Medicinal Monday - the Vanilla Fragrance of Sweet After Death

This small flowering plant with a very interesting name was a favorite of the Native American communities of the Pacific Northwest. They found several interesting uses for this attractive flowering plant that has the faint scent of vanilla...after the leaves of this plant die!

About Achlys triphylla

This herb in the Berberidaceae family grows from British Columbia to California and can be found from the Cascades to the Coast Ranges at elevations of up to 5,000 feet. It is usually found in the semi-shade of forests in mountainous regions. This perennial can grow up to 16 inches and is a hermaphrodite that is pollinated by the wind. It has white flowers that grow on stalked, bractless spikes that bloom from April through July. The flowers lack sepals and the petals can contain up to ten white stamens. The showy white upright spike can grow to three inches above the basal-shaped leaves with three fan-shaped asymmetrical blunt toothed leaflets on the stalks. The fruit is a reddish-purple achene, a small dry one-seeded fruit that doesn't release the seed. The dried leaves emit a vanilla fragrance.

Medicinal Uses

Many Pacific Northwest Tribal Communities including the Cowlitz, Lummi, Saanich, Skagit, and Nlaka'pamux make an infusion and take it to treat TB. The Lummi and the Skagit use a decoction of leaves to wash their hair. The Paiute strain an infusion of dried roots and use it as a wash for cataracts. The Thompson use a decoction of the roots to delouse sheep. This decoction is also used as a wash to remove lice, bedbugs, and other household pests.

Did You Know

Native People hang bundles of dried leaves in their residences to deter insects that swarm.

The word Achlys comes from the Greek goddess of hidden places. In this plant, it refers to where this plant is found, deep in the woods. 

The common name, Sweet After Death refers to the sweet vanilla fragrance of the dried leaves of this plant.

Other common names of this plant are Vanilla Leaf, Deerfoot, and Deervetch.

The vanilla scent is caused by the presence of natural coumarin which is a powerful blood thinner.