Table of Contents
- Edible Uses of Red Osier Dogwood
- Medicinal Uses of Red Osier Dogwood
- Alternative Uses of Red Willow
- Growing Cornus Stolonifera
Joe from *Creator’s Garden calls it mskwabiimnagohns. Red-osier dogwood (Cornus stolonifera) is our most recognizable dogwood thanks to its bright red bark. It’s both a wild edible and a medicinal that you may be aching to know. *Link is to Joe’s video about red osier on Facebook, have a listen and follow 🙂
Our local dogwoods include at least five: pagoda (cornus alternifolia), bunchberry (cornus canadensis), silky (cornus obliqua), round leaved (cornus rugosa) and cornus stoloniflora – our red osier. Osier is sometimes spelled osher.
Edible Uses of Red Osier Dogwood
The berries and stones are edible raw, dried or cooked, but they are sour and bitter. They can be used in moderation in sweet and sour recipes. They’re a great candidate for mixing with sweet serviceberries.
Medicinal Uses of Red Osier Dogwood
Red osier dogwood is primarily said to support these body systems:
- Immune
- Integumentary
Medicinal tags include Analgesic and Astringent. See Medicinal tag key for more information.
Common usage includes pain relief for inflammation in joints, or sore and aching muscles. Pains you’ll find all end up filed under “rheumatism” in old herbal notes. Red osier, despite dogwoods being called dogwood willows, isn’t a true willow and doesn’t have salicin in the fresh bark. But its inner bark does have an alternative analgesic, coronic acid, for a salicylate-free pain killer. Aforementioned Joe has an arthritis salve recipe with red osier included and both of these plant based analgesics.
It’s also used to break fevers in the rare instance that is necessary.
It was an attempted quinine substitute too, like quaking aspen. Same complete lack of modern scientific evidence too. Perhaps they should have looked at wormwood? (I haven’t, I’ve only heard whispers!)
Alternative Uses of Red Willow
You can make a red dye from the bark.
Weaving, baskets, thread, braided straps, lances, arrow shafts, etc. – there’s a lot you can make with this eye-catching red shrub!
Growing Cornus Stolonifera
It’s easy to grow from cuttings and you may find your mother plant within cottonwood stands along stream banks and lake edges, or even damp ditches.
WARNINGS
And the Usual Cautions:
1) Most medicinal herbs, if edible, are meant to be eaten in moderation, even sparingly. Some require extra preparation. Tannins are toxic if consumed in excess. Before taking any new supplements, you should consult with a healthcare professional.
2) A vast amount of these herbs are diuretic. (See the Medicinal tags above to check if this featured herb is one of them!) Diuretics are generally safe, but they can be risky for people with other medical conditions or who take certain medications. Please consult your doctor if you have any health conditions.
3) People can be allergic or sensitive to nearly any plant; try new herbs one at a time at your own risk. For instance, saponins commonly cause stomach upset.
4) For serious medicinal use, I must recommend receiving a diagnosis and working with a reputed health care provider. I generally do not post specific treatments and dosages because I think that is best between you and your health care provider, and ideally monitored.
5) Anyone pregnant, nursing, or taking prescription drugs should talk to a health care professional before adding new food items to their diet.
6) Many plants have look-a-likes, and sometimes they are poisonous.
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REFERENCES
My new favourite foraging book is Sam Thayer’s Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: of Eastern and Central North America (The Sam Thayer’s Field Guides) Paperback – June 1, 2023 and this plant IS featured as one of the edible wild plants in this area. I highly recommend this guide for your bookshelves!
Cornus sericea Linnaeus – Database of Vascular Plants of Canada (VASCAN)
Reader’s Digest Magic and Medicine of Plants
Indian Herbalogy of North America: The Definitive Guide to Native Medicinal Plants and Their Uses
Edible and Medicinal Plants of Canada
Forest Plants of Central Ontario
How Indians Use Wild Plants for Food, Medicine & Crafts (Native American)
Search for Herbalism and Foraging Books on Amazon (Affiliate Link)
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