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Triosteum perfoliatum

Common name:	Wild Coffee	Family:	Caprifoliaceae
Author:	L.	Botanical references:	200, 235
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	Eastern N. America - Massachusetts to Alabama, Kentucky and Kansas, west to Nebraska.
Habitat:	Rich soils[235]. Shady positions in forests on limestone soils[213].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Feverwort [P,B], Horse Gentian [E], Ipecacuanha Sauvage [E], Tinker'S Weed [E], Wilde Ipecacuanha [E],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	perfoliatum = leaves joined around stem
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Dipsacales. Honeysuckle family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	Britain France Germany Netherlands Us Us(Appalachia) Us(Cherokee) Us(Onondaga)

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 1m by 0.6m . It is hardy to zone 6. It is in flower from June to July. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge.

Edible Uses

Coffee.

The dried and roasted seeds have been used as a coffee substitute[2, 207, 222]. Opinions on the taste vary wildly[207].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Cathartic Diaphoretic Diuretic Emetic Febrifuge Laxative Pectoral Poultice Stomachic.

A decoction of the leaves is diaphoretic[222]. It is used in the treatment of fever and ague[207, 213].
The roots are diaphoretic, diuretic, laxative, pectoral and stomachic[222, 257]. In large doses they are emetic and cathartic[222]. An infusion of the root has been used to treat severe colds, pneumonia, irregular or profuse menses, painful urination, stomach problems and constipation[222, 257]. The infusion has also been used as an aid to putting on weight for both adults and babies[257].
A poultice of the roots is applied to snakebites, sores and felons[222].
An infusion of the plant has been used for soaking sore feet. An ooze from the plant has been used as a wash for swollen legs[257].
The rhizome contains an alkaloid and has been used as a cathartic[213].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Succeeds in a light humus-rich soil in part shade[200].
Succeeds in the wild or woodland garden[200].

Propagation

Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed in a cold frame in early spring. 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 in spring[200].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for the family Caprifoliaceae.

To be included in the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[207] Coffey. T. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File. 1993 ISBN 0-8160-2624-6
A nice read, lots of information on plant uses.

[213] Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980 ISBN 0-449-90589-6
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.

[222] Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990 ISBN 0395467225
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.

[235] Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970 ISBN 0-486-22642-5
Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book.

[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
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.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Triosteum+perfoliatum
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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.