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Common Name: Devil's Club

General Information

Oplopanax horridus is a deciduous shrub that can grow up to 2.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

The plant is densely armed with spikes and these spikes are irritant[].

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Western N. America.

Habitat

Moist woods, especially by streams[, ] and usually in rich soils[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	2.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a cool moist soil[, ]. Prefers a position in light shade[]. Prefers dense shade and is probably best if grown in moist woodland[, ]. Tolerates maritime exposure[]. (Rather a strange report for a plant that needs to be grown in dense shade[]).
A very hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to at least -15°c, but the young shoots in spring can be damaged by late frosts[, ]. It is therefore best not grown in a frost pocket[].
This species was until recently considered to have its range in N. America and Japan, but the Japanese form has now been separated off into its own species as O. japonicus[].
A very ornamental plant, but it is densely armed with spikes[]. It transplants easily and also tolerates pruning[].
The leaves and stems are excessively spiny[].

Edible Uses

Young shoots - peeled and then cooked[, , , ]. Only the very young, succulent shoots are used[, ].

The roots can be chewed after peeling[, , ].

Medicinal

Devil's club was widely employed medicinally by several native North American Indian tribes who used it especially for its pain-relieving properties[]. It is little, if at all, used in modern herbalism, though it probably merits further investigation.
The root bark and stems are analgesic, antirheumatic, antiphlogistic, appetizer, blood purifier, cathartic, emmenagogue, galactogogue, hypoglycaemic, ophthalmic, pectoral and tonic[, ]. An infusion is used in the treatment of coughs and colds, bronchitis, tuberculosis, stomach problems etc[]. A decoction is drunk in the treatment of rheumatism and is also applied externally as a wash on the affected joints[]. A poultice of the bark has been used to relieve pain in various parts of the body[]. A poultice of the bark has been applied to a nursing mother's breasts in order to stop an excessive flow of milk[]. A decoction has been used as an eye wash in the treatment of cataracts and as a herbal steam bath for treating general body pains[]. The burnt stems, mixed with oil, are applied as a salve on swellings[].
An extract of the root bark lowers blood sugar levels and an infusion of the bark has been used in the treatment of diabetes[]. The infusion also has a tonic effect on the blood and liver[].
The inner bark is emetic in large doses and purgative (especially if taken with hot water)[]. It is used in the treatment of coughs and colds, stomach and bowel cramps[]. A poultice of the inner bark is used in the treatment of wounds, sores etc[].
The berries have been rubbed on the scalp to combat lice and dandruff, and to make the hair shiny[].

Other Uses

The berries can be mashed into a pulp and then rubbed onto the scalp to get rid of head lice[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in the autumn[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division of suckers in the dormant season.
Root cuttings in a greenhouse in the winter[].