Witnessed by: Western
Wild cherry (Prunus serotina), of the Rosaceae family. Tall deciduous forest tree with dark scaly bark and drooping racemes of small black cherries; native range: woodlands and clearings across eastern and central North America. Globally recognized as wild black cherry, rum cherry, black choke, Virginian prune in English. The part used is inner bark of stem and root. Bark aromatic and bitter with the smell of bitter almonds, astringent and faintly of cherry.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
WILD CHERRY
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- wild cherry
- Scientific name
- Prunus serotina Ehrh.
- Family
- Rosaceae
Form
- Part used
- inner bark of stem and root
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Western
- bitter · astringent · aromatic
Temperature
- Western
- cool and drying
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- Western
- lungs · nervous system · digestion
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Western
- antitussive, sedative expectorant, astringent, bitter digestive tonic, mild antispasmodic
Cautions
Contraindications: pregnancy and lactation, high doses in children
Toxicity: bark and seed yield hydrocyanic acid; large doses cause cyanide poisoning with breathlessness and collapse
Interactions
- Western
- sedatives / CNS depressants: additive central and respiratory depression at high dose
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