in hunting, fishing, gambling and love. These antler-shaped herbs help increase kidney strength and sexual energy. Examples include Cleavers, Staghorn Sumach, and Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa).

In this volume we will look at plants associated with and named after elk, bears, deer, moose, skunk, muskrat, beaver, snakes, buffalo, turtles, fox and rabbits. Not just the plants, because wild moose, elk and beaver parts are valuable sources of food and medicine as well.