Oregon Grape

Scientific Names

Berberis aquifolium
Mahonia aquifolium L.
Berberis repens L.
Mahonia repens L.
Berberidaceae
Barberry family

Common Names

California barberry
Holly-leaved barberry
Holly mahonia
Mahonia
Mountain grape
Rocky Mountain grape
Trailing mahonia
Wild Oregon grape
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Description of Plant(s) and Culture

Wild Oregon grape is an evergreen shrub; it has irregular, knotty roots that have brownish bark with yellow wood underneath. The branched stems extend to 3 feet or more and have alternate, pinnate leaves with 5 to 9 leaflets. Ovate or oblong lanceolate, the leathery, sessile leaflets have 10 or more spiny teeth on each side and are glossy dark green on top, pale green underneath. Yellow flowers bloom in fascicled racemes from April to May. The globular blue berries resemble bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.), more commonly called huckleberries.

Oregon grape (B. repens), was used by Native Americans. Shoshone name “Sogo tiembuh’; Paiute name “Kaw-danup”; Blackfeet name “Oti to que.” The root was peeled, dried and steeped to check rectal hemorrhage, stomach troubles, and dysentery.
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Where Found

Found in mountain areas on wooded slopes below 7000 feet from British Columbia to Idaho and southward to Oregon and California. Native to North America, introduced to Europe as a cultivated plant but has become naturalized there.
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Medicinal Properties

Alterative, diuretic, laxative, tonic
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Biochemical Information

Alkaloid berberine
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Legends, Myths and Stories

There are several varieties of this herb, which appear to have similar properties. Thus, 4 are given here, because of this similarity.

This is the Pacific Northwest variety of barberry and was used by the mountain folk of California as a preferred treatment for all chronic degenerative diseases, especially cancer and arthritis. Used in the treatment of anemia, not because of the iron in the plant, but rather its ability to release iron stored in the liver.
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Uses

Used in the treatment of liver and kidney troubles, rheumatism, arthritis, hepatitis, jaundice, syphilis, anemia, constipation, leukorrhea, and uterine diseases. Good blood purifier and useful for scrofula and skin diseases such as eczema, acne, herpes, and psoriasis. Women drink it first thing in the morning to stimulate the onset of menstruation. The medical used are almost identical to that of Barberry (Berberis vulgais).
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Formulas or Dosages

Infusion: use 1 tsp. roots to 1 cup boiling water. Steep, strain. Take 1 tbsp. 3 to 6 times a day.

Tincture: a dose is from 5 to 10 drops in liquid daily.
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How Sold

Dried herb and extract
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Warning

Large doses have a cathartic effect, causing watery diarrhea and abdominal pains.

Avoid in pregnancy; a uterine stimulant.
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Bibliography

American Folk Medicine, by Clarence Meyer, Meyerbooks, publisher, PO Box 427, Glenwood, Illinois 60425, 1973

Earl Mindell's Herb Bible, by Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D., Simon & Schuster/Fireside, Rockefeller Center 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020

Webster's New World Dictionary, Third College Edition, Victoria Neufeldt, Editor in Chief, New World Dictionaries: A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., 15 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023, 1984

The Yoga of Herbs, by Dr. David Frawley & Dr. Vasant Lad, Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, Second edition, 1988.

The Rodale Herb Book, edited by William H. Hylton, Rodale Press, Inc. Emmaus, PA, 18049., 1974