Horse-Nettle
Parts Usually Used
Leaves
Description of Plant(s) and Culture
A weed of the nightshade family, with yellow prickles. Five parted flowers are violet to white stars; May to October. Fruits orange to yellow berries resembling tiny tomatoes are considered poisonous; August to September. Perennial; 1-4 feet tall. Stems sharp-spined. Leaves oval to elliptical; lobed to coarse-toothed.
Where Found
Sandy soil. Old fields, farmlands, barnyards, waste places. New England to Florida; Texas to South Dakota.
Medicinal Properties
Diuretic, antispasmodic.
Uses
In folk traditions, the berries were fried in grease to prepare an ointment for canine mange. Native American peoples historically utilized a tea prepared from wilted leaves as a gargle for sore throats and drank it for intestinal parasites, while the leaves were applied as a poultice for poison-ivy rash.
Warning
This herb is potentially fatal. Toxic. Fatalities reported in children. This herb should not be used without proper medical supervision.
Bibliography
Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants , by Steven Foster and James A. , 15 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023