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Rhamnus purshiana - DC.                
                 
Common Name Cascara Sagrada
Family Rhamnaceae
Synonyms Frangula purshiana. (DC.)Cooper., Rhamnus purshiana
Known Hazards There is the suggestion that this species could be mildly poisonous[19, 65]. Excessive use can cause cramps and diarrhoea. Limit treatment to 8-10 days. Long term use can be habit forming. Fresh cascara can cause a bloody diarrhoea and vomiting. It should be aged for at least 1 year or heat treated. Do not use on children [301].
Habitats Rich bottom lands and sides of canyons, usually in coniferous forests[60, 82].
Range Western N. America - British Columbia to California.
Edibility Rating  
Medicinal Rating  
Care
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun

Summary       
UPDATE 15/2/2012: Rhamnus purshiana DC. is a synonym of Frangula purshiana Cooper

Physical Characteristics       
 icon of manicon of cone
Rhamnus purshiana is an evergreen Tree growing to 10 m (32ft) by 6 m (19ft).
It is hardy to zone 7. It is in leaf 12-Jan It is in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen in October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.It is noted for attracting wildlife.


Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Rhamnus purshiana Cascara Sagrada


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Koeh-121.jpg
Rhamnus purshiana Cascara Sagrada
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
   
Habitats       
Edible Uses                                         
Fruit - raw or cooked[2, 118, 161, 257]. A thin, rather juicy flesh[82]. It is sometimes eaten[183]. There is some debate as to whether the fruit is edible or slightly toxic[226]. The fruit is about 10mm in diameter[200] and contains 2 - 3 small seeds[229]. An extract of the bark, with the bitterness removed (by drying?) is a common flavouring for soft drinks, baked goods and ice cream[183].
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.



Cascara sagrada is widely used as a gentle laxative that restores tone to the bowel muscles and thus makes repeated doses unnecessary[226, 244]. It is often sold in chemists etc[226]. The bark is used, this is harvested on a commercial basis from wild trees and plantations in western N. America[226]. It should be harvested in the autumn or spring at least 12 months before it is used medicinally, in order to allow the more violent purgative effect to be mollified with age[95, 213]. Three year old bark is considered to be the best age[4]. It is considered suitable for delicate and elderly persons and is very useful in cases of chronic constipation[4]. The bark also has tonic properties, promoting gastric digestion and appetite[1, 4, 11, 21, 57, 94, 95, 165]. As well as its uses as a laxative, it is taken internally in the treatment of digestive complaints, haemorrhoids, liver problems and jaundice[238]. This remedy should be used with caution since in excess it causes vomiting and diarrhoea[238]. It should not be prescribed for pregnant or lactating women, or patients with intestinal obstruction[238]. An infusion of the bark is sometimes painted over finger nails in the hope that the bitter taste will deter the person from biting their nails[238]. The German Commission E Monographs, a therapeutic guide to herbal medicine, approve Rhamnus purshiana for constipation (see [302] for critics of commission E).
Other Uses
A green dye is obtained from the bark[99, 118, 257]. Plants are sometimes grown in America as an ornamental hedge[229]. Wood - light, soft, not strong. Used for making the handles of small tools[82, 99].
Cultivation details                                         
Succeeds in any reasonably good soil in sun or partial shade[11, 238]. This species is hardy to at least -15°c[238]. Closely related to R. frangula[11]. This species is cultivated as a medicinal plant in N. America[57, 60, 61] and is also collected from the wild[238]. It is becoming rare in the wild because of over-collection[238]. The flowers are produced in small clusters on shoots of the current year's growth[82]. A good bee plant[94]. The species in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].
                                                                                 
Propagation                                         
Seed - best sown in the autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed will require 1 - 2 months cold stratification at about 5° and should be sown as early in the year as possible in a cold frame or outdoor seedbed[200]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle, and grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[113]. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, autumn in a frame. Layering in early spring[4].
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Expert comment                                         
 
      
Author                                         
DC.
                                                                                 
Botanical References                                         
1160200
                                                                                 
Links / References                                         

[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
[2]Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
[4]Grieve. A Modern Herbal.
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
[11]Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
[21]Lust. J. The Herb Book.
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
[57]Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.
Fairly readable but not very comprehensive. Deals with plants from around the world.
[60]Hitchcock. C. L. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest.
A standard flora for Western N. America with lots of information on habitat etc. Five large volumes, it is not for the casual reader.
[61]Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
[82]Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America.
Two volumes, a comprehensive listing of N. American trees though a bit out of date now. Good details on habitats, some details on plant uses. Not really for the casual reader.
[94]Sweet. M. Common Edible and Useful Plants of the West.
Useful wild plants in Western N. America. A pocket guide.
[95]Saunders. C. F. Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada.
Useful wild plants of America. A pocket guide.
[99]Turner. N. J. Plants in British Columbian Indian Technology.
Excellent and readable guide.
[113]Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation.
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
[118]Gunther. E. Ethnobotany of Western Washington.
A small book, it is a good guide to useful plants in Western N. America.
[161]Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237.
A comprehensive but very terse guide. Not for the casual reader.
[165]Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
An excellent small herbal.
[183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[213]Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food.
A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.
[226]Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada
Very good on identification for non-experts, the book also has a lot of information on plant uses.
[229]Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History.
A very good concise guide. Gives habitats, good descriptions, maps showing distribution and a few of the uses. It also includes the many shrubs that occasionally reach tree proportions.
[238]Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
[244]Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs
Deals with all types of herbs including medicinal, culinary, scented and dye plants. Excellent photographs with quite good information on each plant.
[257]Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

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