Medicinal Plants Used by Indigenous People
- Wind Daughter Panther Wind Woman
- Aug 28, 2022
- 3 min read
Native North Americans are well known for their medicinal plant knowledge. They learned by watching animals eat certain plants when sick. They preserved their medicinal plants by only picking every third plant that they found.

The Native Americans had a spiritual view of life. They believed to be healthy was to have a sense of purpose and to follow a righteous, harmonious, and balanced path in life. They said that some illnesses were life lessons that a person needed to learn and should not be taken away from them. Many modern remedies and medicines are based on the Native American knowledge of the different plants and herbs they used for thousands of years.
Here are some of the most versatile plants that the Native Americans used in their everyday lives. They are all around you. Learn how to recognize them and their value.

Yarrow
This fragrant, flowering plant is used to stop bleeding. The Aboriginal people applied it to open wounds and cuts as a poultice made from the leaves to help clot the blood. If out in nature with a freshly cut finger, you could chew a leaf and then put it on top of the cut to stop the bleeding. They also combined fresh yarrow juice with water to help an upset stomach.

Sumac
It is one of the only plants in treating eye problems. A decoction can be made of the plant as a gargle to relieve sore throats or diarrhea. The leaves and berries combined make a tea that can soothe poison ivy.

Rosemary
Native American tribes considered this plant sacred. They used it mostly as an analgesic for alleviating sore joints. This herb improves memory, relieves muscle pain and spasm, and helps the circulatory and the nervous systems. It also improves the immune system and treats indigestion.

Mint
The Cherokee people used to make a mint tea to soothe digestion problems and help an upset stomach. They also made a salve from the leaves to relieve itching skin and rashes.

Red Clover
This plant has been used by healers for treating inflammation and respiratory conditions. Recent studies have shown that red clover helps to prevent heart disease by improving circulation and lowering cholesterol. But most of all, it is a blood purifier. If taken maybe as long as six months, it can break down cysts in many places of the body.

Cattail
This is one of the most famous survival plants the indigenous population used for food, but also as a preventative medicine. Since it is an easily digestible food, it is helpful for recovering from illness. It is called the supermarket of the swamp, as it can be used in multiple dishes

Wild Rose
The Native Americans used this plant as a preventive and a cure for a mild common cold. The tea stimulates the bladder and kidneys and is a mild diuretic. A petal infusion was used for a sore throat.

Sage
Sage is commonly used as a spice, but it was a sacred plant for many indigenous tribes as it was thought to have effective purifying energies and to cleanse the body of negative energies. As a remedy, it was used for treating medical conditions like abdominal cramps, spasms, cuts, bruises, colds, and flu.

Lavender
Healers used this plant as a remedy for insomnia, anxiety, depression, headache, and fatigue. The essential oil has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Infusions can be used to soothe insect bites as well as burns.

Mullein
A tobacco-like plant, it was mainly used to treat respiratory disorders. The Native Americans made concoctions from the roots to reduce swelling in the joints, feet, or hands. But most of all, it was used to cleanse and strengthen the lungs.
- White Cloud Woman of the Four Winds
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