American dittany
StarCunila origanoides
Synonyms: Hedyosmos origanoides, Ziziphora mariana, Mappia origanoides, Cunila mariana, Satureja origanoides
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
The Cherokee used American dittany medicinally, taking it as an analgesic for headache, as a cold remedy, a diaphoretic and febrifuge, a gynecological aid in childbirth, a snakebite remedy, and as a stimulant and tonic (Hamel & Chiltoskey, 1975). In Appalachian and broader American folk practice the aromatic leaves, fresh or dried, were brewed into a pleasant thyme-flavored "dittany tea" valued as a warming diaphoretic and carminative for colds, fevers and headaches (Foster & Duke, 2000).
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Botanical Description
Cunila origanoides, known as American dittany, stone mint or frost mint, is an aromatic perennial subshrub of the mint family (Lamiaceae) native to the central and eastern United States. It grows 20–40 cm tall from a woody base, producing slender, wiry, much-branched stems clothed in small, opposite, ovate to lanceolate leaves that are smooth-margined to slightly toothed and strongly fragrant of oregano or thyme when crushed. From midsummer into autumn the plant bears tiny two-lipped flowers, pale lavender to purplish-pink, clustered in the leaf axils and at the branch tips. It typically occupies dry, rocky or sandy open woods, clearings, wooded slopes and prairie margins, often on acidic soils. In late autumn the plant is noted for forming delicate ribbons of "frost flowers"—curls of ice extruded from the splitting lower stems—giving rise to several of its common names.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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