Native Plants as Food and Medicine

I have long been fascinated by the historic uses of plants, particularly the native plants of the region where I live in the Pacific Northwest.  In fact, most of the native plants I have illustrated so far were used by native peoples as food or medicine. I feel I know these plants well by the time I have done my direct observations, research, preliminary drawings, and then the detailed portrait in watercolor, but aboriginal tribes before me have known them much better for millennia.  In fact their lives depended on them in some cases.  Often this accumulated knowledge and experience has been lost when the role of tribal medicine man or woman is not passed along to the next generation.

Woman from the Colville tribe in the PNW collecting bitterroot. Photo courtesy of Washington State Archives

A USC pharmacology professor, James Adams, is making use of this tribal knowledge by studying the healing properties of many native plants of California.  His teacher was a Chumash medicine woman named Cecilia Garcia.  Together they wrote a book that includes detailed information about the plants her tribe used for healing, and much personal and tribal wisdom as well.  The book is titled Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West.  Recently, I was thrilled to be asked to illustrate some of these plants for a magazine article about the professor’s work.  I wrote about my process of doing them here.  These are the plants I illustrated, along with their medicinal uses according to Adams and Garcia.

California evening primrose (Oenothera californica) “This plant helps women stay in balance through menopause and uterine problems, like fibroids and cysts. It also helps diminish hot flashes.”

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) “The elderberry blossom is good for colds and flu. It’s sold at the drug store as Sambucol.”

Cleveland sage (Salvia clevelandii) “This is a beautiful plant you can use for pain instead of naproxen, aspirin or ibuprofen. It contains 52 different monoterpenoids that are all pain relievers.”

Mugwort (Artemisia douglasiana) “This plant contains serotonergic agents that interfere with addiction mechanisms. People can use it to quit cigarettes, cocaine, alcohol, In ’n’ Out Burgers—whatever.”

Yarrow (Achillia millefolium) “They say Achilles used this plant to cure bleeding in his soldiers. It works on nosebleeds. It’s also useful for minor pain relief, like a headache.”

California holly (Heteromeles arbutifolia) “These wonderful red berries are used against Alzheimer’s. Does it cure the disease? No, but it helps patients be more functional in society.”

Valley oak (Quercus lobata) “This used to be very common in the San Fernando Valley. The Chumash people planted it because the acorns are enormous. They make an acorn soup that helps cure diarrhea.”

Of course, herbal remedies should be taken with caution, under the supervision of someone who is an expert on their usage.