Medicinal Monday - American Spikenard

This shrubby looking soft-stemmed herbaceous perennial is in the Gingsing family that is native to Canada and much of the northeast stretching south to Georgia and west to Missouri. Native Americans used almost every part of this plant for medicinal purposes to treat everything from burns and colds to venereal disease.

About American Spikenard

This shrubby plant is found on wooded slopes, hillsides, and in ravines.  The root is aromatic and can run up to three feet long through the soil.  It sends up stalks that can grow up to seven feet high. Large toothed leaves grow on the stalks below the clusters of flowers.  The large tapered flower clusters are made up of several umbrels composed of tiny white or green flowers growing above the leafy stem of foliage.  The flowers usually bloom in June.  The flowers are replaced by purple-red berries in the fall.  The plant reseeds itself and, also spreads by its aromatic taproot.

Medicinal & Culinary Uses

Spikenard is native to the Eastern United States and has a long tradition of being used by the Native American communities living in the area.  Native Americans use the entire root as food, some mix the berries and wild onions with meat. 

Medicinally, the Algonquin used an infusion of the roots to treat both diabetes and tuberculous. Many Native American communities used a decoction of the roots and berries as an expectorant to treat coughs including the  Algonquin, Cherokee, Chippewa, Iroquois, Malecite, and Micmac.  Another common use was to aid women in pregnancy and help with menstrual problems. The Choctaw used a decoction of the root to steam sore eyes and made a sweet decoction to give to children suffering from colic. Iroquois and Menominee made a compound decoction from the roots and used it to strengthen and purify the blood.  The Iroquois made an infusion of the entire plant to treat venereal disease and the Mimac used the root to treat gonorrhea.  The Penobscot used a compound infusion of the plant to treat rheumatism and the Malecite mixed the roots with red osier dogwood and smoked this combination for headaches.

Did You Know...

American Spikenard is also called Indian Root, Spignet, life-of man, old man's root, petty morel, and Fleabane.

It is also known as wild or false sarsaparilla because of its licorice flavor.


In Appalachia, a tea is made of roots for backache.

About The Institute for American Indian Studies (IAIS)

Located on 15 woodland acres the IAIS preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs.  We have an outdoor replicated 16th c. Algonkian Village and Wigwam Escape and a Museum with temporary and permanent displays of authentic artifacts from prehistory to the present that allows visitors to foster a new understanding of the world and the history and culture of Native Americans. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut.

Summer Camp 2019 - Explore, Create & Discover!

Spend the summer of 2019 @ The Institute For American Indian Studies!  Our camp programs offer immersion into the natural world and culture of Connecticut's Eastern Woodland Native American people through the exploration of our replicated 16th century Algonkian Village, our forests, three sisters garden, and museum.  Experienced and professional educators provide young and curious minds with exciting programs that engage and educate.

The programming for the Institute for American Indian Studies Summer Camps have been created to inspire and engage children from ages  5-12 and 13 to 16 in explorations of the natural world and history of Connecticut's first inhabitants on Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with extended camp options available with pre-registration.  Young people from ages 13 - 16 can apply to a counselor in training program.  Interactive activities include traditional stories, crafts, team building activities, and games that bring history to life in age-appropriate contexts. Kids will explore hands-on exhibits in our museum as well as in our outdoor replicated 16th century outdoor Algonkian Village and Three Sisters Garden located on 15 unspoiled acres,  go on hikes to Steep Rock and the Shepaug River, and visit our traditional herb and flower garden.  The week specific programming includes a group project that allows campers to practice the skills that they have learned to create something to take home and share with their friends and family or to leave at the museum for future visitors to enjoy.  Kids will make friends, enjoy the summer and learn about Native American culture.

Weekly camps with different themes run from July 8 -August 16, 2019.  Kids that love archeology and wonder what tools archeologists use to discover the past will enjoy Digging Detectives: Archeology Week, July 8-12.  If your children are interested in food, Eating with the Seasons: Foraging in the Forest from July 15-19 teaches children how Native Americans were able to thrive in the natural world using their knowledge of the forest and rivers.  Crafty Creations week on July 22-26 is sure to inspire the budding artist in your child. In this program, kids will learn about crafts, music, arts, and storytelling from a variety of Native American cultures, past and present. 

To experience the beautiful natural environment at The Institute as well as to sharpen outdoor survival skills, Get Out! Woodland Survival, July 29 - August 2 will teach children outdoor living skills from knot tying and navigation to the safe use of fire in an outdoor setting and much more.  On August 5-9, Tech It Out! Not So Primitive Technology will uncover the mysteries of the past and show kids how Native Americans figured out creative ways to thrive in their environment.  The creation of tools, the construction of shelter and how to find food in the natural world that surrounds them will be on this week's agenda.  The final program of the summer, Nature Nuts: Forest and River Ecology from August 12-16 teaches the valuable lesson that all living things are connected.  This important life lesson will be taught through games, stories, crafts and more.

For complete registration information, visit http://www.iaismuseum.org. Pricing is $228 for members of The Institute for American Indian Studies and $285 for non-members; families with two or more children registered to get a family discount. Registration forms and non-refundable deposit of $100 is due by May 17, 2019.  The summer camp director is Gabriel Benjamin and he can be reached at gbenjamin@iaismuseum.org.