Alder - Treatment and Medical uses of Alder Bark, Leaves, Tree and Wood

Latin description: Alnus glutinosa syn Betula alnus

Common Name: Common Alder, European Alder, Black Alder, Red Alder

Parts Used: Bark and leaves.

Medcinal Uses and Benefits of Alder

• Inner bark has been boiled in vinegar for a wash against lice, scabies, scabs and to clean teeth.
  A poultice of leaves used for painful breast (1 heaping Tbsp of leaves to 1 pint of boiling water and steeped 30 minutes).
• The fresh bark will cause vomiting and is useful as an emetic. All other uses should be of the dried bark.
  Used primarily by Native Americans for wounds and inflammations; also as a decoction for burns.
• Native Americans used the bark for lung hemorrhages and diptheria; they scraped the inner bark and used the juice to rub on itches and also as a rectal application for piles.
  A moist poultice of the inner bark was used to stop heavy bleeding.
• A decoction has been used as a gargle for sore throat; the powdered bark and leaves as an internal astringent and tonic and as a hemostatic against internal and external bleeding.