Dirca palustris Leather wood (Thymelaeaceae) Deciduous shrub

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Dirca palustris
Leather wood
Deciduous shrub
(1 Page of 5)

The Dirca palustris plant species is found in Eastern N. America - New Brunswick to Florida, west to Louisiana and Minnesota. It is a member of the Thymelaeaceae family. Common gardeners may know the plant as Leather wood.

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Latin Name:  Dirca palustris
Common Name:  Leather wood
Family:  Thymelaeaceae
Author:  L.

Known Hazards:  Contact with the plant can cause severe dermatitis with redness, blistering and sores in some people[222].

Mature Height:  1.8   Mature Width:

Habitat:  Rich deciduous or mixed woods[43] in moist situations, often on calcareous soils[200].

Medicinal Information: Leatherwood was employed medicinally by a number of native North American Indian tribes who used it to treat a wide variety of ailments[257]. It is little used in modern herbalism and any use should be carried out with caution since even minute doses can cause salivation and burning of the tongue[222]. A tea made from the bark is laxative[222]. Another report says that it is purgative and emetic, and can produce violent vomiting[235, 257]. An infusion of the roots has been used in the treatment of pulmonary problems[257]. A decoction of the branches has been applied as a poultice to swellings on the limbs[257]. The plant is a folk remedy for toothaches, facial neuralgia and paralysis of the tongue, venereal disease, and has also been used to try and induce pregnancy[222, 257].

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Cultivation | Propagation | General Uses
Medicinal | Edible Uses

The information above has been supplied solely via the hard work and dedication of the team at 'Plants for a Future'.
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