Jack-in-the-pulpit

Arisaema triphyllum

An arum with a green or striped hood over the spadix. All parts contain needle-shaped crystals of calcium oxalate, which raw cause a fiercely burning mouth and swelling.

Safety notes

Poisonous when raw: swelling of mouth and throat. Keep out of reach of children.

Cautions by tradition (1)

Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) medicine: Poisonous when raw. By tradition not kept indoors with other medicines.

Preparation

Do not prepare or use it yourself. By tradition the corm is used only after long drying or boiling.

Use in traditions

One of the most powerful plants of the Haudenosaunee. According to the notes in Herrick, the corm was laid on bruises as a hot poultice, put in whisky for a lingering cold and used for sore eyes. An herbalist told Herrick that the plant must not lie indoors with other medicines because it spoils them, and that whoever picks it too early in spring may go blind.

Applications

Use by tradition

How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.

Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) medicine

Attributed effects

Poultice for bruises; for a lingering cold and sore eyes.

Preparation and amount

Do not prepare it yourself. The tradition uses the corm only after long drying, as a hot poultice or steeped in whisky.

Caution: Poisonous when raw. By tradition not kept indoors with other medicines.

Ways to prepare herbs: Compress, poultice and paste

Sources

All herbs from North America →