Cramp Bark Powder Organic [1oz]

Cramp bark may be a more familiar herb than you think. Its botanical name is Viburnum opulus, and it also goes by the names of Guelder rose, highbush cranberry, and snowball tree. Two cultivars of Viburnum opulus (‘Roseum’ and ‘Sterile’) are frequently used ornamentally and known as snowball bushes or viburnum snowball bushes. You may recognize them with their hydrangea-like blooms and sweet smell. In its natural habitat, cramp bark is a shrub that can grow up to 15′ tall and wide. It blooms with large white flowers and produces bright red, edible berries. Cramp bark is originally native to Europe but has been naturalized in the woodlands of the U.S. and Canada. True to its name, the bark of Viburnum opulus is most frequently used medicinally. The berries can be eaten as a food source and contain high amounts of vitamin C. They can also be used to make a natural dye. The bark is usually harvested in the spring before the buds open or in the fall before the leaves change color. It contains many different plant compounds that give it antispasmodic, relaxant, and sedative properties. Cramp bark should not be confused with a similar- and related- herb known as black haw (Viburnum prunifolium).